The Basis of Marriage and the Church

This is not perfect but then we should never presume anything written as perfect except the scriptures. Please consider this in that light. I did not really feel comfortable altering it from the way it came out. Also as the the last section on "marriage", let it not be abused and taken as license to sin....

"My sheep hear my voice and they follow me." 

A brother and I were praying in the spirit one day in an old fire damaged house I had bought back in 2002 when suddenly there appeared a line of fire between us. It was forcing us to choose what side of the fire we were going to be on and then it got so big that there was no way to jump over it. Then the vision was over.

I worked on that fire damaged house for four long hard years and by using older materials from houses that had been torn down and some new material was able to not only restore it but it was the most beautiful structurally stable house in the neighborhood inspiring many others to improve their houses.

But the cost of restoring the house became so great that My wife and I struggled to make the payments to the bank and though we lived in it about 5 years, we finally had to put it up for sale for far less than it was worth.

When we walked out of that house after it was bought by two homosexuals all we had left was enough to start over. So for all my hard labor to build that house, the house was then occupied by what I detested (not the people themselves).

He who has ears to hear let him hear...

 I didn't understand how God was using all this prophetically. I just lived through it and He formed the situation. The external "houses of God" and country that we have built after 9/11's warning from God went unheeded by both the country and the church as a whole is about to be divided between the profane and the holy.

I do know that "the spear that we are leaning on is going to peirce our hand." with sorrows. That the decisions that He is going to bring us to will also force us to choose between the "houses of God" built by men and the "HOUSE OF GOD" He is building in Spirit.

Years ago the LORD showed me that the non-profit status in relationsionship to the government of churches and ministries was going to change dramatically and that those who were not willing to "compromise" with the "fire" he was going to allow would not retain that status and that the boy scouts of America would be the first one to fall by either compromising or losing their NP status by standing against an immoral and unlawful demand.. At the time decades ago I didn't know what that would be.

According to law a non-profits disolution [disolving] ] (funds, building, etc) has to go to another NP corporation. Many will not be willing to count that cost as true gain.

But the beauty of all this was that the True church connected by the Spirit would rise up in that day and be seen in it's true form and glory.

But then knowing that eventuality, why are we so relying upon political influence and power? What is wrong with us that we embrace something that should not even once be named among us. Our connection to the government is the very thing that allows us to divide endlessly into 10's of thousands of legal independent identities - something that is no different than the world system we now live in.

So that being said brings up an important point:

Are we married when we have a "ceremony" saying so or the government says so or is it the decision to come together as one as God designed even in our physical beings to be outfitted and honored not for our external status with the world or even our status with an external church that itself is living in adultery with it's own governments but rather our faithfulness to live out our lives together unto death.

Then much more so should the CHURCH and those of us who believe rely upon our status with HIM and faithfulness to HIM unto death and NOT our status with the government or even the external religious form of the church?

When JESUS died upon the cross and shed HIS blood, HE said, "IT IS FINISHED!" HE set indelibly the relationship between His church and Himself forever. No ceremonial or legal status can ever "further" or deny what he has done. We are saved solely by faith in the shed blood of Jesus and His Promise (or binding betrothal) that He will keep His word to us.

So if a marriage is not determined by ceremony or legal governmental status but by faithfulness to one's promise unto death, so it is with God's Church.

The Ingathering Of The Sheep

One of the most beautiful animal things in nature I have ever seen happened years ago when we were living in the center of Oregon. It's sheep country and almost everyone who lives in that area has sheep. I used to do a lot of carpentry for a huge sheep ranch (30,000 acres) and one day the manager who was a friend of mine told me to come with him to see something.

Mitchell is known for it's hills and highlands with a few canyon-like lowlands.

My friend pointed my attention to a hillside which is actually the edge of a highland. As a watched for a while the most amazing thing I have ever seen animal-wise in my life happened. The side of that very long hill suddenly was becoming covered with sheep coming over the top and down into the lowland. Over 3000 of them. All at once together decending the steep side of the canyon. It was like a wave of sheep decending until the whole side of the hill was alive and moving. I can't even begin to describe the suddeness or the beauty of it or how massive it was.

Photo from www.raisingsheep.net/

Sheep are wonderful creatures. Unless they are restrained by man-made fences, they naturally do certain things well. They know how to search out food and as a general rule will eat together. They also do not have to be encouraged to reproduce. A small flock over some years can become quite large and yet remain together. Some may wander off and get into all sorts of trouble but by nature especially when they begin to spread the alarm amongst each other over a danger they will flock together. They are natural flockers.

But I would be cheating you out of a part of the picture of those sheep I saw coming over that huge hill if I didn't tell you about the shepherds that guided and cared for them. Unlike the other sheep owners in the area, these men came from generations of sheepherders. Many of them were Basque's who were brought in. They ate together and lived together and worked amazingly well together. They knew that there was only one flock and that flock belonged to their master. I never once in over 5 months saw them quarreling over whose sheep were whose. They were men who would spare no lengths to go out and reflock those who had wandered off.

But if I might take the liberty to express. There was one sad thing about that day. Unlike the sheep over thousands of acres who gathered together, the sheep who were fenced in by their shepherd's claims were unable to attend. All they could do was stand longingly at the fences that held them from gathering with the rest of the sheep. Because men had fenced them in they were unable to join the others...

...in that Great Ingathering of the Sheep.

* In case you didn't notice, all the sheep in the picture above are looking in the same direction. The same thing is happening with the flock of God's sheep. They are all starting to long to gather together as one flock and their attention is being drawn longingly in the direction of their coming Master. If you get in the way of that or start building new fences (or refusing to tear down old ones) you may end up on the side of a hill somewhere tending goats... And that my friends is a warning of things to come... Claiming God's sheep as your own in the day that is coming is to risk the wrath of God...

