Embassy in Christ Blog

“And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while and in time of testing fall away”. Luke 8:13

No doubt, so many believers are now filled with promises and prophetic words

for 2012.  “This is definitely going to be much better than the last year”, we typically say.  With varying degrees of optimism, we set on our way starting to expect good changes to occur in our lives.  The seed of the word has been sown with hopefully a corresponding harvest that will manifest all the good things we expect.

This year, the LORD drew me closer through my time with Him and fellowship meetings with other believers that we need a deeper dimension of diligence in our approach to His teachings and transition away from shallow expectations that lead to disillusionment, which ends up hurting our faith and trust in Him.

In the parable of the sower and meaning (Luke 8:4-21), the LORD exhorts us to realize that we can only indeed inherit His promises through faith and patient continuance.  This realization results in a corresponding action which gives life to our faithful disposition.  The corresponding action is the act of doing (obeying and taking heed to) His word.  The parable of the sower focuses on the seed, which is the word of God and the soil, which is the human heart.

We have four patterns showing the state of the heart after the word is released by the Holy Spirit.

Pattern 1: The word falls on deaf ears.  The enemy (Satan and evil forces) steals the word before any type of faith can develop.

-          This is very prevalent in cases where there is a stronghold against the would-be recipient.  Things like fear, pain, wounds, disappointments, intellectualism with wrong philosophies make this a clear miss.  The word is simply not received!  In fact, it many cases, it is trampled upon!

Pattern 2: The word is heard and gladly received with joy! On the surface, this looks like success.  There is some outward evidence as the seed of the word produces some growth.  Sadly, the growth ends abruptly as it becomes evident that all the growth was above the surface, without any supporting root structure.

-          The seed of the word could only germinate on the surface as the ground underneath (heart) was not ploughed, was hard and lacked moisture.

-          Many of the teachings today that do not provoke a prerequisite brokenness and repentance from sin, facilitate this pattern.  All it takes is some testing, and what is really lacking underneath is unveiled.  This happens at all levels in the church; including to the minister, who appears to shine for a while and fizzles away, the next.   The truth is that we must allow the word to penetrate deeply into our hearts and then allow upward growth to also occur.

Pattern 3: The word is planted into a wild garden – with thorns and thistles.  This is almost like planting wheat in the midst of tares.  The tares may seem complementary at first but will overwhelm the wheat as time progresses.

-          It seems we live in a continent (North America) that is like an environment filled with thorns and thistles ready to choke any true and sustained growth leading to the harvest.  There are so many cares, pleasures and riches – Just enough to distract and get even the best of us off-track!   This pattern also showed up during the time of the Apostle Paul.  Remember Demas, who loved the world so much and backslid. 2 Tim. 4:10? This happens over and over today.  Many people are so comfortable that they only show up in church to sooth their consciences every now and again.  They participate in some philanthropy and give themselves really good scores for good behavior.  Unfortunately, these also make up the class of individuals that do not know the LORD and have virtually become apostate in ignorance.   

-          In our part of the world, people work endless hours in order to have the finer things in life and fulfill the “American Dream”.  What’s wrong with that?  Nothing, except we could end up gaining the world and losing our souls.  Many have compromised the principles of God for gain.  The righteous have so much aligned with the world that both sides are almost beginning to possess similar characteristics.  Majority simply do not have enough time to worship the LORD with the level of diligence required.

-          Some fruit is produced but the fruit does not ever mature because of all the distractions.

Pattern 4:  The word is received and adhered to by a good, humble sincere heart. A sustained harvest is produced through faith and patient continuance.

-          The state of the heart (good, humble, sincere) with strong adherence (obedience) and endurance (patience) are the keys to the multifold (30, 60, 90) harvest!

-          The first three patterns (anti-patterns really) were lacking in one or more of the components described above.

It is my sincere prayer that we do not do business as usual this year.  The word of the LORD commands us to come out from among the world and be separate. 2 Cor. 6:17.

Bottom line:  Ensure to first perform all the prerequisites needed for receiving the harvest God has for you this year:

1. Have to break the fallow ground of our hearts in repentance! We can no longer practice sin, make excuses and then expect the blessings of the LORD.
2. Have to detach ourselves from the world system by simplifying our lives and ensuring we are no longer distracted from worshiping the LORD with ALL our hearts.
3. Ensure we stay the course, no matter what and believe that He who has promised is faithful.  We must remain obedient and prepared to endure to the end. We will reap if we do not faint (lose heart).

Father, please help me to align with your plans for my life and others whose destinies are connected with mine. I surrender myself to you for deeper consecration and holiness as I prepare for your supernatural release in and around me this year!

Acts 1:20 (ESV)

.. ‘Let another take his office.’

Up in 2012

From Eleven to Twelve

Throughout scripture and in everyday life, we see so many things ordered by twelve.  Yes, there is always a tendency to move toward numerology and try to fashion meaning from new impulses and sources.   However, I must assure that this is not just cliché but is really from the experience domain and more importantly by Divine inspiration.

We have twelve hours to govern day and twelve hours govern the night. Twenty four elders bow down before the throne of Almighty God; the one who is and is to come.

There are twelve sons of Jacob (Israel) which became the twelve tribes and represent a critical part of the order of God in the Old Testament.

We have twelve Apostles, who represent the governmental order of God in the New Testament.

The Lord Jesus chose twelve men to change the world!  These were the men upon whom the foundation of the Church was laid – in Christ!

