GEOFFREY GANDA

THE RAPTURE OF

FURIOUS LOVE

Let now your church shine as your bride

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The Rapture of Furious Love

E-book Edition

Copyright © Geoffrey Ganda 2014

All scriptures are taken from KJV unless stated.

Foreword

Humbled but privileged to have this opportunity to right the forward for an author’s book is a wonderful thing. Knowing the friend I have in Geoffrey Ganda is truly an honour. I honestly believe with all my heart the Geoffrey is called and set apart for God’s work in this generation.

The Rapture of Furious Love is best described as an in depth new revelation, eye opening truths that revolutionises the way we read and view biblical scriptures. If one has does not know the writer and the bible, I can see how it may be read like a novel and not from a selfless lifelong dedication of pursuing God’s knowledge.

This book is Geoffrey Ganda’s compartmentalisation of his autobiography, but it gives us a comprehensive account of his life challenges in Christ. You would be amazed how well this book has been written and fascinated to know how the book has come about and is now available in your hands today, praise God. For the millions reading this, your life will never be the same again. I am eager to see what God has in store next for him.

Geoffrey Ganda is not only a prolific writer, but also a dynamic music producer and an inspirational songwriter with thought provoking lyrics that captures the essence of heaven. I am a massive fan of what God is doing in this mighty young mans life. When I say “fan” I mean he is set on fire for Jesus, like red-hot charcoal; they need to be fanned to intensify its heat. God has brought us together as friends to stir up the gifts in each other’s lives, thank you Jesus.

I have always deeply admired and respected Geoffrey, he has matured far beyond his chronological age, he’s loving, trustworthy, a corrector and has a warm personality. I was blessed to have met him when he was only nineteen, his love for Christ has never diminished, and in fact it has become more explosive. The infectious holy anointing rubs off on to everyone that is blessed by his words, lyrics and presence. I am not one that gives into flattery, but I truly believe in every word the Holy Spirit has lead me to write. I invite you to complete this wonderful book so you may truly know. Eph 3:17-19 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Amen.

Carl Sebastian Rodriguez

London, UK

Acknowledgements

There are so many people to acknowledge so please forgive me if I did not mention you; your reward is in God.

Firstly I would like to thank God The Father Himself for playing the biggest part in this writing. He spoke to me in many different ways, gave me dreams and visions and challenged me to live by every word that I wrote. I could not write this book if I was not in a right state with God (His Spirit would not allow me) so I thank you awesome God.

I want to thank my father for guiding me in the right steps, as a child we have no idea how important guidance from a parental figure is until we get older. I remember my dad would sometimes lay hands on me during prayer and he would tell me that God wants to use me. This stayed on my mind always and he is my first pastor and will always be. Through the hard times we went through, he demonstrated how to stay firm in God with an unshakable faith, I dedicate this book to you.

There is a certain someone who helped open my eyes to the scriptures, though I have never personally met him. That man is a minister called Pastor Chris Oyakhilome. Through his ministry Believers’ Loveworld, also known as Christ Embassy, I found my identity in Christ. Although I currently do not attend his church, I am still rich with the resources that have been made available through his ministry. Thank you for showing me ‘how’ to study the word.

I am a product of many meetings and messages. My inspirations range from Billy Graham, David Wilkerson to Bishop TD Jakes, Heidi Baker and Nathan Morris to name a few. But I would like to acknowledge two personal big ministers who have impacted my life in the short time I have known them: Prophet and prophetess William and Deborah Mitchell. They have impacted my life in a way they have not yet comprehended.

I was in the world when I met them, but I knew my destination. The day I met them I knew God was in them and like a disciple I followed when they called me. Deborah Mitchell reminds me of Heidi Baker, so pure and welcoming in heart, a worshiper and a lover of God’s presence. William Mitchell preaches with uncompromising authority, travels the globe revealing The Father and still manages to be a husband and father to his family. What a role model. Little do they know that I came out of an addiction through their ministry. Thank you for teaching me how to sow.

Finally I would like to thank the rest of my family and friends who have prayed for and believed in me. I would like to mention Sebastian Rodriguez my very close friend, for praying for and with me; he has witnessed a lot of what I have been through and by faith stood alongside me.

I want to also dedicate this book to my beautiful daughter Sheira Faith Ganda, go in the name of The Lord and fall in love with Jesus deeper and deeper.

THANK YOU ALL

MAY GOD CONTINUE HIS BLESSINGS UPON YOUR LIFE’S.

CONTENTS

Introduction

1.About Me

2. Inspiration

Harpazo

1. A Surprise?

2. Rapture & Resurrection

3. The Great Escape

4. Hide & Seek

Koinonia

1. Communication

2. Levels of Relationships

3. Trust

4. Time & Worship

5. Familiarity

6. Secret Place

7. Reversing The State

Feast and Traditions

1. The Great Supper

2. The Four Stages of a Jewish Wedding

3. The Jewish Wedding Paralleled In Salvation

Undeserved

1. Grace

2. Righteousness

3. Holiness

Zeal

1. Hot, Cold or Lukewarm?

2. Violent Men

Burning & Shining

1. Consumed

2. Sold Out

Furious Love

1. The Fathers Heart

2. Selfless Love - Agape

3. Denying Self

4. Unity

5. Living By The Spirit

The Bride

1. Overcomer

2. My Dreams

3. The Bridge of Separation

4. The Sign In The Sky

5. Treasures & Rewards

6. Prayer of Salvation and My Prayer for The Bride

INTRODUCTION

I had a dream, matter of fact I have had several dreams where I experienced the Rapture of the Church. I always wondered and asked why God was showing me these dreams, until He Himself led me to write this book. He even gave me the title (I added Furious), which has given a lot of depth to my research.

Many people ask me how I came about writing such a topic, or even how I came about writing a book ... I laugh. I am mostly known for my music as I produce, perform and also write of course. Writing was already in me, since I was 12 years old I began writing, I remember I attempted to write a book at that age and I didn't get past the fifth page, but I had the desire. At the age of 14 I got into writing lyrics and poems for girls, like you do at that age.

Getting serious with the things of God, I found a fascination for end time topics and it changed my thought pattern. I became obsessed with it and people avoided me because that was all I could talk about. I tried escaping it, but somehow I would fall back into it, so I let go and just let God have His way in me.

I got blessed with an understanding of the scriptures through spending time with The Lord. After many supernatural encounters, I felt urgency in my heart to reach out to people with this message ... And here it is.

This book is not for date setting or signs; it is for the preparation and preservation of the bride for The King. It is full of principles on how to continually walk with God practically. As you put these principles into action you will find yourself having an intimate, personal relationship with God the Father, His Spirit and His beloved Son.

I pray that you may understand with spiritual knowledge and most importantly put it to work. God bless you as you read.

About me

I have been a Christian all my life, my father was a pastor and so it was pretty much set for me which path to take. I never really understood much about God and Christianity except that if you live right you will go to heaven; if you live wrongly you are going to hell. So I lived my early life in fear... fear of dying, fear of the devil and fear of God... I was just fear-full.

It wasn't until I reached the age of 15 that I finally started to understand the word and it was because I chose to. Before this I actually hated Sundays because I was forced to go to a church that lasted 5 hours and half the time people would be manifesting demons (at least that's what I thought.) I rebelled and left church for a while.

At the age of 16 I was invited to a youth service, the two guys who approached my friend and I sold church to us in a way we have never heard before. Of course we attended, got born again and received the Holy Spirit and all of a sudden I was on fire for God. I couldn't help but talk about Jesus, my zeal burnt and my love for God was infectious. Years and years later that passion has remained with me and I can never stop loving Him.

I faced many challengers (and still do) and I backslid into the world at one point. I wanted to fit in so I partied all over, drank and fell to women. Just when I thought I had climbed out of all that mess, I got hooked on pornography. I felt fatherless as if I had reached the end of the rope and exhausted all the grace God had dispensed unto me.

As I was going through my teen/young adult life crisis, at the back of my head the word was still speaking, but I was hiding. The Bible says in Genesis 3:8 that the voice of The Lord came walking in the coolness of the day, the word was always talking, but I was not always listening.

The more we focus on what's wrong, the more we produce that wrong... I needed a change of scenery and God decided to give me a dream. The dream or vision I had involved being raptured, why would God show me this? I thought only righteous men and women have these experiences.

The power of God that broke out in my room that morning caused me to worship fervently, and as I worshiped God, I was reminded again of who He is. For the first time in months I felt rejuvenated.

You would have thought, 'instant deliverance,' right? No. I wasn't changed overnight, but I started practising making the right decisions.

The first decision was to come out of a sinful and unfruitful relationship and that was probably one of the best choices I had made. There were other parts in my life I had to cut out, but I never let my behaviour determine my identity... Let your identity determine your behaviour.

I locked myself indoors just worshipping, repenting and lavishly loving Him. I told myself 'if this word is true it will produce what it talks about,' so I approached Jesus with all my hurts and shame burning with furious love, desiring only to keep His word. Now I am a lover His presence and a partaker of His divine nature.

Inspiration

I watched a film by Darren Wilson titled Furious Love and someone was quoted saying this "... But God goes 'I still love you, I still care about you, and I will set up circumstances so that you will have to try very hard to not love me back. Because in this marriage I am the bridegroom and you are the bride, I'm the one pursuing you and I love you way more than you love me. And you can try and reject me and play hard to get, but you have no idea how hard it's going to be...to not love me.'"

I recommend everyone, believer or non-believer to watch Darren Wilson's trilogy films about God. The first point I would like to point out from the quote is "[God] will set up circumstances" it's His work. Many times we forget and think that we were intelligent enough to accept Jesus, but really if you look at it He is the pursuer. Proverbs 18:22 reads, "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,"

It never said the woman who finds a man (for all you woman searching, your role is one of preparation, not searching internet dating, for you are the treasure of the husband that finds YOU). We are the bride in this relationship being pursued by our bridegroom.

The second point I want to mention is the latter part of the quote. I found this to be true in my walk with God. No matter how far I have gone, even how many times I have blamed God for this and that, it would be very hard for me to stop loving him. How much more than will he continue loving us? My good friend and fellow musician once wrote in a song; "It's not easy to turn away when you are my love." I played with the words and came up with this; "it's easier to turn away if you weren't my love." The only way someone can turn away from Gods love is if they never loved Him in the first place, Jesus is my first love and the lover of my soul.

Harpazo

A surprise?

It might have happened in your time, but sometimes the pastor would preach on the coming of The Lord and would ask, who is ready? Everyone would be fired up and all of a sudden the ushers would blow trumpets and horns and the congregation would be alarmed, start repenting, and the pastor would say, "I thought you were ready?" Church is fun.

Often times we get scriptures puzzled up and misunderstood and they become like myths. I am here to break one of those myths. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." The myth is not that The Lord will come as a thief in the night, for He Himself said in Rev.16:15 "Behold, I come as a thief." It is also true that no man knows the day or hour. The myth is that it will take us by surprise. I think many Christians use this as an excuse to be lazy, "when He comes, He comes." If this is your attitude you be like the five foolish virgins who were not ready.

Let's examine that verse and see whom Paul was talking to.

Reference: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." Here he is talking to the church.

"For when they shall say," they? He is talking about the world now. "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." We clearly see that the world is the group that will be taken by surprise, what about the Church? "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." We are not walking in darkness (we are children of the light) for that

day to overtake us a thief. You need to understand this, there are two types of thief's that I will talk about later in the book, but Jesus gave us the characteristics of the enemy, he said; "The thief cometh not, but for to steal...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." To the full! (John 10:10 KJV)

Let's take a breather and recap. That day is not to overtake us by surprise. Did Jesus break into your life? Or did He knock on the doors of your heart and You accepted him in? So why would he be a thief to you when He returns? He said behold, I come "as" a thief, meaning He is coming unexpectedly, who does not like unexpected guests who have come to bless them? "...Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (Revelation 16:15)

We are clothes in righteousness; we are children of the light. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

I have had about four rapture dreams and there was only once it took me by surprise, when I was not ready. My first ever rapture dream when I was 16 or 17 years old opened my heart to the vision of God. In the dream we were evangelising in the high street, went up to car park with the others members to pray and as we prayed, people walking past us would mock, point and laugh at us. The power of God surrounded us and the heavens opened up. All of a sudden we were being lifted higher and higher. I remember looking down and seeing those people trying to jump and cling unto us, crying don't leave me...

My heart was torn and I remember thinking, "there is still more we can save, we have to save these people." That's when I woke up and I knew what I had to do.

About 7 years later I was in a different high street and I felt that same anointing that lifted us up and I remember! There is still more people. I love the feeling of being taken up; our desire should not be driven by selfishness. Why do you want to get raptured?

I believe that if God so loved the world that He gave His only son, we must also the people and give what we have freely been given, and that's life, we are distributors of life. Only by loving them furiously, like Jesus, can we save even the darkest in heart.

Rapture and Resurrection

There are different view points people carry about the rapture, we first have those who don't believe in such an event and those who hold dear to it. I believe in it and so I'm focusing on those who do and here are some of the groups we can categories them into.

Pre trib

They believe it will happen before the world enters the 7-year tribulation.

Post trib

They believe everyone will go through the tribulation and the rapture will take place afterwards.

Mid trib

A minority group who believe it would take place sometime during the tribulation.

To put it to record I am a pre triber and I am not out to enforce my views on people, but I will present my facts. Before I do that let's take a look at all three groups as a whole.

They all believe in being 'caught away, snatched, seized etc.' The Greek word for this term is harpazo. The main difference is 'when?' will this harpazo take place. A few reasons for the confusion (in my opinion) are;

An obvious one is people have their own interpretations of scripture and this ultimately affects their mapping of times and events. For example a post tribulation believer would say 'the peace treaty must be signed before the rapture can be triggered.' Or the pre tribulation believer would

say 'the Psalms 83 war must first happen' and it is a never-ending stream of predictions.

I also feel because the Bible mentions different resurrections at different points people get mixed up, for example the resurrection of Jesus.

I follow a Christian watchman on YouTube and she goes by the name of Hummingbird027. Now her findings were interesting, she mentions there could be a three-way harvest in different points of time. She is also a pre trib believer just in case you start thinking that's she is putting all three together and forming her own.

So a three way harvest where the death of Jesus caused Hades (Abrahams Bosom) to release all the righteous saints who lived before He died, and according to Matthew 27:52-53 it reads; "and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead." This is a resurrection. "They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people."

Notice they left the cemetery 'after' Jesus' resurrection, why? The Bible explicitly states in Colossians that Jesus is the first born of all creatures, the first to be 'born-again.' King David, the psalmist and prophet, professed of a King greater than himself.

Psalm 24:7 "Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in." The many godly men and women standing at the Ancient Gates of Heaven with Jesus leading them had just experienced a harpazo, a 'come up hither.'

Remember when Mary Magdalene encountered Jesus after finding His tomb empty, Jesus said this to her.

“Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” John 20:17

Now let's put these events together. In Matthew 27 it tells us that they left the cemetery 'after' Jesus' resurrection, then we just read that Jesus told Mary not to hold on to her for He had not yet ascended, and finally the psalmist explains how the King of glory makes an appearance at the ancient doors. I would call this the rapture of redemption, the first fruits.

I would like to point out something very important but it so missed because it looks so small. In Matthew 27:17 according to the NIV and the films I have seen about Jesus e.g. The Visual Book of John/Matthew, Jesus is quoted to have said, "Do not hold on to me," The Greek meaning for hold

here means to 'cling onto' which is what's depicted in the films. I always thought of this to be not entirely accurate and I happened to bump into information of the High Priests and sacrifices.

