A New Thing

A New Thing

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”

I can almost hear the groans from here. “Not this old chestnut again!” How many more “new things” must we hear about? When is there really coming a genuine “new thing”? Let me ask you in return, how many new things have you missed because of your closed ears and eyes, and because of your stubborn-ness? How many new starts do you want the Lord to give you before you will wake up saying, “What is happening? Where did this spring from? Why did nobody tell me?”

The Lord is saying that “because you have rejected so many new beginnings, your eyes and ears have become dull to me. You think you will recognise My Spirit when He moves among you because you will be able to say, “I recognise that! That is what the Lord did then so it must be the start of something new.” 

“Not so”, says the Lord. “I am doing a NEW thing, unlike anything you’ve seen before. I will use unknown people because they will give me ALL the glory. I can no longer trust the so-called “market leaders” who profit from everything they do – with little or no thought for anyone else. This coming move will be so very different. So different that you may try to reject it because you do not see my hallmarks – you will not recognise My hand. Nevertheless, the work  will continue - with or without you to “help and guide it along.” 

You will not need to shepherd this move, nor control it, nor guard those to whom you pass it on. For I will be doing all of that. For I am raising a young and vibrant army who will not fear mans derision or scorn; they will not fear their peers who may not want to believe them. This young army will fearlessly go into a lion’s den in order to win the lost, and they will bring thousands into My kingdom,” says God. “They shall have wisdom beyond their years and they shall  perform miracles that some have openly said are not even possible. But more than this, they shall be an influence in their generation and to their elders.” 

I really cannot say what this coming move of God’s Holy Spirit is going to look like. All I do know is that it is coming, it is BIG, and it will be a surprise to many. I believe it will bring many thousands, maybe millions of converts from other faiths, and even large numbers from the atheist community. It will also bring ferocious opposition and persecution – the Salvation Army motto, “Blood and Fire”, will even seem appropriate.

Hold on to your seats – it’s gonna be an exciting ride !!

Fire & Wind

Fire and Wind

End times - Jesus spoke about it. He warned us to look out for signs of it. Everyone ‘knows’ it is coming. Everyone has heard about its coming. Very few understand what it really means. Even fewer are willing for it in Gods way. And fewer still are willing to pay the price.

We pray for it, without understanding. We long for it, without knowledge or experience of it. We ‘demand’ it, not even beginning to realise what we are demanding.

Why are there so many warnings without the manifestation? Why do so many prayers realise so little reality? Why is that ‘end-time revival’ so very slow in coming to the West when it appears to be in full spate in the East?

The Lord spoke to me about His fire. I don’t think we are talking about wild-fire or bush fire as much as we are talking about Pentecostal fire. This is nothing to do with a denomination. It is about the ‘how’ of revival. He showed me a brief vision of Pentecost and the tongues of flame descending upon those present in the upper room. Except that, at this time, this is not just one room but a thousand rooms in a thousand towns spread around Europe and America.

He spoke about wind, the wind of His Holy Spirit blowing on those flames, fanning them into a real fire of revival. Like a wild fire or a bush fire, this, once ignited, will spread fast until we have thousands of little fires joining together figuratively to form an all consuming fire of God’s love and goodness. It will bring repentance and salvations. It will bring incredible, amazing change to our entire culture. It will split marriages, homes, families, businesses, towns, cities, and countries as people decide which side of the line they want to be on.

When God anoints with fire (Luke 3:16 & Matthew 3:11) and when God releases the wind of His Spirit – then we shall see revival, live and breathe revival; pay the price for revival. Then our fight will be against Satan and all his forces (Ephesians 6:12-18) Then we shall see the manifestation of Romans 1:16 – the power of the Gospel unto salvation.

Then – listen for the trumpet to sound and watch for Jesus to appear – OH HAPPY DAY !!!!!!

A Fearful Thing

A Fearful Thing

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31

I wonder how many sermons have been preached on this text? I think we need to put the text into context first. “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:29-31

Let me now ask you, how many preachers are guilty of trampling the Son of God under foot? Or have devalued the Blood of His Covenant? Or have insulted the Holy Spirit of Grace? We must never forget that “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.” 1 Peter 4:17

So, how many of us, who will be judged first for how we conducted Gods business here on earth, will stand up under this line of questioning? How many times have we contorted the Word of God for our own purposes then have gone on to preach it as the “inerrant Word of God”? 

