The Age To Come

It has seemed to me over the past few months that the prophetic pulse has changed from one of warning, to one of encouragement. What need is there of warning when it is clear that the storms are upon us? When it is clear that the wisdom, thoughts, and hope of men is proven insufficient. I see the hysterically tinged worship-fest of the incoming American messiah, and consider it symptomatic of the desperate desire to avoid the pain of our own making. How long will it be before this emissary of the culture of death disappoints us, failing to bring us our earthly salvation?

But I digress. Encouragement is the name of the game, now. To encourage us to shine in these current times.

But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 1 Cor 14 v3

Truth is, things are not going to get “better”, at least not in the natural. Here is something I received back in 2005:

I had a prophetic dream. As is usual with dreams, upon wakening I could not quite grasp the essence of what I had dreamt.

Considering the reality of what I had been given, the Lord gave me a reference point to be able to anchor the dream and understand it.

I saw the Holy Spirit, brooding over the earth and the seas covering it. I perceived His plans for us. I saw Him dry up all the seas, and as this was done, what was hidden under the seas was revealed – mountains, valleys, plains and trenches.

My understanding was that the seas represented the Lord’s grace in the natural – that is, his physical provision for us. I saw that He will dry up this provision, and in doing so reveal the hidden natures of our hearts – both the highest heights, and the lowest depths.

I saw that this water – the Lord’s grace in the supernatural – would still be available as a source to be drawn upon by those who are based and grounded in the Lord.

What will this mean, and how extensive will it be? I do not know. Only that a time of natural adversity with supernatural blessing will occur, with the intent of revealing what has been hidden under the Seas of Plenty for many years. Both the best and the worst will be laid bare for all to see.

This therefore is my counsel – to seek from the Lord the grace in the supernatural, to provide all needs during this time. Yes, and not just what is needed, but an abundance, that you too may become ‘sons of encouragement’ – Barnabas’s for this time. Consider this story from Mark Mallett (copied below), and understand that you are being prepared – however small and insignificant you perceive yourself to be – to be that salt, that light, that beacon of hope and encouragement, to hook that one soul out from these tumultuous seas. May God bless you richly and abundantly,

Peter

IT was the end of a string of six concerts in several small towns on the Canadian prairies. The turnouts were poor, usually less than fifty people. By the sixth concert, I was beginning to feel sorry for myself. As I began to sing that night several years ago, I looked out at the audience. I could’ve sworn that everyone there was over ninety! I thought to myself, “They probably can’t even hear my music! Moreover, are these really the people you want me to evangelize, Lord? What about the youth? And how am I going to feed my family….?” And on and on the whining went, as all the while I kept playing and smiling at the quiet audience.

Afterward, I was supposed to stay the night in the empty rectory. But I was so upset that I packed everything up and started the five hour drive home through the night. I wasn’t two miles out of town when suddenly I felt the Lord’s presence in the seat beside me. I could “see” Him leaning over and looking squarely at me. He spoke with an intensity that to this very day shakes my soul.

Mark—Don’t underestimate the value of ONE soul.

The words were so powerful, so full of love, so intense that I burst into tears. Because suddenly I remembered… there was one younger lady who came up and spoke to me after the concert. She was visibly moved. I spoke with her and tried to answer her questions, but kept packing my gear, sulking, feeling sorry for myself instead of realizing that the one soul Jesus would have descended to earth to die for alone, was standing before me.

So that I would never forget what He said—what He died for—He repeated those words again, in a love which still leaves me in tears, even as I write this:

Don’t underestimate the value of ONE soul.

I repented, and from that day on began to realize that Jesus was no longer fishing with nets, but with hooks… looking now for one soul here, one soul there, before the coming of the Great Storm.

Something from Andrew Strom that provides food for thought. I particularly liked point 4, as an antidote to our me-dominated culture.

FIVE KEYS to SURVIVING the CRISIS
-by Andrew Strom.

Since I believe (like others) that 2009 is going to be a year that “All hell breaks loose” (-Yes – you can quote me on that), I believe it is very important that God’s people come to grips with the key things that will help us survive – and even thrive – through this dark period of great Shaking. The following keys are taken from my book, “SURVIVE the DEPRESSION”-

(1) SPIRITUAL PREPARATION. As has been intimated all the way through the book, the most important keys to surviving and thriving in this present crisis are ‘SPIRITUAL’ in nature. The root causes of this mess are things like greed, apathy and the “Love of money” – which are all SPIRITUAL diseases. And thus the answers are mostly spiritual also. Those who merely prepare in physical or practical ways will find this out to their great cost. If you want to survive and thrive, prepare yourself “spiritually” above all else.
Spend time seeking God, get rid of all sin, obey Him implicitly, help the poor, leave behind the shallow “junk” of our culture and become a radical disciple of Jesus. If you have a family to care for, put the same principles into practice. Become a RADICAL FAMILY for Christ! Don’t delay. We are out of time. Such “spiritual” preparations are by far the most important answer to surviving and thriving in these dark times. But don’t just selfishly seek God so you can “survive”. Seek Him for His own sake. Become a true disciple who lives for Christ – not for what you can “get out of it” – but because your deepest desire is to utterly glorify Him.