When it came to presenting the blood sacrifice in the Holy of Holies they had to follow extremely strict rules. Now looking at the KJV it reads. "TOUCH ME NOT" and He explains to her why, "for I am not yet ascended to my Father..." In my research I found this out.

As soon as The Lord Jesus arose from the dead, He must enter immediately

into the Holy of Holies ascending straight to God The Father in heaven

and present the tokens of His perfect sacrifice on Calvary in order to

complete this important Day's ritual.

Therefore, Messiah Jesus, the Living Lord could not allow anyone to touch Him, just as was the case with the earthly High Priest for the Day of Atonement. When The Lord entered the Holy of Holies and concluded the ceremony at the Mercy Seat in Heaven, He returned and met His friends on earth who then

could touch Him. In truth, they held Messiah's feet worshipping Him

for the work He had done! [Matthew 28. 9]

Incredible right? We don't see these things until they are fully brought into light.

The Great Escape

Like I promised here are my views according to my study, of why I believe in a pre tribulation rapture.

We sometimes refer to the rapture as 'the great escape.' Throughout biblical history we see this great escape, the biggest example being Noah and the flood. God is very merciful and slow to anger, leaving us signs and waiting for man to repent.

In Genesis 5 we see the account of the descendants of Adam from Seth to Noah and his children. The numbers fascinate me for example Enoch who lived 365 years, that is a complete earth cycle why that age? And Noah's father Lamech living 777 years. Even more exciting the bible declares regarding Enoch "...one day he disappeared, because God took him." (Genesis 5:24 TLB) Enoch was the first recorded person to experience a rapture! Now notice a few events before and after Enoch's departure starting with the birth of Methuselah.

The Flood of Noah did not come as a surprise. It had been preached on for four generations. But something strange happened when Enoch was 65, from which time "he walked with God." Enoch was given a prophecy that as long as his son was alive, the judgment of the flood would be withheld; but as soon as he died, the flood would be sent forth.

Enoch named his son to reflect this prophecy. The name Methuselah comes from two roots: muth, a root that means "death"; and from shalach, which means "to bring," or "to send forth." Thus, the name Methuselah signifies, "his death shall bring."

And, indeed, in the year that Methuselah died, the flood came. Methuselah was 187 when he had Lamech, and lived 782 years more. Lamech had Noah when he was 182. The Flood came in Noah's 600th year. 187 + 182 + 600 = 969, Methuselah's age when he died.

It is interesting that Methuselah's life was, in effect, a symbol of God's mercy in forestalling the coming judgment of the flood. It is therefore fitting that his lifetime is the oldest in the Bible, symbolizing the extreme extensiveness of God's mercy.

How much more will God be merciful and patient to us whom Jesus died for.

I talked about the great escape and how great of timing was Enoch's escape? Especially Noah who harkened to God's instructions.

Hebrews 11:5 tells us that "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he PLEASED God."

Enoch pleased God! In Genesis 5 there is a repetition of how Enoch walked (was in close fellowship, relationship) with God and he got the golden ticket. Not to say the other ancestors did not please God, but Enoch's relationship with The Almighty seemed somewhat special. It was as if God said to Him "you are here all the time, in my presence, why don't you just stay." And he was no more.

I think the bride of The Messiah is too precious to the Son for the Father to allow her to go through such turmoil.

So how do we get counted worthy to escape such things?

Hide And Seek

Zephaniah 2:3 - Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD'S anger.

The end time is similar to a hide and seek game. As a child we all played this and the best past of it was hiding. No one wanted to get caught, and seeking although it was the least favourite, at times it was thrilling. Well our walk with God is kind of like a seek and be hidden type of game, though life is not a game.

The opening scripture makes it clear as to what to seek and the result it to be hid from the day of The Lord's anger.

The blood of Jesus brought peace (reconciliation) between the Father and us and so we should be embracing God, seeking a diligent relationship with Him.

I had a life changing moment one day as I was watching Creflo Dollar on God TV and he said something you hear often in church, but it had only become a revelation to me then. Before this I was contemplating on my relationship with God and there was a song playing on my phone by Jesus Culture, titled 'You won't relent.' I had heard this song before, but never really grasped the message. It was not until Kim Walker started singing the bridge which goes "I don't want to talk about You like You're not in the room, I want to look right at You, I want to sing right to You." I was captivated! Then on the TV Creflo Dollar tells the congregation how God wants a relationship with us more than we do. Whatever I was going through at the moment seized to bother me.

Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Koinonia

Communication

Why do we treat God as if He is so far away, when in truth He lives in us. Why do we not communicate to Him often, when He is the closest being to us?

Begin today to communicate to the Holy Spirit as if He is there because guess what? He IS always there all the time. Choose to recognise His presence, disregarding what you 'feel' because "we walk by faith" and not by sensory perceptions. Jesus said "and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another comforter that He may abide with you forever” (John14:16)

The Greek word used for another comforter is “allos parakletos”

“Allos” means ‘the same of another kind’, while “parakletos” translated ‘comforter’, really means one that is sent alongside to go with you and help you. The Bible clearly shows who the Holy Spirit is to you; He is your helper, advocate, strengthener, intercessor, counsellor, standby and guide! Jesus called the Holy Spirit “another- “allos,” meaning another one of the same kind and quality as Himself.

Our level of understanding and revelation knowledge determines our level of love and communication with God.

Levels of Relationship

These levels of relationships that I am going to introduce depend really on an individual's revelation of God and how they see themselves to God. Our walk with God will mirror this, how you see yourself and how you think God sees you, these are just a few questions you should ask yourself. I am not saying one is greater than the other because a revelation can be personally, but

it is also progressive. Therefore you can be in more than one of these categories. The aspect of the relationship in each category I want us to focus on will be love and communication.

Servant

Servants are exceptional at taking and keeping orders, if you need something done it will be carried out as asked. In church we are like instruments, each person doing a service e.g. ushers, choir; we all serve a purpose. It is vital that all these works get done, but what is more important is doing them out of love. For whatever is not done out of love is like a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal...empty. Did you know that you can proudly humble yourself? Meaning you can choose to do something humble without a selfish motive of being acknowledged, exalted, humbled, instead of God getting the glory. The Apostle Paul said "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." (1 Corinth. 13:3)

We are serving out of love for the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Just like great servants such as Moses and Samuel, we have a path to take: "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." (John 12:26)

Serving The Lord is continuous; there is no retirement. Great men and women of God did not come out of office, but they entered the rest of God.

Jesus said "...but for this cause came I unto this hour." (John 12:27) "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) And because He did it out of love, the Father exalted His name above all other names.

Have you come to the level of love to say as Ruth did to Naomi "...for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God" Ruth 1:16

Friendship

John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; ...but I have called you friends...

What a great thing it must have been for the disciples when for our Lord Jesus called them friends. When someone labels you as a friend, what does it mean? Judging at the stage Jesus called them friends we can draw up some conclusions.

A friend of The Lord is someone who has walked with Him. Just like Abraham believed God and was called a friend of God, we also through the life of His Son have been made friends of God.

Jesus at this stage had bonded with the disciples. He makes it clear that a servant knows not what his master is doing, but because we are now friends "...I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.] John 15:15 AMP

So there is an insight given when you become a friend of God, He starts to reveal His plans to you.

I found this to be true in my life as I began to communicate with God, I don't mean prayer only, but just talking to Him every minute I can because He cares about every little detail of our lives. The Holy Ghost became my best friend and I started having insight into the future through dreams/visions and the Spirit himself talking to me. This is one of the ministries of the Holy Spirit to show you things to come.

Most importantly as a friend of God you start to experience the love of God in a different measure. As a servant we understood the mercy of God and how He has pardoned us from our sins, but salvation did not stop there. God was not seeking a bunch of pardoned people, but a family whom He can have fellowship, (koinonia) oneness and a relationship with.

Ironically the same chapter Jesus called the disciples friends, He revealed a truth in His heart that is; John 15:13 "No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends." AMP

Son-ship

Many Christians think when they sin; God no longer wants anything to do with them. It is true that sin makes you feel that way, but again if we continue to live according to our feelings we will miss the promise of God. I want to highlight sin here because this next level of relation requires a change of mind-set. When a child does wrong in the eyes of their parent(s), how many of them say, "From today you are no longer my son." No, that child is still a son, though they may not be in good terms he still belongs to the household.

When we sin our son-ship with the Father is not affected, but our fellowship is. The communication we once had would be affected because God is holy and cannot be mixed with sin, and our conscious knows and therefore we try and hide our shame from God. Our status does not suddenly change, as born-again Christians God does not 'unborn' the believer, instead He stretches out a hand and offers us grace. It is grace that super abounds, grace that leads us to repentance; that is the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Now I want to distinguish between the 'child of God' and the 'sons of God.' You might be saying 'but we are all children of God' yes, but the 'sons of God' are those who have matured.

A babe in Christ hides when they sin and gets beaten up from sin consciousness. They are not yet sure (confident of this very thing) if God loves them enough, yet to comprehend that we are joint-heirs with Christ and seated together with Him in heavenly places, requires this level of maturity and acceptance.

David was more than a friend of God he was a son! Most popularly known as a man after Gods own heart...despite of his flaws.

David was excited about The Lord and we see it in several instances. He would be the kind of Christian who would come to church burning with expectation and earnestly listening to the word

as he sits on the edge of his seat. No wonder he wrote in Psalm 27:4 "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life..." What a beautiful scripture, this was the condition of David's heart.

This is the kind of condition we need if we are to dwell with Jesus forever. A saying from Creflo Dollar changed my life, he said; "When you make a decision to sin, you make a decision to express death, rather than the life of God." Make a decision today.

How great it is to be part of Gods plans, his infinite dimensions of destinies and the best part is we choose which path we want to go. The love of Christ stretches broad, high and deep, whether a servant, friend or son He will touch you, but there is a greater revelation than all these. That's right, and it's to be the bride of Christ. Perry Stone once said this;

"My friends have access to me 50% of the time, my children have access to me 80% of the time, but my wife has access to me 100% of the time.

Trust

What is more important love or trust? I have heard and read many discussions about this, but the debate really should be which comes first? Then the former question can be answered. There are two ways people get in a relationship; (apart from arranged marriages) the first group fall in love first e.g. love at first sight, those who get married within months of meeting each other etc. Second group; through knowing the other person for some time and having "grown" affectionate towards them. Love and trust are two different virtues so we have to separate them. Each group has unknowingly created a foundation for which their relationship stands on, the first being love and the second being trust. That's in a formal relationship, how about a friendship?

In friendship you will almost always have trust as the foundation, simply because two people become friends out of trust, I am yet to see one out of love. Instead Philadelphia love (brotherly love) springs up as a result of this.

Now when someone gives their lives to Christ, in most cases it is out of trust, why? Because we weren't sure who God was until that point, so how could we have loved someone we never knew? It is out of blind trust that we believed that the prayer of salvation would actually do something, we trusted that Jesus died for us and that God actually raised Him up for our justification. Unless you are one of the many, but few people that have had supernatural encounters where God reveals Himself to you, it was a foundation of trust. We never knew what love actually was without Him, after all "We love Him, because He loved us first." (1 John 4:19) Why do I say these things? I will explain.

I reiterate, love and trust are two different virtues, but they work together. Love feeds on affections; trust feeds on security. Love without trust would be incomplete and the relationship would be unstable.

So according to our own confession into the Kingdom, we trust God from the very beginning, what happens when things get tough? Do we say "I trust You, but just not enough to believe You for this circumstance?" A relationship with God is like a marriage; the Bible lets us know that He is a jealous God. He wants you to take all your burdens to Him; just like in a marriage a husband’s main priority is to provide for his spouse, "till death do us part." It is the same with God, (except death does not do us part) we declared Jesus as our Lord and saviour giving Him supremacy over our lives, but doubting Him shows He hasn't yet gained full Lordship and we need to surrender all. Trust and faith go together, it's a walk. They are not gained over night, but trust can be broken in an instant. If you have a problem with faith maybe you should question how much trust you have in The Lord.

In our walk with Christ, trusting Him in impossible situations can be tough, but the confidence comes from knowing who He is to you. Is He to you Jehovah Jireh the great provider, or maybe Jehovah Rapha, your healer? Who ever He is to you I have great news, in Jesus He is ALL the name of God in ONE! Always remember it is a personal relationship, Jesus is the word of God made flesh and He demonstrated this trust in God for us. In His most trying moment, death staring Him in the face, Jesus cries out; "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Now some Christians would use this to excuse themselves for using their tongue wrong, and you hear things like "but even Jesus said something like that." They don't understand. Jesus spoke those words because it was truth, the reality of the moment. God had forsaken His presence from Jesus, turned His face away because He became the embodiment of sin, our sins. Jesus was never once separated from the Father until now, but there's proof our Lord trusted God from the beginning to the end.

Before this scene a heavy hearted Jesus surrendered His will to the Father, knowing what was to come. If He was not fully persuaded about Gods plan, He could have just said 'I'm innocent, why me?' Or called upon a legion of angels to come down, but instead He commended His Spirit into Gods hands.

The psalmist put rightly; "As for God, his way is perfect: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him." Psalm 18:30.

Time and worship

In the western society that allures us today, everyone always seems to be so busy. I have seen two contrasts in the divided world and even my local city mirrors this, it is the religious church versus the non-religious church.

Growing up I disliked church and terribly feared God, not out of reverence, but I though He was out to get me. I attended two different churches, a Catholic Church and a Pentecostal Church.

The Catholic Church looked so reverential, I was afraid to touch anything that looked holy. The only time I spoke was when we had to recite or when I was spoken to. I remember once during offering time the basket was coming my way, I only had enough money for the week and I thought if I don't give this, God will strike me with something so I quickly put everything in, making sure my left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing (I had taken that scripture very literally). I treated it like a lucky dip, whatever I pull out my pocket that's Gods and I would never count it. The only great thing I thought of the church was that it only lasted 30 minutes, I did not want spend time with God.

Shortly afterwards my parents forced me to attend their church, a very charismatic Pentecostal church and things did not get better. Not only did we have to travel 2 hours to get to the church, but also the service lasted 3 hours. Almost every week I witnessed a deliverance service where spirits were being cast out of people, people I knew. I became even more petrified of church, sitting at the very back, hoping the pastor would never call me out, and just by observation I felt like I had a bad spirit inside me. Out of my surprise, all the adults seemed to enjoy the service and they wanted to stay longer and longer, I just couldn't put my finger on it.

Unlike the Catholic Church there was no tainted windows, gold cups and candles or even figures of Mary. The Catholic Church was deep in religion, but quick to get out and carry on their normal lives, whereas the Pentecostal Church would hire an ordinary hall with nothing too fancy, but had an extra-ordinary meeting where people did not want to go home. I am not against any denomination, but I just want to draw a line across the sand.

In Darren Wilson's Furious Love, he documents an underground church in China where Christian persecution is still very high. In the documentary he captures a footage of them worshipping God for 8 hours! There was no pulpit, seating arrangements, bibles; (they were stripped away as they were illegal) just pure Holy Ghost worship on their knees or on the floor...anything. They knew how to spend time with God. It is said that many times when persecutors would kill members, the congregation would pray and bring the person back to life. That is the power of the resurrected Christ and a result of people in sync with God!

Imagine how your life would be if you spent 8 hours a day worshipping God. I will give you good news; you do not have to run someone else's race. That means God is not expecting you to spend 8 hours a day in worship because someone else somewhere is. Ecclesiastes 9:11 tells us "...that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong...nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all." The New Living Translation puts it like this. "The fastest runner doesn't always win the race... It is all decided by chance, by being in the RIGHT PLACE at the RIGHT TIME."