The Trumpet Blast

A sound rising up out of dead silence,
Like no other, the trumpet blast is heard.

The sound of all the trumpets in the universe,
blowing at the same time...

From the highest pitch beyond reason,
To the most uncomfortable deep bass.

From the softest, almost inaudible sound,
To the loudest sound imaginable,
They all blow their trumpets together as one.

The earth trembles and shakes at the sound,
Men fall on their knees in fear and trembling -
And every thought is laid captive,
      to what is coming.

The mountains are leveled, the valleys filled,
And there is no place to hide from the sound.
It is the sound of the Body of Christ together with
The hosts of Heaven all crying out with one voice,

"The day of the LORD is at hand..." 

The earth is being prepared for that day,
The day of the return of it's Messiah (Saviour).

Those awaiting His return are crying out with one voice,
From the softest whisper to the loudest scream,
At the same time, with the same mind and heart,
with their voices beginning to sound out,

"Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!"

Blow, trumpets! Blow!

Sing Along Murder Song by Bob Riley

THE LAST WORD TO AMERICA

Left unheeded, this is the final word to the nation called "America."



I listened to this in tears yet a certain joy of expectancy. This is the FINAL word to this nation. If it goes unheeded the judgement is set. 

But I was very clearly reminded of a vision I had when we were praying in a fire damaged house one day. I was shocked for a minute when a ditch with fire appeared right in the living room we were praying in. The fire was so hot that no one could ever cross over it to the other side. As the Church in America, we have underestimated the day we are living in and the ONE whom we say we are serving. 

The other thing that came to me was a fearful sense that the day is coming soon that the "spear that the church is leaning on is about to pierce it's hand." Our reliance and confidence, even our own church identities is leaning on the strength of our relationship to the government but that is about to pierce our hand instead. 

We have invested in politics, our worldly strengths and our non-profit status with the government but all that is about to fall into the pit. We will be faced with doing without it and our politics, worldly strengths and organizational strengths and retaining our relationship with God or falling into the pit with those things we are holding onto. Oh the image of the "Church" may still remain but it will not be God's Church - it will be another's. 

The remnant Church is about to be stripped naked of it's unclean garments and given another - one that is holy and acceptable to God - but it will be substantially smaller than the one we perceive as God's today. It is that fear that will drive many "leaders" to lead many astray to save their outward form instead of preparing those they have influence over to face the day that is fast approaching.

What Jesus is counseling us to do is to "buy gold refined in the fire." Those who have suffered for the Lord's name sake, overcome and prosper, by nature will have greater wisdom of God...

Natural Laws Planted In Creation

The natural laws of the creation cannot be broken. It is only a momentary deception when we find ourselves able for a time to circumvent them as natural beings. They are there for our own benefit and protection but violating them can lead to death.

The law of gravity keeps us from simply drifting out into outer space and suffocating to death. It keeps your toddler from taking a few leaps and bounds and ending up miles away in minutes from your protective arms. Most people think that when they get into an airplane, (which circumvents the law of gravity for a short time), that they are "flying" somewhere. That is deception because you are actually sitting stationary in your seat grounded by the law of gravity. The airplane is flying... You are NOT - nor can you. Not single law of government or religion can change that - it is a natural law.

It seems like almost an entire generation is seeking to circumvent a natural law designed to propagate the species of mankind. Like any other natural law of the creation, it is only a deception when for a while you seem to have circumvented it without "falling to the ground" and getting hurt. If you try to fly without artificial means of support, the ground and the natural law rule over all and will have the last say in any argument to the contrary.

This generation has gotten in a Jetliner, are all comfortable secure in their seats and rejoicing in the fact that they and all their friends are on board and the airplane is taking off. They are having a grande party like usual, but...They don't realize that the pilot of the plane they are trusting in and thrilled about is a terrorist...

MUSIC: SECULAR OR SACRED?

A brother posted a really nicely done worship song recently and I found myself posting this in the comments:

"Whatsoever things you do, do them with all your heart 

as unto the Lord and not as unto men."

Such a guideline for us who listen to and perform music that in all things we do them to glorify God and not for the admiration of men!

When the Lord touched me and saved me decades ago, I was a musician playing in clubs in the hotels in Hawaii. That was my life but it was also my emptiness because performing in the secular world (and unfortunately in the "modern christian pop world" is a barren life craving for the attention and admiration of men.

When I first started going to a gathering sometimes they would sing a song out of the old "hymn book" and I couldn't appreciate the words because I just couldn't stand the music. Three months later, I had no desire at all to play or to listen to secular songs (and never did again after almost 40 years.) BUT I started loving to play and sing those old hymns and worship choruses and it didn't matter if people cheered the music or admired my person, whether there was a whole crowd or just me before the Lord.

I discovered that the whole reason God placed that desire in us to sing and appreciate music was solely to express worship and to glorify God.

There was one song from my secular musical past that I used to sing with all my heart in my early years. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's "Find The Cost of Freedom." but I had changed the words to glorify God.

"Find the cost of freedom... 

Nailed upon the cross.. 

Jesus Christ has won it all. 

Laid my burden (of sin) down."

That is the only secular song I ever performed (besides "happy birthday to you".) in almost 40 years. Nobody influenced me or taught a "rule". It is just what God did from the beginning of my walk and I love Him for it.

It's funny because I have never shared that part of my testimony in words before today. I just found myself blessed with the living of it. Nobody ever taught on the subject. It was just pure grace and still is. It wasn't a "Thou shalt not." it was a "thou shalt." The work of God in us in that way can be expressed so beautifully in the scripture:

"Old things are passing away.Behold, all things are new!" 

- (2nd Co. 5:17)