The Lion of Judah

Bear with me as I exhibit my flaky side.

See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying "yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the Heaven." This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God, an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:25-29)

As we were worshipping this morning I began to see a mental image of the Lion of the of the Tribe of Judah. I was looking out the front window of the house looking off to the southwest (I believe) and I saw the Lion on the hill off in the distance.
He began bounding off the hill rapidly running toward the house. As he came near I saw this lion was absolutely enormous. His front paws filled the front yard--his breath seemed to shake the house.
He bent down to look into the window and his eye filled the window.
As I gazed into this eye, which was a deep midnight blue, I could see a host of images reflected in it.
I could see the cosmos. I saw this valley, with the Okotoks erratic and the hills. I saw eagles circling the valley
I could see fire.

I also saw people I knew, people from our group--some were dancing in celebration. Other approached the fire and began to blaze, without suffering injury.

I saw some walking along a narrow mountain path--sheer rock on one side and a terrifying fall on the other. As they walked this pathway the trail would crumble behind them so there was no turning back. This trail was curving around the mountain so it was impossible to see any distance ahead.
It was as if the Lord was asking each one--are you prepared to follow by extreme faith? Are you prepared to make a stand, with no turning back? How much, how deeply do you trust me? What price are you willing to pay.

Then my vision pulled back. I saw this enormous lion pick up the house of worship in his mouth and he began to play with it, much as a cat plays with a mouse. He then set it back on its foundation but only upside down. He then went bounding away.

The Lord will set us on our heads. But really he will be setting us right side up. Our perspective has been for too long skewed. What we thought was right side up, was really upside down. The coming shaking is a shaking of the love of the father for his children. It will be a shaking of restoration and a putting of things in order--at long last.

Let it be, Lord.

"The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord's offering by fire and His portion. They shall have no inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He promised them." (Deuteronomy 18: 1 and 2)

As I read this passage this morning, I felt the Lord say this:

"All my people are called to be Levites--set apart for My purpose--called to love and honor and serve Me in all they do. To be My people wherever they go. And to bring glory to My name in all that they do.

They will live by My hand in all that they do. Their source will not be their jobs or their businesses--although they will honor me in that world--but Me. Look to Me for life even as you do your work as unto Me.

I will be your provider. In times of economic shaking those whose trust is entirely in Me will be safest and will draw many to Me."

The solemnity of revival

In his classic book on revival, In the Day of Thy Power, Arthur Wallis says:

It is a deeply solemn matter to seek God's face for revival, for He may deal with me as He does not deal with others.

I'm reminded of a Biblical passage that says something to the effect that from whom much has been given much will be required.

It is often said there is a price to be paid for revival. I am sure part of the price is that revived people--those who have truly been touched by the power of the Holy Spirit in that sovereign event called revival find themselves living at a different standard. Comfortable mediocrity, or complacency must fall off and new passion and purity and power must come in.

Sins once thought insignificant increase in felt significance. God deepens a process of searching and trying and purifying. Awareness of His presence and holiness and power and purity increases, while awareness of our need and desperation also increases.

There is surely joy in all this--but I suspect a life--once touched by the power of God, will be forever spoiled for the ordinary.

So, Lord, spoil me for the ordinary.

Wild horses

I had a mental image earlier today of standing in front of a herd of stampeding horses.

These horses are magnificent creatures--absolute warhorses.

They thunder toward me and just as they are about to trample me the horse part like a river.

They literally make the earth shake with their size and power.

The sound of their hoofbeats is like thunder. As they stampede past me their manes flow in the wind and I can hear the sound of the wind in their voices.

As I am in the middle of this stampede--this river of warhorses--I see myself swing myself up onto one of them and participate in this flow into battle.

What the Spirit seems to be saying to me is I (we) have a choice. I can resist the mighty flow of the Spirit and respond in fear and be trampled. Or I can embrace the move of God and go for an amazing ride with God.

Father take me where You want me to go.

Daily consecration

Another thing about consecration--we can take this life of being set apart literally one day at a time. In fact, we can even treat it as a moment-by-moment kind of thing.

Even as we make a lifetime commitment to obey--to give the Lord that absolute, unconditional yes, we live this life moment-by-moment.

In other words, today matters. The next moment matters. The next breath I take is a gift from God. The next action I take is the action of a man whose life belongs to God.

Live for Him today.

Commitment

I just read this in the book 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class and I think it applies, somehow, to consecration.

"When everyone else is tired, exhausted, and burned out from the battle, the great ones are just getting warmed up. It's not that they don't fatigue; but their commitment to their dream keeps them going...Champions don't recognize pain, because they have a commitment to do what it takes to win."

The connection is this--consecrated people burn their bridges behind them. They make an absolute unconditional commitment to press forward into God and all God has for them and they never turn back.

Consecrated people leave Egypt behind forever.

Consecration

Murray had a powerful exhortation this morning about consecration.

We are to set apart--committed to God's purposes--committed, in advance, to say yes to whatever He calls us to.

Whatever means whatever. And the yes is unconditional--given before the call is made.


Who does this call to a consecrated life apply to? Does it apply only to those called to paid ministry?
Actually it is clear the call to consecration applies to all believers.

I am satisfied God has called me to business. And by faith I am developing big dreams and visions for this business.

But God has been speaking to me consistently about consecration. My whole life is to be set apart for Him--that includes business--which is becoming a central part of this life He has led me to.
The life of a business person is not a lesser calling--not if it is truly God's calling on my life. It is a calling as surely as anything in what is traditionally regarded as ministry.
Does God's glory not fill the whole earth?

Joshua 1:3 says "Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given to you, as I said to Moses."

Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread---every place that the sole of your foot shall tread.

God wants His people to extend the kingdom to world of finance and business. And that requires business people who are set apart for His purpose--who are committed, in advance, to obey in the realm of finances--who can be trusted with riches because they have died to self.

This requires anointing as surely as that required for pulpit ministry.

This requires surrender.

This requires willingness to carry the cross

This requires integrity of heart and prophetic vision.

This requires people who walk in intimacy with the Father and who know the privilege of sonship.

This requires courage and a life hidden in Christ who is above.

May I be found a worthy servant.

The martyr's prayer

I find this message to be truly powerful. Give it a listen.

The cross, a crown

As I was worshipping with the group this morning I received a picture of myself in the presence of God.

As I was on my face before God something was placed on my bag--this item was oscillating between a cross and a scepter.

The point, as I pondered this, was there will be no authority in Christ, apart from the cross. Or to put it another way, the pathway to authority runs straight through the cross.

Kingdom authority comes to those who have fully met Christ at the foot of the Christ--my life for His.

Lord come meet your people in power.

Called to worship

We are all, without exception, called to worship and intimacy with God.
Busy-ness is not an excuse.
Nor is intimacy and worship limited to the professional ministry.
We all have both the right and the obligation to press in to God and to seek His felt presence.

The Lord has, for instance, been speaking much to me about the importance of people called to business and finances to seek the Lord and to soak in his presence.
Time can become pressing on people of business--but time with the Lord will be returned and multiplied.

It is in His presence that the anointing falls.
It is in His presence we become set apart for His purposes.
It is in His presence we receive His mantle of authority and experience His love and power.

And we all need to walk in the anointing. We all need His direction. We all need to live consecrated lives--whether pastor, or worship leader, or businessman or carpenter.
We fall short of God's purpose if we limit consecration and anointing to the sanctuary--it must also extend to all areas of a world that desperately needs to know and experience the Living God who is reconciling all things to Himself.

Lord fill and anoint Your people today.