Did you catch that? By being in the right place at the right time.

You cannot be in the right place at the right time if you don't spend time with the Holy Spirit. There is a reason the bible tells us to pray without seizing, it is because of what prayer does to our spirit, it conditions it. The main reason for prayer is not so that we can ask God for stuff, but so that we can be positioned, aligned with the word of God that causes us to be in the right place at the right time. Look at the prayers of Jesus for example John 17; I call it the prayer of oneness. Jesus here is not asking The Father for things, but if we examine it He is actually positioning Himself, the disciples and the ones to come, in the glorious direction. He prays.

"Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me." John 17:18-21 NLT

Spending time with God is not only done through prayer, there are other ways. As you read I was a fearful child, I knew there was a God, but I avoided Him if I could. Embracing the light in my teen, I was a changed man. Before this I used to always have nightmares, but when the Holy Spirit entered I spent 7 years without a single bad dream. I found that the most effective way to usher in the presence of God is through worship.

To me nothing compares to worship, and the great thing is it can be done almost anywhere at any time. Ecclesiastes 9:11 told us "time and chance happeneth to us all." If we do this word then every time we get a minute, every time we get a chance to magnify God, take it. God CAN fit into our busy schedules. When we get that hour lunch break, why not spend 10 minutes reading a few verses? Or even if you're in a school or college, go to the toilet spend 5 minutes telling God how you love Him, speak in tongues to recharge yourself. Did not Jonah worship God in the belly of a fish? Let's not think like the religious folks, remember it's a personal relationship. I have no excuse to not spend time with God even on a full working day. I travel to work and I thank God for the gift of tongues because I can speak it under my voice while I'm commuting.

How many agree that when you fellowship with God in the morning or even better, throughout the whole day there is freshness. You feel relevant, secure and it feels like all things are possible right at that moment and nothing can put you down. It's because you have been positioned, angels have gone your way to prepare your day. The bible says, Proverbs 4:18 "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more [brighter and brighter] unto the perfect day."

Familiarity

I read this blog on tumbler posted by a Christian lady who goes by the name of Meghantschanz, I want to share a few points she mentions.

'Lately I have been finding myself waiting for that big moment. You know when you are so overwhelmed by God’s presence that something bubbles out of you, whether it be tears or laughter. I faithfully do my quiet time every morning, begging God to overwhelm me with his love.

And every time I feel his presence and I feel a smile escaping my lips, but its been quite some time since I have been moved to the point of tears, I guess it’s only been like 2 months, but I want that experience everyday...

But usually my quiet times just look like God telling me that he loves me a whole bunch and me saying it back to him. I usually walk away refreshed and filled with joy, but oftentimes I wish it was an all-consuming moment...

When sometimes I am wanting the passionate reunion of lovers who haven’t seen each other in years, the big sloppy embrace full of tears and laughter. I kept on expecting this big moment of tears and overwhelming emotion, but what I keep getting is breakfast.'

Firstly I want to say, don't get too familiar with God! The final lines of the blog were this.

'And dwelling upon it I’m realizing that is exactly what it should look like, because I walk with God every second of my day. So when I rise in the morning to speak to him it’s not some kind of passionate reunion because I felt him with me all day.'

Religiously it all sounds nice, you might have even been nodding your head while reading it because you feel the same, but let me warn you it's dangerous living like this. When you become too familiar with God there's that little bit of reverence missing, there's that little bit of awe not found in his presence and worship is taken for granted. This lady has/is walking with God, but by her words I can't help but feel that there is a little bit of Luke warmness creeping in.

To round up the article; she is looking for that big moment with God but all she seems to get is 'breakfast' and now she has settled with that. It is just like when I ask my family and friends 'how is your spiritual life?' I usually get a response like 'yes it's good, I'm saved, relax... don't get so radical.' The truth is you CAN have that big moment with God everyday 'if you choose to' and if you know how to. A big moment with God does not have to be Him overwhelming you with a manifested presence, that's walking by the flesh and allowing what you feel determine what is or what's not. It is a big moment with The Father when you overwhelm Him with 'your' love, not that we can overwhelm God, but His heart can be moved. It's a two-way relationship, as much as we are waiting on Him, He is also waiting on us.

Usually we tell God while rolling in tears "I want to do more for you, send me..." But in reality God is not looking for us to do more for Him, Instead He is looking for more of us. More of our heart, more of our trust, more of our attention, then He will be able to do more through us. As we remain humble seeking God, the bible says; "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him..." 2 Chronicles 16:9

Jesus' family became familiar with His presence, they saw Him everyday as He woke up, He worked in the same carpentry, He ate the same food, and He became ordinary to them. The master Himself said. "The only place people don't respect a prophet is in his own home town and in his own house." And the danger of this means He cannot perform any mighty works in you. The flow of the power of God is cut off to such a person because their traditions (way of doing things) has made the word of God of non-effect. This was a problem, not only in their days, but it occurs in our days as well. People become too casual as they enter into God's presence, not knowing it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.

This is a condition that can affect even those who are closest to Him, and have known Him for the longest while. Remember when you were first saved? You came to the house of The Lord and were awestruck, right? You would enter His presence with a trembling in your heart. Every time you opened your bible, it was as if you had dug up sand somewhere and found this hidden treasure. And every time you opened the chest, you were going deeper and deeper into incredible

gems of truth that were revolutionizing your life. There was this deep sense of wonder that God Almighty would even consider your coming into his presence.

The Apostle Paul says, "For the love of Christ constraineth (controls, urges and impels) us," (2 Corinthians 5:14.) I used to think he is talking about Christ's love for us, but he is actually talking about our love for Him. There are a few good things I have observed from other faiths. In Islam for example they are really fundamental, largely speaking. When it comes to what their book says, there is no dividing them. They would keep their laws even to the point of death, what a conviction.

A Jehovah's Witness' boldness to preach (now we have Mormons) is probably unlike no other group. They will go from door to door, person to person and if you refuse to open they will leave their mark.

Then we have the Christians, we have received freedom to do all things, (but not all things are expedient) but we by no means want to be labelled a fundamentalist. Oh how I pray that each one of us could get radical and embrace this gospel, spreading it like a wild fire covering the earth like the clouds, and then our feet will be beautiful like the Lillie's blossoming in the fields.

Secret Place

Worship is my favourite part of the day, it doesn't take much for me to get excited about God and therefore I am always in awe of Him. The Lord Jesus told us in Matthew 6 not to be like the hypocrites but rather; verse 6 "...when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Everyone should have a secret place where they go to meet God. It could be your bedroom, a closet, wherever. A secret place is an intimate place where you have fellowship with The Father and your soul can be still and know that He is God. Allow it to be a place where you can open up your heart, strip yourself of all pride and say 'Lord, I need You.'

When coming to the throne of grace there are two things The Lord asks; that you come as you are and second, come as a child.

Come as you are because the mercy seat of God is the only place you can receive forgiveness and the washing away of sin through the blood of Jesus. Come as a child because a child receives freely. Jesus spoke out in Matthew 18:3 about the importance of this. "Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven." He said 'never' not may not, He made himself clear. Just like how prayer conditions the spirit, worship conditions the heart. We all have that moment when we don't feel like worshipping, but once we begin, we cannot stop because His presence is overwhelming. You become like a child, humble and hungry for more of that glorious love. Worship is a key to unlocking things in the supernatural. I found that I operate more clearly in the spirit, in terms of dreams and prophecies when I worship, I align myself with the activities in the spirit realm (the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth) and you can as well. If you have struggled to receive the gift of tongues, worship is a great way to start.

Reversing The State

The words The Lord Jesus spoke always spark my interest. A few things I would like to point out.

We are no longer like the first Adam to be hiding from God when we sin, but rather we are recreated into the likeness of the second Adam who is like this child, humble and an inheritor of the Kingdom. There are times Jesus spoke in reverse for example in John 3:3 He tells Nicodemus "unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." And as we just read unless you become 'like little children,' so why was this?

To be eternal is to be in an irreversible state. God is eternal, even satan is in an eternal state. When Adam and Eve sinned God sent angels to guard the tree of life, which previously they were allowed to eat from. Because they were now sinners, if they ate from the tree of life they would have become like satan, an eternal sinner (eternally damned). Forever locked in that state and we would have all shared the same fate, the lake of fire. This is one of the biggest reasons why Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden.

Though we didn't end up in this state we still needed a ‘reversing’ that was possible as we hade not yet acquired eternal life. So Jesus knew this and hence His words, we needed not only to be restored, but renewed into something that never before existed ref: 2 Corinth 5:17. Just like Jesus is the word of God made flesh, 1 Peter 1:23 lets us know that we are born again, "not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever."

Everyone will enter into eternity, it's a question of which side of it you'll be found, eternally saved or eternally damned. In the same way everyone will be harpozoed (raptured) but who will rapture you?

Feasts & Traditions

The Great Supper

What has all this got to do with the rapture? I'm glad you asked. Jesus said no man knows the day or the hour when the Son of Man shall return. In that case the only option we have is to 'always' be ready. How many times have we become complacent, comfortable with what we have? The life of a bride to be is a period of preparation. These daily principals of walking with God are so that on that day and hour you may be standing perfectly upright and never off guard.

I mentioned earlier about the You Tuber who has a three-fold harvest theory. I mentioned the first phase being the resurrection and accession of Jesus the first born, and the first fruits. The second phase being the pre tribulation and finally the gathering of the remnants, (who survived the tribulation) and the Marty's whose blood was shed for the witness of Christ.

Post tribers would disagree with me but let's look at what the word says. Jesus told His disciples and the great multitude that followed Him this story.

Luke 14:16-24 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

This parable is not widely preached, Jesus didn't tell stories so He could be called a great storyteller, there's something we can get from this. To outline, Jesus was talking about a wedding, there is a certain man holding a supper (banquet, feast) and the people he invite are giving excuses of why they cannot attend. At the end he sends his servants to bring in people from outside, as many as would accept until his house is full.

First of all the marriage had already taken place and the guests invited were for the after party, celebrating the bride and groom. That's Luke 14, now let's analyse Revelation chapter 14-19. From chapter 12 to 14 it can be argued that here we see proof of a three fold harvester with two taking place (if you include the harvest of the 144,000) in this chapter. Focusing on the church, from chapter 14:14 we read about One like a Son of Man sat on a cloud, wearing a golden crown and holding a sharp sickle in His hand.15-16 "And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." This is the rapture before the troubles ...pre tribulation.

Prior to this, in verse 13 a voice from heaven said unto John "Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the The Lord from henceforth:" This was spoken just before the troubles were to take full affect,

The Apostle Paul let's us know in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that when the trump of God is blown the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet The Lord in the air.

Revelation chapters 15-18 we see judgement and fall of Babylon until we reach the 19th chapter.

Revelation 19:6-9 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Here it is again 'the marriage supper of the lamb,' but my whole point in all this is to show you who the bride is and who the invited guests are. The church who were raptured (reaped from the earth) in Revelation 14:16, is that bride. The guests are the ones who were left behind and came out of the tribulation with wedding garments washed in the blood of the Lamb.

There is a lot to understand here and the best way to do it is to look at Jewish marriage customs in Jesus' day on earth.

The Four Stages of a Jewish Wedding

A. The Betrothal

The betrothal was binding and could only be undone by a divorce with proper grounds, such as the bride being found not to be pure, (see Joseph and Mary - Matt 1 v18-19 ) The young man prepared a Ketubah, (Kit to bah) or marriage contract (or covenant) which he presented to the intended bride and her father. Included in this was the " Bride Price ", which was appropriate in that society to compensate the young woman's parents for the cost of raising her, as well as being an expression of his love for her.

B. Acceptance

To see if the proposal was accepted, the young man would pour a cup of wine for his beloved and wait to see if she drank it. This cup represents a blood covenant. If she drank the cup she would have accepted the proposal and they would be betrothed. The young man would then give gifts to his beloved, and then take his leave. The young woman would have to wait for him to return and collect her.

C. The wedding chamber and the Chuppah (Chup-pa)

Before leaving the young man would announce, " I am going to prepare a place for you ", and "I will return for you when it is ready". The usual practice was for the young man to return to his father's house and build a honeymoon room there. This is what is symbolized by the chuppah or canopy, which is characteristic of Jewish weddings. He was not allowed to skimp on the work and had to get his father's approval before he could consider it ready for his bride. If asked the date of his wedding he would have to reply, "Only my father knows." Typically it would be a year before he came for his bride.

Meanwhile the bride would be making herself ready so that she would be pure and beautiful for her bridegroom. During this time she would wear a veil when she went, out to show she was spoken for (she has been bought with a price)

D. The Wedding

When the wedding chamber was ready the bridegroom could collect his bride. He could do this at any time so the bride would make special arrangements. It was the custom for a bride to keep a lamp, her veil and her other things beside her bed. Her bridesmaids were also waiting and had to have oil ready for their lamps.

When the groom and his friends got close to the bride's house they would give a shout and blow a shofar to let her know to be ready.

When the wedding party arrived at father's house the newly weds went into the wedding chamber for a seven day honeymoon and the groom's best friend stood outside waiting for the groom to tell him that the marriage had been consummated.

Then all the friends really started celebrating for the seven days that the couple were honeymooning. When the couple emerged there would be much congratulation and the Marriage Supper could begin.

The Jewish Wedding Paralleled in Salvation

A. Betrothal pictures salvation. Like the Jewish marriage custom the betrothal begins with a contract presented by the Bridegroom.

1. Jesus Christ is the Bridegroom and He presents to all men His contract of salvation and He pays the price. The price for the redemption of bride was His suffering and sacrifice on the Cross.

1 John 2:2 "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." Propitiation means full payment.

Matt. 26:28 "For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." This covenant was not the one He made with Israel, but a new covenant made with those who would believe in Him in this age.

Hebrews 8:6 explain this covenant. " But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises."

Jesus gave us a better covenant with better promises.

1. To Israel God promised the coming of the Messiah and the Messiah's kingdom where Israel would be a peace and prosper. He promised them they would finally have the land that he gave to Abraham that extends from the Nile river in the south to the Euphrates in the north.

2. To believers saved in the Church Age Jesus has promised something much better.

3. The Gospel is God's proclamation of this new covenant. Jesus further revealed this New Testament or covenant when He gave us the Lord's Supper: 1 Corinthians 11:25 "After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." The word "testament" means a contract or covenant.

B. Jesus then offers people in this present age, which began at Pentecost in Acts 2, a new testament.

1. We are saved just like people in the Old Testament, which was by faith in God's revealed promises. They looked in faith to the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ and we look back on the finished work of Christ and the cross where Jesus paid the sins of the world.... past, present and future.

2. The New Testament is not a new way to be saved, but a new promise in what our salvation would bring. We become the body and Bride of Christ. We have a special close relationship with Him now and in eternity. There is no relationship closer than that of a husband and wife.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 explains this saying "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many."

Ephesians 4:12 also states this: "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."

C. Jesus' promise to His Bride.

1. Galatians 3:22 tells us: "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe."

2. Writing to the Ephesians Paul tells them and us of this promise. Here he says we are sealed...with the holy Spirit of promise. Ephesians 1:13-14 "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

D. Therefore Jesus Christ the Bridegroom has offered to us covenant, a proposal of salvation. But we will see that the proposal is conditional.

III. The acceptance of the proposal.

A. There would be no wedding if the bride did not respond to the offer of marriage. The bride would be offered a cup of red wine.

1. The young man would pour a cup of wine for his perspective bride. This clearly symbolizes Jesus' blood that He poured out for our sins. Once again we go to the Lord's Supper to see this truth.