Now let me ask that same question from another angle. How many times have we set ourselves up as jury, judge, and executioner over another’s interpretation of scripture? How do we know who has the sole right; is the sole arbiter of truth? It is only God who has that right, otherwise why would He say, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 

I am not defending those who blaspheme His name or who trample most of the doctrine of the Bible or who devalue what Jesus did at Calvary. “How did we do that?” I hear some cry. When you preached prosperity over holiness; when you taught that Satan probably isn’t real; when you said in your heart that you are God’s sole arbiter in matters of truth and doctrine; when you allowed yourself to be raised high – almost as high as God. Jesus said, in Luke 9:50 and in Mark 9:40 that, “He who is not against us is on our side.” 

As we have all been taught within a particular denomination, we have all been taught a version of the truth that may agree or may differ slightly with another denominations version. Yet Jesus taught us that if they are “not against us” they are on our side – meaning on His side. Do you really believe that your interpretation of God’s Word is so much better than anyone else’s? Heavens above – that’s how whole denominations get started – because of proud and arrogant men who will only listen to their own pathetic bletherings while believing that God obviously doesn’t speak to “those other sinners over there”. 

Mote and Plank !!! Less condemnation and more acceptance – despite the differences. Move forward on the common ground and we may find enough commonality to unite with “them” after all.

Focus Again

Focus Again

This is the day that God is calling all His watchmen, All His intercessors, ALL His seers and prophets. We need to focus again. We have lost focus, we have gotten distracted. We have been watching the wrong things in the wrong places.

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

We have focussed upon what is happening in the world, and ‘interpreting’ that, rather than focussing upon what the Lord may be doing and where He is doing it. We are so taken up with the sin and wickedness around us that we are distracted from our watchtower on the walls. We no longer see where the enemy is about to attack because we no longer seek God for this. Rather we focus upon that which is already happening. We throw our hands up and cry “Woe”. We don’t look around to see what is being done under the cover of present events in order to facilitate future ones.

Watchmen of God, turn back to seeking Him and seek that about which God wants us to warn His people. Come back to true prophecy instead of commentary on current events.  Let the real prophets stand up. If we do not do our job, who will? How will God’s people be warned? How will they focus if we do not do so? For God will hold us responsible for abandoning His calling upon us – See Ezekiel 33 – if we do not sound the warning, God will hold us responsible.

God is calling and warning His prophets today. If you hear something, then test it and weigh it against scripture. If it stands up then speak it out. Say it. I would rather be labelled a false prophet than one who missed something God asked me to say.

Who else will God use other than His prophets? Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.”

It is surely time to focus on God to hear what He is saying to us rather than listening to the worlds distracting words.

Red Letter Truth

Red Letter Truth

We are warned in scripture about these ‘end-times’. Times when even the faithful of God will be deceived. Times when those who are preaching give out messages just to please their audience. Times when those preaching teach deceptive doctrines that sound right that, in the final analysis, do not line up with scripture.

Included in this deception are the teachings on prosperity, on so-called ‘hyper-grace’, on replacement theology, and I expect there are a few more

On prosperity, Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Yet ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ abound on television and in pulpits encouraging unlearned folk to part with their money “because God will repay you 100-fold”. The only ones getting prosperous are the preachers – the poor simply get poorer.

On hyper Grace in the case of the sinful woman caught in adultery, Jesus said in John 8:11 “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” He doesn’t say, along with the ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’, that they needn’t fret about your sin – it’s already been forgiven for as many times as you want to commit it. Jesus said, “Go and sin no more.”

As for replacement theology, Paul says very clearly, in Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” If this is true, then how can Christians have replaced the Jews and Israel in God’s heart as this teaching asserts. Yet the ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ once again prey on unlearned people to follow this teaching into hell.

Deception rules in these days while truth languishes in some backwater where the ‘discredited’ preacher still preaches the words of Jesus – “red letter” truth and preaching.