(2) POSITION YOURSELF. Sometimes Christians can get away with being in the wrong place for quite some time. But not in a crisis like this. Every Christian needs to ask themselves right now, “Am I exactly where I am meant to be? Am I am with the people that God wants me with? Am I in the right group, the right city?” If you know that God has been whispering to you for quite some time that you are meant to be in a different place, then do not delay. Get yourself and your family into the place that you know is in the very center of His will – even if it means losing money, or leaving behind friends, a well-paid job, or whatever. This is no time to be caught anywhere but in the exact center of God’s will for your life. Pray about it and take action. Don’t put it off!

(3) FOOD STORAGE. This can be a difficult thing to talk about today because there have been so many “false alarms” such as Y2K, etc. However, there have been a number of prophecies about food shortages and famine in the days ahead – even in developed nations like America. I certainly believe this is possible. In fact, we are already beginning to see disruptions of international shipping and trade caused by the Credit Crunch. Even basic grains and foodstuffs may be affected – which could have terrible consequences for the Food Supply in the months and years ahead. So if God has been whispering to you to start a garden or to collect canned goods, then you need to heed that “still small voice” and begin to prepare in this way. Again, if this is something you feel God has been warning you about, PLEASE DO NOT DELAY – but act quickly to get yourself positioned for what lies ahead. It is relatively painless to gather canned goods – and they can always be used whether there is a crisis or not. And gardens likewise.

(4) SMALL GROUPS HELPING THE POOR. So far the pointers we have been discussing fall into the category of “Surviving”. But this one comes under the category of “Thriving”. If you want to thrive in this crisis, get involved in ministering to the poor and needy. (Sadly there will be a lot more of them as time goes on).
When I was down in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina there was one Spirit-filled Fellowship that was “thriving” in the midst of the chaos. They had filled their sanctuary with food, clothes, and emergency supplies of all kinds – and they were ministering to hundreds. They also prayed with many of those they helped. In the midst of that crisis, when many churches had closed down and many pastors had left town, this Fellowship was thriving and becoming a Help and Ministry center for the entire community.
They were a light in the darkness – a “city set upon a hill” – ministering to many who ordinarily never go near a church. And if you look in Scripture you will see that this is exactly what the early Christians were like. Helping the poor was a big priority with them also.

In the first chapter of the book I mentioned how important it is to band together with perhaps 2 – 3 other families that we can link arms with when times get really tough. (We may even end up LIVING with some of these people. Do you have friends who are that close?) And in conjunction with this I urged people to use these small groups to begin to minister to the poor. I cannot tell you how important this is, if we want to “thrive” – not just ‘survive’ – through this current crisis. This is one of the absolute keys. In fact it is very doubtful if we can even have real New Testament Christianity without a strong emphasis on the poor and needy. It is that crucial. So will you be a “light shining in the darkness” during this present crisis, my friends?

(5) LISTEN FOR THE “STILL SMALL VOICE”. We already put “Spiritual Preparation” at the top of our List of priorities, but I just need to re-emphasize this aspect. To survive this crisis, we simply MUST be walking close to God and listening to His voice. We have to hear from Him. And we have to be ready to respond – even if it means “leaving all”. This is utterly crucial, and for many people may literally be the difference between life and death. Learn to listen to God’s voice and obey Him. Wherever he wants to send you, whatever He wants you to do – do it. And I pray that not only will you be one who “survives” this crisis, but one who ‘thrives’ – to the glory of God the Father. May the Lord be with every one of you in these dark days, my friends.

If you are looking for a word to begin this new year, 2009, I would offer you this one – hope.

Not the hope that the world offers, that proves to be a delusion, but real and lasting hope. The world offers enticing attractions – of wealth, of happiness, of pleasure. All to the good perhaps, while the delusion lasts. But sooner or later all these hopes fail, turn to ash, and are blown away. People fail us, the ones we most rely on fall short and we are left disillusioned. The heroes we create in our imagination or in popular fiction, to fill our need in our independence, are shown to be illusions.

What then are we left with? The pride of despair perhaps? Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die?

There is a better way, if we can but humble our pride and independence, and realise our true state. There is true hope, not based on immediate circumstances or in things, but on ancient promises.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 19 v19-21

Where is your heart? What really matters to you?