Jesus said as recorded by Matthew 26:28 "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

Luke makes it even clearer, " Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." (Luke 22:20)

As a young Christian I heard things like; if you are not baptised never eat or drink from the communion because God could strike you down, so I would always remind myself that I'm baptised (sprinkled) when it was passed my way. After many years I received a proper baptism, fully immersed in the water and there was no more a need to fear, I had become one with Him.

1. Paul writes in Titus: Titus 3:5-7 "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." In other words all the bride has to do is accept the proposal of marriage. B. Remember what John 3:36 said? "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 1:12 "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." When a person by faith receives Jesus Christ as their Saviour it is a picture of the bride accepting the proposal of the Bridegroom.

I had an open vision once, I was worshipping and as I looked up, the clouds opened and there was a King on blended knees putting a ring on His bride, and the clouds came together again.

C. The Bridegroom's promise:

1. John 14:1-3 records the very words spoken by the Bridegroom to His bride.

John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

1. The Bridegroom goes prepares the wedding chamber and the Chuppah. . As in the Jewish wedding the Bridegroom leaves to prepare the new home for His Bride.

2. Notice that He promises to come again and receive her unto Himself, that where the Bridegroom is so will be the bride.

3. The proposal of marriage is made to the Father, the bride accepts the proposal and officially the couple is betrothed. The bride is now "sanctified" or set apart to her husband. The only way to break the covenant was divorce and the only grounds for divorce was that the bride, had deceived the bridegroom and was not pure. We see the example of this when Joseph found out that Mary was with child. Matthew 1:19 says, " Then Joseph her husband,

being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privately." To "put her away" meant to divorce her.

Yet, in the marriage of a believer to Jesus Christ there can be no divorce, because the only grounds of divorce, which is impurity.... is completely removed by Jesus Christ. The believer is forgiven of all their sins and given eternal life.

5. The Bridegroom must also have the approval of his father, which he received prior to making the marriage proposal. The wedding chamber and the Chuppah (huppa) were built on the bridegroom's father's house. It would be where he would live with his new bride. This being his Father's home...the Father was the one who would say when the wedding chamber was ready and when the marriage might take place.

Today the Chuppah is a canopy placed at the Father's house under which the couple stand and the marriage vows are stated. In Bible times it was the home that the bridegroom prepared for his bride in his father's home.

If someone would ask the Bridegroom when was the day of the wedding he would reply; "Only Father knows."

IV. The Bridegroom comes for His bride.

A. At the proper time appointed by the bridegroom's father a messenger would be sent to announce the bridegroom's coming and the bridegroom taking his wife.

B. The bride not knowing when the bridegroom would come was to keep herself ready at all times.

1. In Matthew 25 Jesus gave the parable of the ten virgins who were called to a marriage supper. These virgins when the heard the Bridegroom was coming would go to meet him and light the way with their lamps. The groom, best man and other male escorts would leave the groom's father's house and conduct a torch light procession to the home of the bride. The groom's arrival would be preceded by a shout. This shout would forewarn the bride to be prepared for the coming of the groom. The guests would be invited to the wedding.

In Revelation 19:7 the word bride here is used as a different term. The English language is so limited compared to such languages as Greek. The two Greek words for bride are 'numphé' and 'guné.' Numphé is directly translated as bride or daughter-in-law. Guné is the term used here and it is translated as wife. "Wife" suggests that the formal wedding ceremony is completed. Since the bride (faithful believers) is mentioned in Revelation 19:7, this invitation in verse 19 must involve friends and family, but such a conclusion has a problem. If the bride constitutes the believers, then who could be the invited guests? Since the wedding of the Lamb occurs just prior to His return at Armageddon, the bride must consist of those resurrected, caught up, glorified and rewarded in heaven. This means the invited must consist Old Testament saints as well as those who survived the tribulation and the martyred dead of the tribulation, who are going to be raised at the second coming.

I want you to know that what John saw in Revelation is imagery. A lot of people do not understand how to interpret these things so they take everything literal, for example when the beast and the dragon is mentioned, they expect to see physical beasts and dragons roaming the earth. We need to understand that all of this is symbolic. Symbolic to how our relationship with Jesus should be and likened to a bride, and also 'how' he will come back for his people.

After knowing all of this, ask yourself "where do I stand?" The Father gives us a choice, if you believe in post tribulation rapture than that is what you are going to get. The scriptures have made it clear that God rescues His people several times before passing judgement upon nations, and He has not changed.

Matter of fact I think it's good that we do not know the time or hour of His return because if we did, yes we could get ready, (at the final moment, but that does not show faithfulness) but "The thief [who we know] cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:" (John 10:10) I mentioned in the beginning about two types of thief's and I asked later, who will rapture you? Will you be snatched into the world, or out of this world? Allow me to explain.

The Lord Jesus and the Apostle Paul talk about birth pains travailing upon a woman. In Revelation 12 we get a full picture of who this women is, let's read.

Revelation 12:1-6 ESV

"And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth." Notice how quickly the enemy comes in. "And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it." Did you catch that? "She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days."

If this does not amaze you, I don't know what will. The child whom the enemy was waiting to devour was caught up (raptured) up to God and to His throne ...after receiving this revelation, I needed no further convincing.

Jesus is the thief that robs the thief. He tells us that satan is the prince of this world, if prince of this world, that makes him the strong man mentioned in Mark 3:27 "No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house." When Jesus rose from the dead and you accepted Him as Lord and Saviour, the devil was bound from your life, Hallelujah!

The reason I can relate with Revelation 12 so well is because 3 or 4 years ago I had a dream, and reading back on this passage takes me back to that dream. I have only understood this chapter now and as I read it I am being given a vision like moving pictures, because to my mind I have already witnessed this.

In the dream I was like that woman that was getting persecuted. It first begun with me believing a lie and accepting it, the lie was that God had forsaken me and the church had been taken meaning, I was left behind. I battled with the devil in my mind 'reasoning,' and Many times reasoning will lead you to believe a lie. Things got real when I attempted to speak in other tongues and I was unable to, "had the Holy Ghost left the earth?" I remember standing in a forest like place, Revelation 12:14 (NKJV) says "But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half

a time, from the presence of the serpent." The woman represents the church and I was in this wilderness nearly in tears and utter disbelief... I had missed the rapture.

Revelation 12:15 "So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood." Floods and waters in prophecy normally represent a multitude of people. In this case, I believe the bible is talking about a multitude of armed forces because shortly after in the dream such was pursuing me. Why was I always getting chased after in these dreams? Probably because of what Jesus said, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you" John 15:18-20

But Lord I don't mind because "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10

I have no idea how I had escaped, but it's recorded that (v.16) "... the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth."

Immediately after I was on a hill and I made up my mind to shake off the lies and what do you know? The power of the Holy Ghost came rushing back into me, surging through my entire being and I broke out in tongues! Refuse to believe the lies; it could cost you your salvation. I had found refuge in a house The Lord lead me to, it stood out shining, I call it the lighthouse and I worship there today.

It's no surprise to me that I had missed the rapture in that dream because of where my life was at that moment. I was glued to the world, chasing perishable and transient things instead of fixing my eyes on the things that are not seen, for they are eternal.

I am happy to see that my vision has progressed from where I was, and the principles to follow are how you can get to that level you desire with Jesus.

Undeserved

Grace

The life of a bride is a life full of preparation for that day. Things can look a little overwhelmingly busy, but let's just look at some of the things which we did not earn, yet play a massive part in our preparation.

Grace Beautifies

Ref: Esther 2

As a bride we have to shine, the phrase 'let now your church shine as your bride' came about because in Revelation 21:2 John witnesses "...the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." This bride is described as(v.11) "Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;"

The grace of God beautifies. God's grace is so beautiful it causes a visible radiance in someone's life. We are to be like this bride, having the glory of God, shining like precious stones and be adorned by our husband. What bride does not want to be adorned by her husband? It is her big day. "May grace and peace be multiplied to you." 1 Peter 1:2

Now we see a multiplication of this grace, leaving no competition of any other bride that tries to emerge. The best part about grace is that it is a free gift from God, totally un-deserved.

Let's use Esther as example because she is a picture of the bride of Christ. I think out of all the woman in the bible, when we go to heaven we will found out that Esther was the most stunning. The bible says, (7) "The young woman had a beautiful figure and was extremely good-looking." (HCSB) The bible does not describe many woman like this and even in the films they struggle to find an actress to justify that role.

The name Hadassah (her birth name) means a sweet or pleasant fragrance, while the name Esther means a hidden holiness; both contrasting, but playing a part in fulfilling her assignment. Let's us journey with her to see how grace got her from A to B.

Grace Favours

Firstly we see that grace beautifies and God had surely made her "lovely to look at" (CEB) because she was about to go up against ever other beautiful girl in the Medo-Persian City. Now in the King's palace at the custody of Hegai, another attribute of grace kicks in. (9) "Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king's palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem."

Grace causes people to provide for you! They cannot help it because it is a law of attraction and what happens is that God smiles down on you. I often tell myself "I am God's favourite child" and people may see me arrogant, but I never stopped them from saying the same thing. You need to understand that grace covers everyone, but favour discriminates. That's why people say "life is not fair." Yes life is not fair ...if you are not operating in favour. Romans 5:17 "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." Notice it said an "abundance" of grace, why? Because you can grow in grace and look the apostles were evident of this; Acts 4:33-35 (CEB) "The apostles continued to bear powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and an abundance of grace was at work among them all. There were no needy persons among them. Those who owned properties or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds from the sales, and place them in the care and under the authority of the apostles. Then it was distributed to anyone who was in need." There was no lack, glory to God!

After several months of preparation, the virgins were ready for the final presentation in the king's chamber. The parable of the 10 virgins showed us that 5 were not ready for the return of The Messiah King; what a pity. The women were allowed to take anything they wanted with them to increase their chances of being chosen, "for many are called, [invited, summoned, considered] but few are chosen." (Matt22:14)

(15) "Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai,

the king's eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her."

Grace does not require anything as we see Esther do not request anything, but that which needful according to Hegai. 'Esther found favour in the eyes of all who saw her' even her adversaries admired her; this is the power of a super abounding grace.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Psalms 23:5

So Esther and the other ‘contests’ were given one year of preparation after which they were called by name to come before the king. And what a year it was! Six months of oil of myrrh treatments... six months of spices and cosmetic treatment... The ultimate in skin, beauty and day spa therapy! And yet there was only one overall winner and the consequences for missing out could be pretty bleak.

The comparisons and contrasts with the Christian life are clear. As mentioned earlier, we are currently in a time of preparation for our King. This period doesn’t just last one year though... it takes one lifetime. So keep going and don’t lose heart! Our preparation is not through oil of myrrh and spices, but through the training of the Holy Spirit. In this regard, it should be noted that it was myrrh and spices that were added to the ‘anointing oil' in the tabernacle, which was poured out upon all objects and priests who ministered within the tabernacle. This symbol, as we have with Esther’s preparation of myrrh and species in the passage before us, is a picture of the Holy Spirit’s presence upon those that are consecrated to the Lord. We can also take comfort that just as the king called Esther by name, so the King of kings knows His own by name. He knows you intimately and personally and His word to those that are His is:

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!” (Isa 43:1)

Esther 2:16-18 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king.

Now, it is fair to say that on a natural level, Esther was obviously beautiful (as we read about in verse 7), and this probably influenced the king to some degree. But there is more going on here than just pure beauty. The scripture tells us that ‘exaltation comes neither from the east nor from

the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.’ (Psalm 75:6-7) Esther found grace and favour with the king because God was working behind the scenes to move the chess pieces into place for the challenging events that were still to come in this story.

So the queen was crowned and a great marriage feast was prepared. The king also proclaimed a holiday and gave gifts throughout the provinces. Blow the trumpets... Get the fattened calf... The day of great celebration had come and the joy of the king would resonate throughout the kingdom! All of this is a fantastic glimpse is it not, of the day when the marriage of the Lamb shall come and the whole earth will be filled with the rest, joy and peace of the Messianic kingdom. Read and enjoy the following passages for they speak of this coming great day of celebration to which Esther chapter 2 is but a small picture. A day when the grace and favour of the true King towards His bride will overflow to the entire world!

Rev 19:7-9 "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he *said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he *said to me, "These are true words of God."

Grace Provides

Grace is also known as unmerited favour, meaning it is unearned, undeserved and un-achieved. We saw this in Esther's life; let's see if this is evident in our own lives.

My favourite preacher on grace is Joseph Prince and he likens the believer linked with the law and grace as a marriage. We are first married to the law, Mr Law is demanding, but we cannot meet his standards, Mr Law is holy, but we cannot achieve it and Mr Law is good, but cannot impart goodness into us. This is where grace comes in.

Grace is a person and Jesus is the personification of grace. What grace does differently to the law is that grace provides. I have seen this pattern in God that whatever He wants us to achieve, He does it for us. He either provides the necessary resources, for example a sacrifice, or He ultimately does everything Himself and says 'just receive.' What did Esther do to get to where she got? Nothing really, they took her by force and the rest was God. Even the preparation stage everything was provided, hence the 7 maidens who represents to us today the 7 fold Spirit of God.

So as we have seen there is nothing He has not provided us, but even still there is another aspect of grace to look at.

Grace Empowers

Grace is the infusion of a new and holy principle into the heart, whereby it is changed from what it was—and is made after God's own heart. In other words, grace has the ability to produce that which it talks about. Everyone knows grace as a covering or as a favour, but few know grace to be a strengthener, a power and ability. "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (2Cor 9:8) How do we abound to every good work? Grace first has to abound in the believer. This grace is normally found on the lives of someone in office/ministry because there are things God requires such people to do and they cannot do it by themselves. You will look at it and say this is humanly impossible, how can you be organising the church, writing a book, running a business and taking care of your family at the same time? It is by this grace that abounds and not by mere human efforts. You see this grace makes us supernatural, literally, and such a person would understand that they require this grace daily. I have great news for us all ... This grace has also been made available to us all, the body of Christ.

Seeking God's grace in this way is not something we do once and never need to do again; rather, it is an attitude we should embrace repeatedly. This is, in part, what it means to place our confidence in God and not in our flesh; it is what Jesus meant by "being poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). This daily seeking of grace empowers right living; it is recognising your weaknesses and presenting it before God, and God is not short of grace. Philippians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

James 4:6,10 "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble... Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

Every morning just take time and say to the Father "let your grace abound to me." God is willing.

Righteousness

Righteousness is a gift

When God gives a gift He does not take it back and His gifts are always complete. Righteousness is one of those gifts (Rom5:18) and there is a method found that can make you unstoppable. Romans 5:17 - they which receive 1. abundance of grace and 2. of the gift of righteousness, equals reigning in life by one, Jesus Christ. Is that not what it says? The religious mind cannot accept that they can reign in life (above all their circumstances, every time) in life by Jesus Christ, so what if we are to tell them that we are seated together with Christ in heavenly places? Paul is saying if you receive abundance of grace and at the same time the gift of righteousness, who is there to stop you?

When we got born again we received this gift of righteousness and it was complete. We cannot be made more righteousness than we are today because the righteousness we have received it not ours. The word says that our own righteousness is like filthy rags, so God has clothed us in His righteous and with the garments of salvation.

As Jesus is righteous so are we in this world. (1John4:17) The blood of Jesus has totally overshadowed us; when we come before God in the name of Jesus it is no longer our filthy rags that He sees, but us covered in the precious blood of Jesus.