It just seems such foolishness to accept teaching which has no solid foundation in Christ’s or apostolic teaching but which is twisted and used to found denominations in these times. Jesus actually spoke of them in this way, - “And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.” Mark 13:5

Paul said “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;  and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  But you be watchful in all things.” 2 Timothy 4:3-5a

Yes folks – be watchful in ALL things.

A Prophecy to the Bones

A Prophecy to the Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-10

I recently wrote about how I believe the Lord to be calling us to prophesy to the bones once again for such a time as this. I believe the Lord is calling us to speak to the dry bones in the church and make them once more ready for life, I believe we need to speak to the breath of God to breathe life once again into those bones and to cry out to Him for His will to be done among us and for a visitation of His presence among us.

So - I speak to the dry bones. 

I believe the Lord is calling me to say this to all those dry bones - "Come back, come back. Come back to your first love - come back to that place where you first found me and you first came to know my presence. Come, perhaps for the first time, from that place of first love into the place of intimacy with Me - real intimacy - true intimacy. That is where I want to meet with you today - now - right now - this very moment. Yes - this is a cry from My heart to you to come close ready for that impartation that will lead you to create a place of habitation where I can come. A place of comfort for Me and a place of excitement and intimacy such as you never realised was possible."

Now - I speak to the breath.

I believe the Lord would say this to you all - "If you will cry out to me from the very depths of your heart, I will send My Ruach, My wind, My breath to you to lift you up on wings like eagles to soar in the heavenlies with me and to call My Shekinah Glory down to you. That will create the habitation I require. That will bring My blessing. Cry out to Me in your place of intimacy. Call me - Lift your hearts to Me and let Me begin My work among you."

People, this starts with YOU. Cry out now for His presence and His glory - then allow Him to manifest His Spirit among you and allow Him to bring His will to be on earth as it is in heaven.

Wind & Fire

Wind and Fire

There are two attributes of Holy Spirit that particularly appeal to me – wind and fire. I think probably it’s the dramatic possibilities that give substance to their appeal. I mean, what can be more terrifying than a wildfire, out of control, driven by a really strong wind? And we are told that God was not in the earthquake, wind, or fire, but in the whisper – that still small voice. Holy Spirit is the communicator of the Trinity. He is the teacher, the guide.

However, the Bible speaks of Him in terms of the “Ruach” – the mighty wind of God. It also says that He baptises us with fire. So what is so special about wind and fire?

Have you ever been for a walk along a cliff path on a sunny day? The wind is so refreshing, maybe even bracing. Yet we love the feel of that wind – in our face, in our hair (if we have any), tugging gently and not so gently at our clothes. It is the refreshing quality that I like – my face tingles when I turn into the wind. I may even get a little red faced, not from exertion but from the force of the wind. It’s at moments like that I can hear Gods voice. There is a stillness in the wind where Gods voice lurks – waiting for us to be still and listen.

Then the wind stirs afresh as the Holy Spirit picks out the next thought He wants to send us; the next whisper He wants to speak to us. Sometimes that Ruach works up to a storm that tears slates from the rooftops. Yet once again, Holy Spirit is waiting for us to be still in the storm just long enough for Him to speak to us once again.

In the midst of the storms of life is when we need to quieten ourselves to listen to His gentle whisper.

Fire is a different thing altogether. Indeed, Holy Spirit came to the upper room that first Pentecost as flames of fire. Fire was the first experience for man of the presence of Holy Spirit and the first manifestation of His power. Yet it was a pillar of fire that led the Children of Israel for 40 years. It was fire in a bush that called Moses to Gods service. It was fire that Elijah called down on Mount Carmel. It was fire that upgraded Daniels reputation in Nebuchadnezzar’s court. God had always been more than willing to use fire to demonstrate His point to man.

When fire touches anything, it changes it. So it is with Holy Spirit fire – it changes us and we are never the same again. So it was when Pentecost came – the disciples and followers, all 120 of them, were changed never to be the same again.

Oh to hear the Ruach of God and to experience that little flame of Holy Spirit fire. Let me never be the same again Lord, and let those who join me there also carry the wind and fire of God into their small corner of your world. Amen ???