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
1 Corinthians 13 v13a

This is not the hope that promises a trouble-free blessed life, one of serene bliss and abundance of possession. Rather it is one that offers us, even in the midst of a pain-wracked, messed up and broken world, the hope of both a present and a future, the now and the not yet, with God, the author and perfecter of our faith, offering us true life, true peace and true abundance, if only we would turn away from ourselves and turn back to Him.

Hear the words of the Master Carpenter, Jesus Christ of Nazareth:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16 v33

I’ve recently found myself looking back on old posts, and it’s interesting to re-read them in light of how events are shaping up now. With that in mind I bring you this one from September 2007 (edited a little to remove local church info that isn’t relevant to a wider audience).

Introduction
Part of the job of those called to the prophetic is to speak the word as watchmen on the walls. As it says in Ezekiel 33 v1-6:

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your countrymen and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head. 5 Since he heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’

So please do read what I’ve written and weigh it carefully. For I am blowing the trumpet as Ezekiel did – to warn the people!

The Mercy Judgment
Last September the Lord spoke into my heart; these were the words given:

It is the twilight of the current age, and we bask in its fading gleams. Much that can be shaken, soon will be.

With apologies to those who are not Tolkien fans, this is what informed my hearts response:

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I, said Gandalf, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

So, what is to happen, and what are we to do with the time that is given us? Probably the best explanation would be to read a word given to me at the turn of this year:

A storm is coming
This is a word I must bring to you, a word for 2007. Indeed, this is something I have alluded to a number of times before, but the hour grows short, and the word more urgent.

Many will come to Him, if His Church is ready. That is what He is calling us to now. Be ready. Purchase oil that your lamps will not run out. See, the bridegroom is at the threshold even now! Therefore, put away your toys, your vanities, and gird yourself for the times to come. Then your light will indeed shine. Hear the Spirit of the Lord, He is crying amongst the churches! Wake up, wake up! A new day is dawning and you must be ready.

So, what kind of storm am I writing about? Well, that is something that is not yet revealed. Perhaps we might see terrorist acts? An economic crash? Times of war? Earthquakes, or floods? Persecution within the Church? Or perhaps something else entirely? I don’t know the details of what is to come.

Are we talking of the second coming of Christ? In this context, no. Of course, you cannot unbind events from each other, but this is not what I am directly writing about today.

Is it possible at this time we see some foreshocks of coming judgment? It is hard to say, but it is certainly necessary to be sober, alert and aware of the times. Consider the flooding that occurred in England on the 29th July 2007 and the statement by a number of Anglican bishops that this was God’s judgment on that country. Such things should not be said lightly, though one might ask why God should not judge nations that appear to be moving far from Him and descending into wickedness?

Also, one might look at the current turbulent economy and wonder whether there is judgment there? Or perhaps consequence would be a better word – the consequence of greed and living beyond our means?

As an illustration, consider whether we are just like the country of Grenada – “a nation that was not prepared for the storm – the hurricane – nobody expected it”. We saw the utter devastation of some buildings, including the churches.

Simply put, we do not know exactly what this storm will look like, or when it will occur. The reason this word is being given now is because of an increasing sense of urgency. How urgency translates to timing is less clear, especially as we serve a God for whom a day is a thousand years and a thousand years is a day. In His economy, timing and even the judgment itself is fluid – what concerns Him is our response. The only words I might be able to give you are ‘near’, ‘soon’, and ‘at the threshold’.

I’ve taken to calling this approaching storm the Mercy Judgment, in that what is Judgment will also be Mercy. What do I mean by this? Well, understand that what will be a difficult and chaotic time, a time where there will be suffering, will also have a redemptive and cathartic quality. Many things that are currently idols for us will no longer be idols – perhaps partly because they will no longer be present, partly because we will be able to see more clearly what is genuinely important. And if we have eyes to see and trust in our heavenly Father, we may be able to bring others currently enmeshed in the kingdom of this world, into the Kingdom of the world that is to come.

It should also be said that I do not see this to be cataclysmic destruction, but more of a severe judgment or judgments to chastise, simplify and ultimately purify. A genuine judgment, but one that will be ultimately to our mercy. Indeed, if God really wanted to destroy us, He would just leave us just as we are. We are doing, as a society, a pretty good job at self-destruction anyway. So, by His mercy He will not leave us just as we are. And through judgment and following persecution, we will get to bring the harvest home.

The Response of the Church
So, the question that we need to ask in light of coming judgment is this: “what then do we do?”. If these things really are coming, how do we respond? How then shall we live?

Firstly – do not be afraid.