This type of righteousness is a substitution; I am righteous today not because of anything I have done, but because of what He has done. We don't 'work' for righteousness, it has nothing to do with our works, we just are because He is. You cannot 'un-earn' righteousness because we never earned it.

Righteousness Is A Mind-set

I have to stress that this part is so important because it's an arena where many Christians get defeated. You have just found out you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, but then you come across a stumbling block... What do you do?

What you don't do is let sin consciousness take root in your mind. The battle is in the mind and the victory is in the consciousness, are you dominated by sin consciousness or ruled by righteousness consciousness? A sin conscious mind hides in shame and usually for a long time, that is why people backslide. God told Abram to come out of his country, out of his fathers house unto a place that He will show him. In other words "come out of that society, out of that culture, out of that mentality. If you're going to receive things that are impossible to man you need to think like Me."

Sin consciousness is like a Christian cancer and this is how to deal with it.

Righteousness becomes an empowering force when one comes to know with revelation what actually took place during the cross. So firstly you have to grasp this knowledge that comes by revelation, and this knowledge is an awareness. This awareness is depicted as a light bulb flashing on, on top of someone's head, you know that you know you are the righteousness of God. Secondly it takes a confidence; a confidence to accept the substitution of Christ' righteousness for your sins. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2Corin5:21) Along with the confidence that your sins were paid for in the past, present and future, so there is nothing that you can do that He has not covered, hallelujah!

Lastly, you have to use your words to guard against and prevent fiery darts from the enemy. I keep repeating "stop running away from God." If anyone sins, let him counter the feelings by declaring "I am the righteousness of God in Christ, my path as a righteous man is as a shining light, that shines brighter and brighter unto the perfect day." It will sound and feel contrary to the flesh's perception, but it is the quickest way to get back up.

Hebrews 10:1-2 (CEB) The Law is a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the real things themselves. It never can perfect the ones who are trying to draw near to God through the same sacrifices that are offered continually every year. Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered? If the people carrying out their religious duties had been completely cleansed once, no one would have been aware of sin anymore.

To explain, Paul is telling us that the law is a shadow of things to come for it can never perfect a person. If it could, they would have offered the sacrifice once and once only, never again to have an awareness (Greek: eido - knowledge with perception and requiring no application of reason) of sin anymore. NKJV puts it this way, "For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins." It would have seized, so why didn't it? Hebrews 10:3-4 "But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins."

Gallons of blood was shed every year, in one instance Solomon offered 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep and goats, an expounding amount! This still did not satisfy the Father, no ...not until the blood of His own Son and I mean every drop of it was spilled, that God was finally satisfied.

The reason people are struggling with sin conscious today is because they have not translated fully from the law of Moses to the gift of grace and righteous in Christ, knowledge is what makes the difference. He said my people perish [suffer, destroyed] for their lack of knowledge, and the sad thing is that many people are struggling with things that the devil has lied to them about being sin and it probably isn't. My people perish for a lack of simple ginosko - general knowledge, get knowledge.

Righteousness Causes Prosperity

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 1:2).

Righteousness is a state, when you arrive and live in this estate prosperity flourishes from within you. Why does righteousness cause a man to prosper? Because sin is taken out of the equation. In sin there is sickness, disease, bondage and lack, whereabouts in righteousness God promises 1- to not hold back any good thing for the righteous (Psalm 84:11), 2- those who seek Him will lack nothing (Psalm 34:10), 3- what the righteous desire will be granted (Proverbs 10:34), 4- the righteous will not be forsaken (Psalm 37:25), 5- the righteous man always rises again (Proverbs 24:16), 6- to direct our our path straight (Proverbs 11:5) 7- the righteous have eternal life (Matthew 25:46).

The opening scripture lets us know that this prosperity happens inwardly first, "even as thy soul prospereth". Meaning the image we see on the outside is reflected by what's blossoming on the inside. To prosper does not only mean financial rewards, but health, peace, love and joy; all characteristics of the Kingdom of God within. Romans 14:17 "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

Holiness

Many of us run away from this topic because we think it's unattainable, well I am here to shift your thinking on holiness.

Unity we talk about holiness, but individually we have our own opinions about it so there is a confusion of what holiness is. People’s reply to what holiness is would be; to be clean, pure, sanctified and set apart. These are not wrong, but to be more accurate, these are actually attributes or results of holiness. So what is holiness itself? Let's look at the words we use it in, Holy Bible, Holy Communion, Holy God, Holy Spirit. What has all these phrases got in common? (Apart from the word Holy.) Wholeness... To be holy is to be made whole.

The Holy Bible is a collection of God's 'whole' message, the Holy Communion is a celebration of Jesus' 'completion,' death, burial and resurrection, "it is finished." The Holy God is a complete 'oneness' of the Godhead and the Holy Spirit is also the 'oneness' of God in us, the 'completeness' of the 7 fold Spirit of God and He can lead us to 'perfection.' Matthew 5:48 "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

The Holy Spirit desires to bring each of us to complete personhood. This practical pursuit—our partnering with Him as He comes to help—is geared to make us whole or holy. That’s what “holiness” is really about—wholeness. What the Holy Spirit is up to is bringing the whole life of Jesus Christ into the whole of our personalities so that the whole love of God can be relayed to the whole world.

Obviously, holiness is more than an esoteric spiritual attribute, and it relates to more than merely the invisible. Holiness involves the completion in all parts of the human being. As the Holy Spirit rebuilds you to the depths of your being...

*Your spirit can be revived to life in God (made holy).

*Your soul can be restored in mind and emotions (made whole).

*Your physical body, habits and conditions can become disciplined, recovering to well being (kept healthy).

Now, doesn’t holiness look like a far more desirable goal, even a practical, attainable reality? God wants to make us holy—just as He is.

The reason I first introduced grace and righteousness was because holiness also cannot be earned, but in grace and righteousness, the principles to holiness can be found. Nothing hinders the pursuit of holiness more than a sense of condemnation, which always includes guilt (sin consciousness), unworthiness and the sense of impossibility about ever being able to truly measure up to God’s standards. We must fully “own” the truth that our holiness has been secured before God by virtue of our position in Jesus Christ. Jesus’ sinless record was credited to your account. The epistle to the Romans often uses the word justified, a word indicating that God has made a positive legal judgment about you. Justification is the way to God and sanctification is the walk with God.

By the standards of the highest court in the universe, He regards you as holy when you put your trust in Jesus Christ.

God’s Word also gets specific about holiness in practice. God wants us to get on with lives that are lived “holily,” lives in which we practice holiness in thought and conduct. This implies growth. It’s as if we grow up into the holiness that Jesus has provided for us. Once we grasp this, we are on the way to understanding “be holy as He is holy” in a new way.

What is the Lord Jesus really saying here, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect”? I used to think this was solely a commandment, but I have come to see it as more of a promise. Here’s what it really means: “Because your Father is holy, you are assured already that you are en route to holiness.”

We come to understand two important points: (1) holiness in God’s changeless nature, and (2) His promise about our new nature. These understandings bring us to a settled confidence about our future.

Holiness is that attribute of God by which He preserves the integrity of His own being. This means God never needs to be reminded to be good, loving, wise or wonderful. He doesn’t labor to accomplish what most of us define as “being holy.” Instead, because God’s very nature is holy, He will never be less than what He is already. His holiness guarantees the changeless integrity of His own being.

What does that mean for you? It means He’ll never be without love for you. He’ll never be less than merciful. He’ll never be anything other than just. And He’ll remake you so you can reflect His integrity of being in your own personality and actions.

I don’t need to tell you that the human personality falls far short of God’s integrity of character. Our integrity has been shattered, smashed and damaged, reduced to far less than it was made to be. The good news is that we don’t have to remain that way. Here comes our Savior! He comes not only to forgive us but also to restore us. His plan is to give birth to each of us all over again and, through this new birth, to place in us a new seed. It’s like a new genetic principle: We are to be “born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Pet. 1:23).

First John 3:6, 9 says: “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he [is] born of God.”

I used to read those verses and want to give up. I would say: “Well, I think I’m born of God, but this says that if you are, you don’t sin. But sometimes I still do. I don’t want to, but I do. I love the Lord, and I’m trying to become more holy, but I sin.”

Then the words of verse 8 would haunt me: “He who sins is of the devil.” Doubt and futility would grip me: “Since I’m not sinless yet, am I really saved? So in reality, I must be ‘of the devil’?” Years went by, and no one ever told me differently. Like many people, repeated trips to the altar and the prayer room seemed to be the only way I knew to assure God’s acceptance. But one day I learned that the same verses that had confused me held a mighty truth.

My misunderstanding was overcome simply by discovering the tense of the Greek verb. In this verse, the original language actually says, “Whoever is born of God does not keep on sinning.” In fact, the chapter immediately preceding already establishes the idea that it’s only by the help of the Spirit of Jesus that we can grow in our ability to resist sin: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:1-2).

So what the Bible is really saying is this: “Whoever is born of God does not keep on sinning.” Those of us who have been reborn just don’t make good sinners anymore. The more we grow, the harder it gets to keep at it the same way we did before. The message is also this: The seed of His new life in me assures me that my destiny is to conquer sinning.

How often, before you knew Christ, did you sin and feel justified in doing so? Remember feeling free to retaliate, to let your temper flare or to serve yourself selfishly? Have you noticed since your rebirth that an inner sense of wanting to please God has begun to predominate? Are you more sensitive toward doing His will?

Here’s why: What is born of God doesn’t want to keep on sinning because He has planted His seed in you. God’s seed is in you! He says, “I birthed you into My life, and therefore, the attributes of My personality will be forthcoming in you.”

ZEAL

Receiving the Holy Spirit in my teens was a radical changing point in my life. I was on fire and no one could put it out.

I was told by my step mother that most Christians go through this phase and that I should give it a few months (if even) and I'll be back to normal. I walked away, even though I didn't know much at that stage, I refused to fizzle out with time.

The same parents who were trying to get me to attend church were now faced with a challenge to control my desire for the word. I attended church three times a week "For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." Psalms 69:9

Hot, Cold or Lukewarm

Revelation 3:15-16

I know thy work, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Jesus speaks quite strongly here about being lukewarm, He literally says He will spit you out; let's find out why.

In Revelation 3:14-21, the Lord is describing the “lukewarm” heart attitude of those in the Laodicea church, an attitude manifested by their deeds. They were neither cold nor hot in relation to God, just lukewarm. Beverages are better either cold or hot. Similarly, the Lord would rather that people be either hot (spiritually on fire for Him) or cold (rejecting Him outright). The Laodicea’s understood the analogy because their city drinking water came from a spring six miles to the south over an aqueduct, and it arrived disgustingly lukewarm. It was not hot like the nearby hot springs that people bathed in, nor was it refreshingly cold for drinking. It was lukewarm, good

for nothing. In fact, it was nauseating, and that was the Lord’s response to the Laodicea’s—they sickened Him.

The letter to the church at Laodicea is the harshest of the seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor. By His indictment against their “deeds,” Jesus makes it clear that this is a dead church. That is not to say that there were no true believers there, only that the church as a whole was spiritually uncommitted. Jesus frequently equates deeds, or works, with a person’s true spiritual state. He said, “By their fruit you will recognize them” and “Every good tree bears good fruit” (Matthew 7:16-17). Clearly, the deeds of the Laodicea’s were not in keeping with true salvation because the deeds of the true believer will be “hot,” reflecting the spiritual passion of a life transformed. Such are easily recognizable by the world. The lukewarm deeds, however—those done without joy, without love and without the fire of the Spirit—do more harm to the watching world than the deeds done by those who are completely cold to the things of God. The lukewarm are those who claim to know God but live as though He doesn’t exist. They may go to church, but their religion is self-righteous complacency. They may claim to be Christians, but their hearts are unchanged, and their hypocrisy is sickening to God.

The Lord rebukes and disciplines the true believers in the church of Laodicea, commanding them to repent. He sees their lukewarm attitudes as “shameful nakedness” that needs to be clothed in the white garments of true righteousness. He urges them to be earnest, or zealous, and commit themselves totally to Him, for He will reject their Luke warmness by spitting them out of His mouth. But our Lord is gracious and long-suffering. He will always receive to Himself even the most lukewarm Christian who comes to Him in repentance.

The Laodicea’s enjoyed material prosperity that led them to a false sense of security and independence. The expression "I am rich, and have become wealthy" is a literary device that inverts the natural sequence for emphasis. Here it stresses that the wealth attained came though self-exertion. Spiritually, they had great needs. This self-sufficient attitude is a constant danger when Christians live lives of ease and enjoy prosperity. This is not to say that the Christian life must be a life of struggle, that's not what Jesus died for, but if a believer takes their eyes off of Him, they miss the track.

Violent Men

Matthew 11:12

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

For many years of reading this verse I misinterpreted and misunderstood it. Lets go through it thoroughly.

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now..."

John the Baptist came to prepare a way for The Lord. His message was one of repentance and a declaration of the Kingdom. "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:2

"...until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence,"

What we are told is that from the day John the Baptist begun his ministry until now, there has been a violence.

I used to think that the violence mentioned here is by the enemy, physically or spiritually...I was wrong. It's not the enemy waging war on the kingdom, but believers violently pressing on the gates of heaven.

"And the violent take it by force."

The violent are the ones who succeed. It's not an ordinary violence but a holy violence.

The Names of God (NOG) version puts it best.

"From the time of John the Baptizer until now, the kingdom of heaven has been FORCEFULLY ADVANCING, and forceful people have been SEIZING IT."

What a picture this translation gives, it's like it is showing us the kingdom of heaven expanding "forcefully," but it's not just anyone who is getting in, it is those with an enduring zeal that have been "seizing it."

The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, like the violence of an army taking a city by storm, or of a crowd bursting into an arena, so the meaning of this we have in the parallel place, Luke 16:16 "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it."

This violence denotes a strength, and vigour, and earnestness of desire and endeavour, in those who followed John’s ministry, else they would not have come so far to attend upon it. It shows us also, what fervency and zeal are required of all those who desire to make heaven. Note, they who would enter into the kingdom of heaven must strive to enter; that kingdom suffers a holy violence; self must be denied, the bent and bias, the frame and temper, of the mind must be altered; there are hard sufferings to be undergone, a force to be put upon the corrupt nature; we must run, and wrestle, and fight, and be in an agony, and all little enough to win such a prize, and to get over such opposition from without and from within. The violent take it by force. They who will have an interest in the great salvation are carried out towards it with a strong desire, will have it upon any terms, and not think them hard, nor quit their hold without a blessing, Gen. 32:26. They who will make their calling and election sure must give diligence. The kingdom of heaven was never intended to indulge the ease of triflers, but to be the rest of them that labour. It is a blessed sight; Oh that we could see a greater number, not with an angry contention thrusting others out of the kingdom of heaven, but with a holy contention thrusting themselves into it!

Burning and Shining

The Lord Jesus spoke very highly of John the Baptist in several occasions. In John 5:35 I was fascinated by the term He used to describe John: "He was a burning and a shining light" what does it mean to be a 'burning and a shining light'?

There are two main characteristics to one who is burning and shining; consumed and sold out.

Consumed

The bible says that God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29) and this fire from God literally and radically affects a person. When we read or hear about great men and women of God who have been changed radically, it is the fire of God that produces this zealous behaviour. It is the fire of God that produces and recharges ones zeal to carry on the race, and John was consumed by this fire as his ministry required.

Have you ever known someone who was so bad, so stuck in the flesh that you couldn't see a way out for him or her? They may have been a drug abuser, prostitute or mentally scared by abortion, whatever the case you knew it looked hopeless. But one day they come up to you, something has changed, there's a light in their eyes, their words are different and what they used to do, they do no more. Such a person has come in contact with the fire of God and can now taste the love, grace and goodness of God, it's the goodness of God that leads men to repentance.