We also see that the betrayal of Judas Iscariot caused the reduction in the number of Apostles from twelve to eleven men.  These eleven men were told to wait to receive the promise of the Holy Spirit in order to carry out their function. The apostles saw the ascension of the Lord but we note that it was only until after a replacement (Matthias) was made for the late Judas Iscariot, that the Holy Spirit finally came.  As they were all gathered together on the day of Pentecost, SUDDENLY, the Holy Spirit came and the early church was energized to go forth!

Ordered chaos

For sure times and seasons matter to the purposes of God and we also see that there is nothing complete or ordered about 11 (except that it is a prime number).  Chaos results whenever order is disrupted either though the removal or introduction of a new element from an ordered set.  Yet we see order restored whenever an element is introduced to an unordered set to bring about completion.

We can say that Order precedes blessing and disorder precedes chaos!

What is also amazing is that it seems God leverages the state-change from disorder to order in order to bring about blessings. Think about this!

The betrayal of Christ caused a planned deviation!  It was crucial that the Son of God be betrayed, handed over as a lamb to be slaughtered in order to release the faithfulness of God.  He was to be released to go through transformation that will allow Him to enter a new state.

Prophetic Word

In 2012 we are coming out of transition will wait a little and then come to a SUDDEN release of the blessings of God – This release will provoke another transition, which will carry forth the plans of God and take believers from one level of Glory to another!

I perceive the Holy Spirit is saying that we should expect a mighty rushing wind in 2012!!!

Transition

We also see that it takes transition to move from disorder (unordered state) to order.  Now, the activity of transition causes things to shift, contradictions occur, scales are tipped, resulting in sometimes severe testing and trials.

The Nation of Israel went through transition from being released from slavery to entering the Promised Land!  God, who foresaw the contradictions, took them through the longer route of the Red Sea by Mt. Sinai instead of simply through the land of the Philistines. Exodus 13:17-18

Through the experience of the Israelites we learnt the results of disobedience and obedience.  The disobedient ones perished in the desert and did not make it to the Promised Land.  We have to learn from this is realize that we too are allowed to go through transition but must be obedient, patiently endure the hardships and pass the tests as we move through to the next level God is bring us to.

There can be no inertia only action as we move through the transition zone.  In practical terms, only active obedient and consistent faith can carry us through.

The force (propulsion)

God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt with a mighty hand!  It took the sacrifice of the first born Egyptians to bring about their release from slavery!

God delivered all of humanity with a mighty hand!  It took the death of His only eternal Son to deliver us from eternal death and give us eternal life. The church was released into mission with the powerful release of the Holy Spirit!

Yes, it takes much power to bring about a miracle.  God has determined that those who would be beneficiaries only have to respond in faith and obedience (as the necessary corresponding actions) to tunnel through to the place of blessing.

God does the heavy lifting; all we have to do is receive in obedient faith.  Zech. 4:6.

Key items for 2012

1. Expect God to propel you through a major miracle in 2012
2. Do not run on “E” in 2012! Avoid areas of chaos (disobedience, misalignment etc.) as this will stall you and prevent you from coming through transition successfully.  Don’t rely on physical calibrations. Don’t procrastinate.  Psalm 119:60
3. Put God First! After God brings order, the first thing is to give Him the first of everything.  See Exodus 12:50-13:3, 13:11-16, Proverbs 3:5-10, Matt 6:33
4. Keep sowing (investing).  God will have you prepare jars of Oil that will allow you to become debt free and walk in increase in all your ways.
5. Make plans to grow spiritually in 2012.  Things are changing rapidly.  Don’t wait until you can no longer respond effectively to spiritual things.  Use your faith or lose it!

Lord we pray against spiritual lethargy that we will have the desire and thrust to push through to our Promised Land without being weighed down by the struggles of the prior year(s).

Nothing else in the life of a believer releases power like prayer offered in faith.   The disciples of the Lord saw Him practice a lifestyle of prayer as he communed with His Father and engaged in ministry.

The disciples asked the Lord to teach them to pray and he did.  Learning from the answer, we are to first hallow the name of the Lord praising Him for who He is and pray His will and Heaven on earth and then ask for our daily bread before forgiveness and protection from evil.

For years, I thought the Daily Bread meant our provision for physical nourishment just like Manna that was provided for the Israelites in the wilderness.  Yet the Lord said the following in John 6:27 and John 6:33:

Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”  John 6:27 (ESV)

For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”  John 6:33 (ESV)

It is really clear in our world today especially in the western world where there is abundance of food, that physical bread does not really satisfy.   Man cannot live by physical bread alone but by every word that comes from God. Matt 4:4.

Following the message in Luke 11:1-13, we see that the Lord expects us to persevere as we ask Him for the things we have prayed for.  The prayer he has taught us is guaranteed an answer as long as we do not walk in lack of forgiveness.   The Lord said everyone who asks receives and to everyone who knocks the door will be opened.

God delights in giving us the Holy Spirit because even earthly fathers give their children good gifts.  Luke 11:13   Aha!  Seeing this as the conclusion of the discourse suffices one to say that the presence of the Holy Spirit is what the Lord expected the disciples to ask for!!  The Daily Bread is not physical!  Why would it be?  After all, the Lord already told the disciples not to be concerned for their physical needs. Matt 6:31-33.

We are to seek the presence of the Holy Spirit daily.  We receive simply by asking in faith with hearts that are right towards God and others.  The Holy Spirit is God Almighty helping us in our every function on earth.  We cannot survive without our Daily Bread!

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