The fire of God first burns inside you, than it causes you to burn. It starts inwardly burning away evil desires, leaving you only with a desire to pursue holiness. This fire is so intense it affects you outwardly and your actions change. This is why when you see someone who was in a mess, but

now burns for Christ, act and talk differently. They cannot help it, it is a mirror of their inner state and it's hard for anyone to not recognise the change.

Jesus said to the Pharisees “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you." (Matt. 21:31 ESV) Why? Because they hunger and thirst! Why does a prostitute do the things they do? Because they want to be filled, so they go about looking for love in all the wrong places. I'm not only talking about prostitutes, people everyday all over the world are living unfulfilled lives...thirsty. Only one person can quench this thirst, Isaiah 44:3-5. "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty," Not everybody, only those who are thirsty, religious people are not thirsty, they are satisfied. Are you thirsty? I received the Holy Ghost because I was thirsty, and not only was I thirsty, I hungered for more and so God "...poured floods upon the dry ground:" (Heart/spirit) "I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses." Meaning they become alive to God, consumed and burning with fire and this is what results; 'One shall say, I am the LORD'S; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel." Do you understand what is happening? He is showing us a chain reaction of what happens when someone gets filled, everyone around that person gets affected. One shall say I am The Lord's, then he wins another soul and that person touches another, and before you know it your whole neighbourhood is subscribing with their hands unto The Lord, and surnaming themselves by the name of Israel. Supernatural evangelism! If you are the only born again person in your household, your family can be saved.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

I believe God wants us to have a fresh dose of His fire everyday, every week and that is why I stressed so much on worship.

In our walk with God this consummation is also required if we are going to overcome every circumstance that comes our way. John was fully consumed and his actions and words are only a testament of it.

Sold Out

A person who is burning and shining ultimately becomes sold out for The Lord. These ones are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. They become soul winners just like John did.

John the Baptist was first consumed into his ministry, spending precious time with the Spirit of God. As a matter of fact according to the first chapter of Luke, John was to be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. When Elisabeth carrying John, came in contact with Mary, pregnant with The Lord, it is recorded that "the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:" and she prophesied. John, filled with the Holy Ghost, did a somersault in the womb when coming in close contact with an unborn Jesus, he already knew his mission.

John was sold out, he came preaching the kingdom and Jesus said of him to be the greatest born of women. John did not hide his light nor did he keep his identity hidden. The Pharisees asked him 'who do you say you are?' I And he told them “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

“Make straight the way of the Lord,” as the prophet Isaiah said.” John 1:23

The Apostle Paul is probably one of the great examples I can give you for someone who was sold out. Paul was also a burning and a shining light, furiously burning bright with only Christ in sight. The same man, who had an assignment to eliminate followers of the 'The Way,' become a pioneer for 'The Way' and he was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

Jesus called out to Paul because Peter and the other disciples did not fully catch the Matthew 28:19 vision, to make disciples of ALL nations, they got comfortable within their borders. He needed somebody who would drink of the cup of suffering and become a distributor of the Living Bread. Heidi Baker said Jesus appeared to her showing her a multitude of lost and hungry children, and The Lord said to her; "I died so there will always be enough." She left everything, went to Zimbabwe and never said no to a single homeless child... Sold out.

They said to Paul don't go! If you go to Jerusalem so and so will happen to you. The disciples warned him through the spirit not to go to Jerusalem, but Paul wouldn't listen. Even after many days a prophet came all the way from Judea; "When he had come to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound

his own hands and feet, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” (Reference: Acts 21:1-14)

I wonder what was going through Paul's head. If a certain person told us "thus says the Holy Ghost, if you go and preach in Bronx NY you will be beaten to a pulp." We will quickly reconsider, but not Paul. His response to them was; "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart?" In other words, save your tears, only the things of The Lord can break my heart. "For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

What broke The Lords heart was His people in Jerusalem not knowing the good news, someone had to go and reach them. 'But the disciples were there' yes, but Paul carried something fearless...an unstoppable love that would wage war against any adversary.

Did the apostle Paul go against the Holy Spirits order? I wrestled for years with this question and I can tell you it's a no. Firstly in Acts 20:22-23 we read "And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem," the word bound their means to be driven or urged. So the Holy Spirit Himself had urged Paul to go to Jerusalem even before the others gave their words. Is this not the same Paul who cried out "...for necessity is laid upon me [obligation, compelled]; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" (1 Corinth. 9:16) And he lets us know that he is not obliged out of fear, but compelled by love. (2 Corinth. 5.14)

"...not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me." Paul knew from the beginning what he would have to suffer for The Lord. The words of the others had not taken him by surprise. The apostles at Tyre told Paul 'through' the Spirit not to go to Jerusalem, meaning they perceived as spiritual men what was ahead. It does not say the Holy Spirit told the apostles to tell Paul not to go; the Holy Spirit does not change His mind.

The prophet from Judea said 'thus saith the Holy Ghost, this what will happen to the person who's belt this belongs to.' Do you accept? Finally Jesus told Paul he will stand before Kings, Joseph also went the same way. The Lord would not be pleased with Paul if He disobeyed the Holy Spirit as he appeared to Paul years later after the visit to Jerusalem saying; “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” (Acts 23:11 NKJV)

Now knowing his path, Paul calls the elders of the church, the statement we are about to read; if you catch it you will make it in life.

Acts 20:22-24 (NKJV) "And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me." ... "But none of these things move me;" Oh praise the Living God! He said none of these things move me!! When the economy in your country crashes you say none of these things move me! When the doctor delivers you a negative report you say none of these things move me! Even if they declare you bankrupt you say none of these things move me! Because the truth is we are not moved by what they say, we are only moved by the word of God.

Look at what he says next.

"...nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." This man of God was set on a course and so are we. To live like this is nothing less than the will of God for our lives, to consider our lives nothing that in it’s decreasing He might increase. We serve an invisible God, "but Lord make me invisible that You might be made visible in me," this is my confession.

Philippians 3:7-9 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

If the young man who kept the commandments from his youth would have sold everything and followed Jesus, the above could have been his confession. To be sold out is to let go of all idols and even deny self. It is about living selflessly, seeking God's face and obtaining grace daily.

Furious Love

The Fathers Heart

As we move into these closing chapters I want us to understand the Fathers heart because if we can get this, we can learn to love others like He has loved us. The bible is God's thoughts, desires and love poured out into words that contain life. It is the blueprint of God and the instruction manual for mankind. It is meant to be bread for daily basis, not for cake on a special occasion. It is a love letter and the greatest love story ever told.

First and foremost God is love and He has demonstrated His love to us through Christ Jesus. The word says that for God so loved the world... He gave. Have you ever been so strongly in love with someone that you would do and give just about anything? If it meant staying out late just to be in their presence or giving up your last bit of cash just to provide for them, you would do it. Well I have an announcement; this is just a fraction of how much God loves you… He's in love. The Fathers love is intimate; it pierces through darkness because it shines. Love does not like to be caged, love wants to be expressed openly and His love is a furious love.

For God to be in love that means He has given us His heart. I picture it like this, with every beat of God's heart, a wave or a flood of love ripples throughout the universe. I once heard a testimony of a man who went to heaven, he said waves of light in colours were radiating from Jesus and every time a different colour hit him, he would be overwhelmed with a different emotion; peace, joy, love.

I can only image how pleased the Father was when He first created man in His own image and likeness. He had someone to express His love to and express His love through. It was to be an everlasting honeymoon and even when man fell, God already had a plan and He provided. For God so loved the world that He first gave.

In the book of Hosea the heart of The Father is revealed to us. This was directed to the Israelites, but I think the world is also painted in this story. God tells Hosea to go marry a wife of harlotry, a prostitute. Not only to marry her, but to fall in love with her and he does. After she had conceived children with him she returns to what she ultimately was, back to the red light district.

Hosea 3:1 "Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.”' (NLT)

Then Hosea goes and buys back his own wife, can you imagine buying your own wife out of prostitution because she's addicted to trash? Hosea has given her everything she has gone out to work for.

Td Jakes said; "Sometimes God's goodness will take you to a place that you can't rest, because you have become hooked on evil and iniquity, and even though He offered you a better life, you have gotten too hooked on trash."

A lot of us Christians go through this, particularly in the early stages of our walk, but God who has given us his heart is patient. He is a jealous God and we hear this character throughout the book of Hosea.

Hosea 1:6 Soon Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lord said to Hosea, “Name your daughter Lo-ruhamah—‘Not loved’—for I will no longer show love to the people of Israel or forgive them. (NLT)

Hosea 1:8-9 After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she again became pregnant and gave birth to a second son. And the Lord said, “Name him Lo-ammi—‘Not my people’—for Israel is not my people, and I am not their God. (NLT)

If we didn't know this was God we could say this passage sounds like a hurt father or husband who continually puts up with people who are looking the other way. All God wants is for us to give Him our hearts in return, and He now says to us. "And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:" (Jeremiah 32:38) Restoring a relationship greater to that of Himself and Adam with Eve in the Garden. And I believe it hurts and sort of frustrates Him when people reject His Son after all that He had done. For God so loved the people of the world that He gave Himself so us through receiving, can walk away free. Search The Fathers heart.

Selfless Love - Agape

Reference: Genesis 22:2-

A couple who had been struggling for years to have an offspring and now it seems biologically impossible, until God steps in.

With overwhelming joy, Sarah breaks out in laughter and Abraham stands tall, both as happy as could ever be. A father’s heart was to be put to a test. I ponder, did Abraham think, "why is the God of my deliverance now asking me to do this?" Probably, but in those days idol worshippers carried out such sacrifices and in today's world people still quote when someone dies "God has given, gave has taken away." They don't understand God and how that death is an enemy.

So Abraham and Isaac make their way, most likely not informing Sarah of what's about to take place, to spare breaking her heart. The words "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest...and offer him there for a burnt offering" still echoing in his head. If his heart was not broken enough, Isaac asks him "My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" My own heart broke when I read this as I have a daughter, how much more Abraham. I can only imagine if he was holding back tears at this point saying, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering."

I wish the bible described emotions here, but picture Abraham tying down Isaac on an altar with tears streaming down his cheeks, and hands trembling while holding up the dagger. Then a voice broke out of heaven, "Abraham, Abraham!" The angel of The Lord knew Abraham was caught in the moment and thus repetition of his name to grab his attention; it must have been tense. God showed that he is different from the idol gods ...for God so loved that He gave. He provided a ram in exchange for the obedience and the revelation of Jehovah-Jireh, God my provider, was birthed.

Someone said "why so much emotions?" Because if it meant nothing to Abraham then it meant nothing to God. David said in 2 Samuel 24:24 (ESV) “I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” First of all, it cost God everything in giving His only begotten Son. It cost that Son everything in emptying Himself of all the fullness and glory of Heaven. The sin of

man is a very costly thing. In the mind of God, Abraham gave up his son. And so God was moved by this movement of faith and selfless love that He gave the biggest offering ever.

This was a shadow of things to come. Now you can understand The Fathers heart when He gave up His only begotten Son.

We need to see God as a loving Father who is concerned about everything that happens in our life. When we stop running away from Him every time we sin, we will become like the flock that hear and follow His voice.

Why do we run away from God every time we do something wrong? After all He pursued us first knowing our end from the beginning.

I stopped running away and started running towards God when I heard this word: love on purpose. It is so simple, yet powerful to whoever catches the revelation behind it. To love on purpose is to hold on and carry on despite what you've done. When someone sins, shame comes along and pushes them away from God, but why run and hide from Him when we played no part in bringing our salvation? Actually the only parts we played in bringing about salvation was sinning, because Adam first sinned salvation became necessary, and confessing Jesus into our hearts. So rather recognise that God loves unconditionally and despite the grief of shame, carry on loving Him on purpose. What this will do for you is, it will cause you to be able to repent immediately, you also become more unwilling to repeat the sin because you have so fiercely held on to His love, you wouldn't want to disappoint the Father again.

Creflo Dollar once illustrated this, a Christian commits a sin after being born again, "I can't believe I did this, how? I thought I was perfect now?" And God responds, "What's happening? I never anticipated this." I laughed and thanked God that this isn't so.

Did you know it is a selfish act when we run from God and try and reconcile ourselves in our head, thinking we can take away the guilt, then coming to ask for forgiveness? It is selfish because we self-centre ourselves looking for a solution when we should be looking at Jesus the author, meaning by Him it came about, and finisher (of our faith) meaning by Him it is complete. "for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5

Now that we have stopped running away from God, let's focus on what it means to love Him.

Jesus' message was not for the lukewarm hearted, He made himself so clear He repeated some things many times.

John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments. "

I love The Lord and I really believe that, but I once reached a point in my life where I questioned whether I really truly love Jesus (or how much). The thing was I kept repeating the same mistake over and over again and the Holy Spirit convicted me, leading me to question what it actually means to love Jesus. Is it how we feel, what we say or what we do? When it came to worship I was emotionally in love with Jesus and would say all the wondrous things under the sun, but Jesus said, "If a man love, he will keep my words".

John 14:23

Verse 21 says; "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.” (NKJV)

I am not saying having emotions, feelings and quoting proverbs and psalms to The Lord is not right, it is good. I had a good heart towards The Lord, but a perfect heart is one that produces a right result, a correct action. So if our actions are not inline with the word of God, it is safe to say we don't truly love Him as much as we think we do. John 14:24 "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."

This is a tough topic because it is hard to accept, I wish pastors and leaders would preach this with no sugar coating, or else how will people be saved? Jesus said, "the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me." He rebuked the Pharisee's so hard in John 5:39-40 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life." (NLT)

John 6:60-67 (NLT) Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?” Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you do not believe me.” For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him. Then he said, “That is why I said

that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.” At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

You have a choice, you can either close the book now and say this guy is crazy, or be like Simon Peter who replied “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life." John 6:68

John 4:23 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him."

To anyone feeling disheartened these are the commandments Jesus was talking about.

Matthew 22:37-40 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

The bible lets us know that the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Jesus did not come to break, but fulfil the law and in these two commandments it is complete.

John 13:34 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."

This is what it means to love Jesus, loving the Father with everything you've got and loving one another as He has loved us. The commandment of love fulfils all 10 of the Old Testament laws and keeps us in His love. The result produced as evidence to this is being fruitful, Jesus spoke several times about bringing forth good or bad fruits; "Ye shall know them by their fruits." Matthew 7:16

I like imagery, so when Jesus likened us to branches on a vine I caught it easily.

John 15:1-2 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."

God really makes things easy for us, He has made Jesus the source and we are told all we need to do is abide (remain) in Him and we will produce results. Keeping His word and remaining in His love go together as you cannot love God if you don't know God. It gets even easier, Romans 5:5 lets us know that "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts" not by our own strength, but "by

the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

Loving God and others should become first nature to the child of God; if you are to be known by any fruit let it be this one. Hence The Lord repeated; "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12

John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

It's an echo running throughout scripture and what it makes you become, is truly fascinating. "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." John 14:23

Do you understand what He is saying? We will come unto him and make our home, our dwelling place, and our headquarters in him! We become an agent of God's love, a carrier of His divine presence! So when others come up to you, saved or unsaved, we can convey the same love to them. Furious love causes a holy fire to stir in us infecting anyone we come in contact with. The agape (love) of God is one but in two parts, to love god and to love man. If one is not present we start all over again. Jesus asked Simon Peter three times, "do you love me more than these?" If so feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep. Meaning 'to love me, is to love them.'

I have heard a fair amount of near death experiences, actual heaven and hell testimonies and dreams and visions about the topic. What I found interesting is 'why' most of them are brought back, I hear things like 'The Lord told me I wasn't ready,' I'm not only talking about atheists, but long serving Christians too. The problem was the state of their heart, with unforgiveness playing the biggest part. Along with unforgiveness was not loving one another, I heard a person testify that Jesus said to him 'the biggest reason (it could also be the only reason) my people will miss heaven is because they did not love one another as I have loved them."

Isn't the world meant to recognise us by this one thing? Always examine the state of your heart. If there is anyone you have not forgiven, take time to forgive him or her now. I know it's not always easy, but it probably wasn't very easy for Jesus either. Yet He forgave the same people that crucified Him and do you know what? Their sins were covered on the cross as well. That person that has wronged you, in the name of Jesus let it go. Bitterness, grudges, taking offence, it all works against us so why not give yourself peace of mind and forgive. Ask God to forgive you also for getting into that state, 'to love me, is to love them.'

We move into a higher dimension of God's love when we comprehend the depth, breadth, height and width of the love of God in Christ Jesus. It's the knowledge that catapults us to that realm and as we begin functioning accordingly, scales of selfishness fall off and we are left selfless. A selfless love does not forgive only because "if I don't then God won't forgive my sins," no, it forgives because love keeps no records of being wrong. It's one thing to be obliged to do God's word and another thing to be pleased to do His word because you are born of it.

Denying Self

Matthew 10:34-39 (NKJV) “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it."

Just when we thought that we have heard all there is to love, The Lord re-scrambles our brain with the above scripture.

Many times when we receive Jesus into our lives, we come to a point of decision where we have to let some relationships go or make it less important. This was evident in my household when I got born again. There were arguments and fights with my parents because I wanted to be in every single church service through the week. As much as I respected them I had to put God first and this is what Jesus is talking about in the opening scripture.

'...a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’

Particularly with friends it was obvious the Father was purging most of them off me. I felt like an outsider, alienated from my family and friends because of my beliefs. It was as if though I spoke a different language to my friends, we just couldn't relate, I spoke the word they spoke the world, but I was no longer of the world.

My family were Christians, but I was being separated for something different, I hated it, but I found comfort in God.

If you have gone or are going through this just now God wants to separate you from the rest. Jesus said, "He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me."

It's a clash in the spirit and the battle continues until God is our first or if you choose to return to the world. Until you all become one in spirit there will be a sword dividing one to another.

Jesus said "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me."

Don't be alarmed when I say this but we have to die everyday putting the flesh to death by taking up our cross.

I used to be a porn addict and it's a stronghold that requires maximum discipline to overcome. You don't charge at it head on or you will be almost guaranteed to lose every time, rather you find the root and by the power of the Holy Spirit you strive. Every addiction has a root and my journey to purification required many things many things, grace (a lot of it), self-perception, self control, the list goes on. What kept me going was a desire for holiness, I knew God was holy and I wanted to be next to Jesus... as close as I possibly can. Psalm 73:28 (TLB) But as for me, I get as close to him as I can! I have chosen him...

I wanted to be worthy of Him, I had put Him first in my heart before my family, I had left all my friends to embrace the truth, and all I had to do now was to take up my cross. Days, weeks, then months I would go without giving into the sin I despised of the most, sexual immorality. After coming out of fornicated relationships, I slowly refrained myself from attending (or hosting) parties that promoted such things. People say to me "why don't you get a girlfriend?" They don't understand what I came out of. Say to me "why don't you get a wife?" Then we will talk. Fornication (and all forms of sexual immorality) is such an ugly sin especially if you know God. I felt like I was hurting God along with myself, my pastor and my parents... I felt as if I was cheating on The Lord, telling Him I love You one night and going off to do another thing next day. When I was coming out of it I never stopped confessing 'I have to die another day.' Because "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." Jesus is not just talking about being martyred for His namesake; understanding how to walking in the spirit is a daily sacrifice.

This is my reality, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

I reached a point in my life where it was as if God was asking me, "if I was the only thing, the only person you would have in life... Will I be enough for you?" And with tears of a heart torn between two I said yes, that's when I started to die to self.

I'm not some great preacher, I don't have a massive ministry; I'm just an individual like most people who are reading this. All I can say about myself is that I'm a lover of His presence.

I heard a Whitney Houston song on the radio and the lyrics captured me. She sang, "If The Lord asked me what I did with my life? I would say I spent it with You." I daydream about giving this answer.

Unity

I want us all to reach that point of decision where an agreement is sealed. The bible teaches us that agreement unites hearts, in Amos 3:3 The Lord says "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" The word agreement carries the same weight as the word marriage in the bible. "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh." (Genesis 2:24, Ephesians 5:31) It is an agreement. The word 'one' and 'agree' are the same. Whatever you agree with, you are literally uniting your heart with the very thing, so whom are you agreeing with? The world? The bible says let the world not be found in you. You don't have to agree with everyone because there is a power of unity at work when an agreement is made. Someone tells you 'inflation has climbed and we will be lacking by so and so.' It's factual, the figures are there, but who told you to agree? Don't even nod your head, rather say nothing, walk away and declare God's word over your life in secret, "none of these things move me!"

Agreements separate lives. Whenever you agree with something, (or someone) you separate from something to something. Have no confidence in the flesh, put no trust whatsoever in it. In other words, don't form an agreement with it and make an agreement to separate from walking in it.

I heard this inspiring story somewhere, which I have to share. It's about a couple, boyfriend and girlfriend who were living together. They were both Christians and therefore wanted to serve God righteously. You see, we don't judge people by what they are going through because you don't know where they are coming from and what their destination is. A person’s current situation may not reflect what's in their heart, but if your heart is set on something, your world has no choice but to change to reflect that. The young man runs up to the pastor after a church service and begins to pour out his heart. He tells the pastor how he hates living in sin and that he will not step one foot back in that house unless he marries him and his girlfriend today.

The pastor was moved and so he quickly calls back the congregation announcing what's about to happen. It did not stop with them, several couples stood up that same day and committed. Is this not a description of someone who was consumed by the burning and shining light (the fire) of

God? The agreement he made separated (translated) him from one life to another, and the lives of others were rightly changed.

Did I forget to mention that this part of the book is for radical believers, not for the general public? The Sunday Christian looks for the approval of man, the full time, everyday Christian is looking for God's approval because what good is it to them if they gain the whole world to eventually lose their soul? “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23 (NLT)

Agreements create unity and when perfect unity is made, incredible things are achieved. The trinity (the Godhead) is unison of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. In Genesis chapter 1:1-3 we read, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth... And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light."

In the bible (particularly New Testament) we need to understand whom the writer is referring to when they say "God". It could be the Father, (most times it is) the Son or the Holy Spirit. It is evident the Father was not alone in the beginning as He uses the word Us in these instances Gen1: 26, Gen3:22. The Father is the architect who creates; He never leaves His throne. The Holy Spirit is omniscience and omnipresent, not forgetting He is a person and we see Him act and accomplish many of the things spoken (hovering over the face of the earth). The Son is the word (the voice) of God, in John 1 we find out that nothing was made without Him, so when God said, "Let there be light" it was Jesus the word. All together and all individually they are God in One.

Now Jesus prayed in John 17:21 "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:.." So when we get baptised by water and spirit, we are immersing ourselves into this oneness and therefore we are called the body of Christ. As an entity we are to be one on this earth, working together to make this gospel reach the ends of the world, for until we unite we may never achieve that. The power of a unified church would take over the world for Jesus, just as the children of Israel spent 40 years on a 11 day journey, the churched unified could accomplish so much more.

Could this lack of unity be what is delaying The Lords coming? It is interesting that the disciples of Jesus had to become 'complete' before the day of Pentecost. After the death of Jesus, Judas killed himself and they were left with 11. The number 12 is considered a perfect number symbolising God's power and authority, as well as serving as a perfect governmental foundation. It was not until they became one and gathered in one accord that the promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled. If the pre-Pentecost in the book of acts required unity, what do you think the return of Christ requires? If we required unity just for the Spirit to fall what do you think is required to take us out of here? Or to bring him back. Jesus has one bride; He is not a polygamist. He does not have a black bride and a white bride and an Asian bride. He does not have a Protestant bride or a charismatic bride; He has one bride, the body of Christ.

I believe God is lining us up for another rushing wind of the move of His spirit, and global mass revival. As we approach the end of the Church age and the dispensation of grace, let this revival begin in your hearts. Unfortunately it often takes violence, persecution, as the history has showed us, for the church to put aside their differences. Let us strive together and become one.

Living By The Spirit

Is all this really worth it? Is everything I'm reading about necessary? You may be asking. The way I see it is how far do you want to go with God? What quality of life do you want to live? When I talk about quality I'm not talking about monetary prosperity, 'The quality of a man's life is in direct proportion to his commitment to excellence, regardless of his chosen field of endeavour.' - [Vince Lombardi] Jesus said in Luke 12:15 "...a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth," but in the excellence of his spirit. The things we do, say, think, listen to and watch all gets downloaded into our spirit.

The old man of the flesh, our previous nature sometimes feels like creeping back up, you have to subject it by speaking the word of God over yourself. 'If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away and all things have become new!' I'll tell you a secret; people who struggle with sin have not learnt to walk by the spirit. Not everyone who is born again walks by the spirit. Jesus said to Nicodemus "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

And what did Nicodemus do? He started looking at the flesh, "but how can a person go back in his mothers wound a second time?" To walk in the spirit is to subject the flesh to the things of God, crucify it and die everyday. Did your body change when you were born again? No, our spirit is what was made anew.

That's why Jesus said "I am the way," if you want to be counted worthy of me "take up your cross and follow me." All so we could live in the spirit, "if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit." Galatians 5:25

The amount of times I have seen Christians celebrating when the first part of Romans 8:1 is read. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus," and we hear roars of hallelujah until the preacher then reads, "who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit." Then half the congregations hands go down, voices are kept low...I love God's people.

We give to much credit too sin, sin is not our biggest problem, neither is it the devil... it is the flesh which we got to subdue. Jesus has taken care of sin; 'if any man sins we have an advocate with

the Father.' He also took care of the devil, 'having spoiled principalities and powers,' that includes all demons. That leaves us with the flesh, we have to overcome it, but do you know what? He did not leave us helpless; "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, [helper, advocate] that he may abide with you for ever;" John 14:16

We have received the Holy Ghost and thus have no excuse to not walk after the spirit. I could write a whole book on this, but in your own time read and re-read Romans chapter 8, it has treasure upon treasure and you can't afford to miss out.

A little fact about the anointing, the word anointing means to rub or smear on something. When you walk with the Holy Spirit you get a rub off his personality, his power and his attributes. You may have known a person who started hanging around a certain someone and you say 'his/her personality has rubbed off on you.' It is the same with the Holy Ghost, one of His attributes is holiness, and with walking with Him you begin to desire it. You also begin to talk like Him (speaking the word) and even think like Him. Romans 8:5 says. "Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit." (NLT) Not only do they think about things that please the Spirit, they also get insight of things to come (that's another topic.) The point here is that your thoughts come inline with the word of God, it's not instantaneous as we find out in Romans 12:2, it's a process of renewing and it only works when we are walking by the spirit.

The thoughts of your heart eventually manifest into your words and into your actions, thus finding out what type of person someone is. Jesus said it's not the outward actions that defile a man, but what goes in the heart. That means if someone does something corrupt, the corruption began long ago in their heart. But praise God we are "born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." 1 Peter 1:23

There was a time when I would solely rely on the Holy Spirit to speak to me when it came to telling people about Jesus. Unless He told me to approach a person I would not do it. His guidance is so amazing He would tell me "go here, there is someone waiting for you." In my teen years my friend and I used to call ourselves Peter and John because all that resided in our hearts was to save lost souls and pray for the sick. So after the Holy Ghost would prompt me to do something we would go, it was wonderful, we gave testimony after testimony, but there's a higher level.

There comes a time when you become a son in the kingdom, no longer looking into the kingdom, but looking from the kingdom.

What you will see is the many souls that need saving. They don't know it but they are waiting, Romans 8:19 says; "For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God's sons to be revealed." (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

They are waiting for you and me! I stopped asking the Holy Spirit "who should I go to next" because Jesus had already answered that question, make disciples of ALL nations. I was (and am) still guided by the Spirit of The Lord of course, but I see with a new set of eyes and I told The Lord this, "break my heart for what breaks yours" and it has been so ever since.

Don't you just want to be like Jesus? Walk, talk and think like Him? As I explained earlier, to live in the spirit requires a renewal of the mind; the perfected state is what we call the mind of Christ. Is it obtainable? Well Paul wrote "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:" How does he come to such statements? Let us first look at how the Apostle came to the pivotal conclusion we know as Romans 8:1.

In context.

Romans 7:15-17 I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to—what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. But I can’t help myself because I’m no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things. (NLT)

Have we not all been in this situation? I find it encouraging to my faith that the Apostle Paul would acknowledge to the Church his struggles with the sinful nature, which is the flesh, because we get to see how he overcame it, and if he can overcome it so can I.

Romans 8:1 starts with either 'so' or 'therefore' implicating that there was a statement made previous. No one begins a book with 'so' or 'therefore' and we must remember the bible was not written in chapters and verses, these were compartmentalised for the sake of referencing back. Paul wrote a letter and we must enter chapter 8 from a place of context in chapter 7.

Romans 7:21 - Romans 8:1 "I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power

within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."

(NLT)

I love the English used in the New Living Translation, but I have a problem with it. Chapter 8:1 is incomplete in this translation and therefore not giving us a correct picture when read from chapter 7:25. "...but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus." It is basically telling us that we can remain slaves to sin and have no condemnation at the same time because we belong to Christ. If that was the case I would have never wrote this book, you can stay how you are and there will be no condemnation, everyone would have a free pass. It is rendered better in the KJV which reads "...who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit." The importance of this is because Romans 8 deals with a change in law, state and nature (I won't go into this now.) Thank God verse 2 in the NLT tells us the source of our freedom, which is the life-giving Spirit, this sorts out law and state but not the nature. If Adam would have ate from the tree of life after the fall he would have had an eternal sinful "nature."

The second part of Romans 8:1 deals with this nature. If this change was not important God would have never sent the angels to guard the tree of life or even sent Adam and Eve out of the garden. After eating of the fruit they considered the flesh, Genesis 3:7 "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked;" Notice how Eve did not just suddenly fall in sin, a seed was first planted and a desire stirred up. Genesis 3:6 "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the EYES, and a tree to be DESIRED to make one wise..." She reasoned in her mind what the serpent had said instead of sticking to the word of God, which she knew. Reasoning opens a door for the enemy and if you reason long enough you will enter an agreement. That is why the bible says a double minded man is unstable in his ways and should not expect to receive anything from The Lord. See how important this change of nature is, even down to your language. The first time a man spoke negative in the bible what did he say? Genesis 3:10 "And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid..." Afraid, fear, these are all agents of the senses. "...because I was naked; and I hid myself." This is why many still run away from God today. Reasoning with the word and doubt are all enmity unto God.

I once read that the sin God hates the most is doubt. Now we can see how vital this change of nature is in Romans 8:1.

Romans 8:8 "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." So why in the whole book of Romans this second part of verse 1 is left out of this translation? "...who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." That is so important! Moving from the flesh to the spirit is a change of nature, if we walk and think according to the flesh then it's no surprise if we sin, but if we think and walk after the spirit we will produce much fruit. This is how Paul came to the conclusion of Romans 8:1.

People don't just fall into sin; examine your thoughts that day, that week. Sin feeds on the flesh and the flesh is like leavened yeast, just a little bit of it grows and multiplies e.g. pride. Ever wondered why the Jews have a feast of unleavened bread? I know understand why Paul told us to not give the devil an inch, it's because our flesh is like leavened bread and he (the devil) will take a mile (multiply).

Covetousness (lust) is probably the most misunderstood and neglected commandment. In simple terms it means to 'lust after' and we should not give it an inch, but rather flee from it as it's a root of most strongholds.

Someone said, "but we don't live by Old Testament commandments." That is true, but what was sin back then is still sin today and will still be sin in the next thousand years, for God has not changed.

Psalm 119:36-37 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

The Bride

Overcomer

With the principles we have learnt we can now walk out free of any bondages that held us captive. Depression, alcoholism, drugs, pornography, homosexual etc. just make up your mind to walk out; it is that simple. "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19

Strongholds are spiritual forces; spirits in the heavenly realms and Jesus is telling us we have the keys. I can therefore bring into captivity anything that exalts itself above or against the knowledge of God and release the anointing that breaks the yolk of bondage. Another translation says whatever we bind on earth has already been bound in heaven, meaning it happens in the spirit first than we see results on earth.

In Revelation 2&3 The Lord Jesus gives a message to the seven churches and at the end (or near the end) of each message He says; "He who overcomes," I will make... I will give... I strongly believe the rapture (the great escape) is for the overcomer, so what does it mean to be an "overcomer"?

Before we get into this though I just need to say. Most truly I say to you, unless you come out of such bondages and addictions you will be left behind. You don't want to be the storyteller who knew and yet couldn't get yourself ready, I certainly don't.

An overcomer is one who has faced a challenge and has come out triumphantly. We can liken such person to an athlete who has to overcome hurdles to reach the finish line. In this life we will be faced with many challengers and just like the seven churches, we all have our own trials that

need overcoming. The kind of trials The Lord was talking about were not mere disputes, for the consequences and rewards were huge. Some say the letters to the church depict the church age shifting as time goes by. Whatever the case is the church ought to be like the church in Philadelphia. Out of all seven churches there were only two The Lord had nothing against, the second (Smyrna aka the persecuted church) and the second to last church (Philadelphia aka the faithful church). This how we know the bride of Christ falls into this second last church.

Revelation 3:7-13 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

This is incredible, so many of the things we have discussed fall into this segment. "...for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word," (John 15:10) "and hast not denied my name." (Matt.10:32-33, Romans 1:16)

If you had any doubts that this group of believers will be the ones to be snatched away, Jesus puts those doubts to bed.

"I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." So what must we do? "Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Read also Luke 18:7-8)

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5 )

To "overcome" in this world is no minor matter, because it requires us to truly believe in Jesus and to follow Him faithfully to the end, keeping that faith and that belief intact in spite of all the trials and temptations of this world. This is hard enough in normal times, the pressures of the world being what they are. Many are they who fall away from the faith, who are enthusiastic for a time, like the seed that sprouts up quickly but has no roots (Matt.13:5-6; 13:20-21). Persecution and trouble, the worries of the world and the deceptiveness of wealth (among just a few notable causes) have led many to abandon their good intentions, their good walk with Jesus, and, eventually, their faith.

So how does one become (and stay) an "overcomer"? Only by putting Jesus Christ, our walk with Him, first in our lives can we be assured of keeping our faith secure. To "overcome", we need to continue doing all the good things we know we should do, the things the Bible and the Spirit tell us to do: keep praying consistently, keep reading the Bible regularly, keep learning about the word from a solid source of teaching unfailingly, and keep believing and applying to our lives the truth God has given us to learn as if our lives depended on it - for our eternal lives do. The only way to secure our victory, is to continue to move forward spiritually, deepening as far as we are able every day our relationship with our Saviour (2Pet.1:10). If we are truly consistent in all this (and continue to pursue sanctification: Heb.12:14), then our victory will not only be secured, but also bountifully and wonderfully provided. For the outcome of all these things will be an abundant crop of production for our Lord, 100, 60 and 30-fold, with which He will be well pleased when we stand before Him on that day (2Cor.5:10). And if we take this route, we can rest assured that all these promises of Revelation will fall to our lot (cf. Rev.21:7):

"to the one who overcomes, to him will I give..." (Rev.2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:26; 3:5; 3:12; 3:21)

Forget about chasing worldly things, God has treasures stored up for us. No wonder the apostle Paul said in Romans 8:18; "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." He reckoned correctly because they are not worthy to be compared at all. We are champions, victors in Christ and if God be for us, who can be against us? There's another level of overcoming that the English language could not grasp so the translators had to put it this way...let's find out.

Romans 8:33-39 (NKJV) "Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Him who loved us."

And it doesn't stop there.

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Hallelujah.

My Dreams

The Bridge of Separation

I have day a few end time dreams and I would like to share two of them here.

It was a normal day and the government was passing on laws, which we did not know the extent of which it would change our lives forever. The laws passed on caused a division in the land that meant one part became an underground slum and rich, wealthy and law-abiding citizens populated the other. There was a bridge which was lifted 90 degrees vertically, almost depicting the separation of God and man typified by the veil before Jesus died. This bridge was the separation, the gap between the extreme working class and the high-end upper class. What I realised was firstly the middle class ideology disappeared, it was either one end of the extreme or another. Secondly I did not consider myself as part of the upper class but I understood that if you abided to their system, their system would take care of you and henceforth you could remain in that sector.

Everything changed when I and the few I was with refused to take this compulsory medication, which was a pill. This pill was advertised greatly boasting its goodness for man, and how like flu jabs etc. it is a must for all the citizens to take. After getting threats about my job, finances, possessions and occupancy in this 'new' land I was considering to give into them, but God, who gave me ears to hear and eyes to see restricted me and the group of people who joined me from taking it. We were immediately pursued by guards or police or whatever governmental forces they were, and they had the mark of the beast, it wasn't visible but by revelation I knew, and their goal was to forcefully implant us with the same. An interesting fact in the dream was that God stopped me from even taking paracetamols because they were dosed with substances found in those pills.

After running and running we were faced with a massive challenge ahead of us, the 80-90 degrees vertical bridge. There was a certain girl in our group who I believe was an angel, her presence caused us to be lifted up and over the bridge, but the persecutors could not follow. Reaching the other side, it looked like a shantytown, all run down but I couldn't be happier. It was like I was back in the early 90s not so technologically dominated, people were seeking refuge to pray, and although it was difficult to live, it was better than living under the mark, the beastial system. Waiting for Jesus' return.

A few things I learnt from this dream was that a time is coming (and now is) when you're going to have a know how to listen to God's voice. It does not necessarily mean you have to hear the audible voice of God, but to have His word in you like a voice. Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" If we cannot learn to follow God now it will not get easier later.

The second thing I learnt is that a persecution of the word has surely come. If you have not learnt to trust in the leading of the Holy Spirit at these times, you will be forced to in the days to come, unless you give in to the system of this world.

Thirdly I learnt that a day with The Lord is better than a thousand days elsewhere. In the dream I lived in a nice region with probably a secure job, comfortable, but one thing was missing and that was the word. No a single person was allowed to practice the word, but like Daniel I had the word in me. "And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41

Only one thing was needful and I found it after getting translated to the other side of the bridge by the slums, but I was so happy. Despite the opposition count it all joy, that's what I learnt to do.

The Sign In The Sky

My next dream was more a vision and I am still overwhelmed today of how real everything felt.

I was with a group of Christian friends and we were running, trying to escape from government authorities that were out to persecute us. There seemed to be chaos as if a war was waging. I remember seeing fighter jets flying rapidly across the skies.

We were near my local railway station, running up towards the bridge. The emotions I could feel were intense, our lives were in danger. As we approached the tail of the bridge I heard a sound in the sky twice and I looked up. There it was the sign in the sky, the clouds from horizon to horizon parted and formed the sign of the cross. At first the people I was with disregarded it and told me it is just fighter jets going at high speed, but I knew this moment. I looked down at my body and I had turned into a glowing bluish light in the shape of a ball or an orb. Was that the image of my spirit? Is this what the Apostle Paul meant when he said 'in the twinkling of an eye... we will be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:52)

I looked up again at the sign in the sky and instantly at the most immense speed me and my friends shot up in the sky, piercing through the clouds, the sky, and we clashed together with so many other people and we became one, the body/bride of Christ.

There were so many of us, filling the sky with light, we must have out numbered the stars.

When I woke up my body was shaking and my room was full of the presence of God!

I realised every time I have a heaven encounter and I meet other Christians... I know them, as if I have known them for years. It was the same with this encounter when we became one.

I don't know where to begin with this one; I think this is the best experience so far that God has permitted me.

Notice how God rescues His followers just before destruction.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

I personally think God shows me these dreams to remind me to stay ready, waiting on him, but busy with kingdom business. The Holy Spirit gave me this revelation: To wait on The Lord is to "keep active until I act." Also God could use these dreams (if you've had them) sometimes to reposition a believer who might not be going the right way or even for exaltation, keeping you in awe of Him. I was certainly left in awe for months after having that dream, the presence of God that filled my room can only be described as electricity. It was as if I had woken up in a revival conference where God's presence was manifested like no other, I had a personal one.

I want everyone to experience something like this and I believe God wants you to find Him in that place, how? I told you before, worship, soaking in His presence. I would sometimes speak or sing in tongues under my voice as I am falling asleep and I get dreams, visions or even just a great nights sleep in the presence of God.

Finally notice how God rescues His followers just before destruction.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Treasures and Rewards

I have learnt something during this journey, I asked 'why are some people more on fire for God than others?' And God showed me something. There will be rewards in heaven, our judgement as saints will be one of reaping the choices we made on earth. Now our good works will be tried in the consuming fire of God, those deeds which were not done out of love will not stand. Everyone is to run his or her own race and you cannot run another mans race.

God showed me I was asking the wrong question as it was almost judging individuals; I am far from perfect to judge these things. The question though should be, 'why should someone be on fire for God all the time?' What are the benefits? At the end of the day we are all entering the same heaven aren't we? Then it came to me and I understood. There are different levels of glory in heaven, and heaven is not the final place. Jesus did say in Matthew 11:11 "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

He said the least in the kingdom of heaven... So if there is least there must be a greater. We all have our own race, how far we go, what pace we move at all depends on us. Paul said at the end of this race there is a crown and he also showed us that we have a choice of how far we go.

Philippians 1:21-25 For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity]. If, however, it is to be life in the flesh and I am to live on here, that means fruitful service for me; so I can say nothing as to my personal preference I cannot choose, But I am hard pressed between the two. My yearning desire is to depart to be free of this world, to set forth and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; But to remain in my body is more needful and essential for your sake. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and stay by you all, to promote your progress and joy in believing, (AMP)

Can you believe this is a man speaking! He is saying; 'it is good to live, but to die I gain. If I remain in this world, that means fruitfulness, (I can add to what I have done) but which I prefer? I cannot choose. It's my desire to be with Christ and free of this world, but for YOUR sake I will remain in the body.'

Beloved people of God, we have a choice. Paul likens us to an athlete going for a crown, (1 Corinthians 9:25) so as an athlete for Christ, aim for the highest podium result. Heidi Baker in Compelled By Love said 'everything God has asked me to do, I have said yes.' It's not just the yes that counts, but the manner in which it's carried out, she was compelled (moved, driven, became a force) by love. Whatever we do in word or deed, do in the name of Jesus.

In Revelation 21 we are introduced to a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. I believe the rewards we will receive (along with those mentioned in Rev. 2&3) shall also be statues or roles that we will play in the coming New Jerusalem. People are scared to read the book of Revelation and therefore miss out on knowing the wonders of things to come like the golden streets and radiance of heaven. Because of this they believe heaven might be somewhat boring and with this perspective, they do not press on for the more glorious things, but are happy to 'just about' get into heaven.

To be honest we (including myself) would all be grateful to just about make heaven, but with this knowledge we have no excuse, but rather an opportunity to get closer to Him we've been pursuing our whole lives.

I love David and how he writes, he said; "Whom do I have in heaven but you? I desire no one but you on earth ... But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, as I declare all the things you have done." Psalm 73:25&28 (NET Bible) Oh Hallelujah!

Heidi Baker had a vision of the bride while praying for a group of apostles, holding a critical heart against them. God showed her a vision of His heart and what He thought of her critical heart. She saw the bride coming towards Jesus at her adolescence stage, she looked in a mess, skinny, walking towards Jesus and tripping and God spoke. 'Do you see my sons bride? She's all together magnificent, beautiful and glorious. Do you see my son’s bride? Don't criticise my sons bride!' And Jesus stood there, beaming with light and His blood poured out on the bride. As she kept walking towards Jesus she stood up taller, filled her dress and she was radiant. And Jesus said, 'Do you see my bride? She is all together magnificent...perfect...lovely to me, do not criticise my bride.'

Prayer of Salvation and My Prayer for The Bride

You might have read this book and you are now wondering how do you partake of these promises of God. The bible lets us know that salvation is a free gift because we did nothing to obtain it, but through faith in Jesus Christ, the grace of God has been made available to us. To receive this salvation you simply have to confess with your mouth and believe in your heart this short prayer. Jesus is knocking on your heart, would you pray with me this prayer?

Lord God I come before you in the name of Jesus. Your word says if I confess with my mouth The Lord Jesus and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead I shall be saved. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and believe that God raised Him from the dead for my justification. I receive eternal life in my spirit and greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world. I am a child of God from today, in Jesus name amen!

If you have prayed this then congratulation, welcome to the Kingdom brethren. The blessings of God are upon your life, get a bible, attend a church and soar in your new life, hallelujah.

To those already part of the body of Christ, no weapons formed against you shall ever prosper! Your are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and you have a goodly heritage. This is my prayer for the saints.

Father in the name of Jesus, Lord I thank you because you see your bride perfect before they ever are, you see them covered in your blood, covered in your love. I thank you for love has become our nature and we are compelled by it.

I open up my heart to let you in my world that your kingdom may reign in it, and with your kingdom within me I let my light so shine that men may see it and glorify You Heavenly Father. Lord Jesus reveal to us our oneness with you and show us how to love the Father like you have.

Help us to love one another as you have loved us and to reject bitterness and unforgiveness in our hearts. As a body we pray for the broken hearted, the fatherless and the poor.

We walk by faith and not by sight; we walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh. Greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world. Let your grace abound to us as we declare that we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

Let now Your church shine as Your bride that You saw in Your Heart. And let the borders of heaven expand, as You desire all men to be saved. We open up our hearts, in the name of The Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgements

The Jewish Wedding Paralleled In Salvation

INTRODUCTION

About me

Inspiration

Harpazo

A surprise?

Rapture and Resurrection

The Great Escape

Hide And Seek

Koinonia

Communication

Servant

Friendship

Son-ship

Trust

Time and worship

Familiarity

Secret Place

Reversing The State

Feasts & Traditions

The Great Supper

The Four Stages of a Jewish Wedding

The Jewish Wedding Paralleled in Salvation

Undeserved

Grace

Righteousness

Holiness

ZEAL

Hot, Cold or Lukewarm

Violent Men

Burning and Shining

Consumed

Sold Out

Furious Love

The Fathers Heart

Selfless Love - Agape

Denying Self

Unity

Living By The Spirit

The Bride

Overcomer

My Dreams

The Bridge of Separation

The Sign In The Sky

Treasures and Rewards

Prayer of Salvation and My Prayer for The Bride