Fear is the weapon of our enemy, and nothing that I write is intended to cause fear. As it says in 1 John 4 v17-19:

17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19We love because he first loved us.

Indeed, as Romans 8 v14-16 also says:

14those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

So, I repeat again – Do not be afraid. If you are found in Christ, the source of your salvation, then you cannot be shaken, because He cannot be shaken. Indeed, in the times to come Jesus Christ will be the only secure place that can be found.

So, we are being shown these things ahead of time not to cast a shadow of fear, but to forewarn and allow us to prepare.

Secondly, are you entangled in the world?

Drugs?
Drink?
Pornography?
Gambling?
Greed?
Sloth?
Adultery?
Fornication?

These things are quicksand to your soul. Divest of them, while you still have time.

Many live for transitory gains, gambling in the stock market, finding security in shares, or setting up RRSPs and GICs to provide for themselves a security apart from God. Granted, these things are not evil in and of themselves – but what we do with them often is. Always, the question is asked, where is your heart? Could you also be a rich fool – desiring to give God everything but the idol you worship? God had some things to say about riches – listen to this from Luke 16 v13:

13No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Who or what do you love more than Christ? Listen to Luke 14 v25-27:

25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26″If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Hard words, do you think? We need to understand what they mean.

Do we love our brothers and sisters more than Christ? Then we are not worthy of Him.
Do we love our wives or husbands more than Christ? Then we are not worthy of Him.
Do we love our children more than Christ? Then we are not worthy of Him.

Your family is not your salvation. Only Christ is. If He is not Lord of your life: your whole life – then He is no Lord to you at all. Is it difficult to hear this? Yes, but better the pain now than pain later.

Only when our whole life is under His Lordship, only then will we have both feet upon the Rock. And – I tell you the truth – the only place that will be secure in the coming days is to have both feet on the Rock of Jesus Christ. As the Psalmist said:

40:2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

Everything else but Christ will fade, all else will fall into ruin. And the secrets of all hearts will be laid bare.

Please read this word given in January 2005.

What is hidden will be revealed
I saw the Holy Spirit, brooding over the earth and the seas covering it. I perceived His plans for us. I saw Him dry up all the seas, and as this was done, what was hidden under the seas was revealed – mountains, valleys, plains and trenches.

What will this mean, and how extensive will it be? I do not know. Only that a time of natural adversity with supernatural blessing will occur, with the intent of revealing what has been hidden under the Seas of Plenty for many years. Both the best and the worst will be laid bare for all to see.

Thirdly, we are called – both now and in the days ahead – to be a lighthouse

– bringing light to an increasingly dark world. What is it that a lighthouse does? It warns of dangerous waters. It guides to safe harbours. It provides a community, a haven, a hope in the tumultuous seas of our world.

In relation to this, we would not go far wrong in coming before the Lord in an act of corporate repentance where we could confess before Him the ways we have fallen short of Him, both individually and as a body. This is very necessary before we can move forward into His inheritance for us.

Regarding the need for repentance, I then received a further vision. I saw the lighthouse; it was as if the light rays were shining out into the darkness. Then, it was as if I was inside the lighthouse itself, another layer being unveiled to the vision.

The light source was at the centre of the lighthouse, I became aware of who this Light represented – Jesus Himself. Perhaps that is a little obvious, but I saw it deeper that I had before.

We, as the church, are represented by the panes of glass that make up the lighthouse reflectors. When we are dirty and grubby, the light does not shine through us well. When we are cleaned, the light can shine through us and out into the world much more brightly.

This cleaning is the purpose of corporate repentance; that we might be cleaner, more transparent, and hence more able to be that which we are called to be – a reflector of Christ.

Indeed, if we are reflecting Christ in His fullness we may be able, in the times to come, to save those who have lost everything they once held dear. This may be our great opportunity, if we are alive in Christ enough to see it. As Jude says in verse 22:

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

I also saw that the Light of Christ is the centre of the Church, without His Light we are nothing, worse than nothing – a counterfeit – a building that pretends to be something that it is most evidently not as darkness falls. If the light in you be darkness, how great is that darkness – as our Lord said in Matthew 6 v23.

It seems to me that the sin of the Church has to be heinous and protracted before this happens – before the lampstand is removed from its place.

The grace of the Lord is deep, He is long-suffering and desires all to repent….indeed far more than we can imagine.

But yet, there comes a time when the lampstand is removed and then, well then, a dark lighthouse is a horrible thing indeed – the spirit of the antichrist.

So we come back to the question – “what then do we do?”. Be assured that this is Gods primary concern. He is eager, with the heart of love itself, to know how we will respond to His call. Are we to be indifferent? Disbelieving? Letting the more immediate things of this world take precedence? Or will we seek Him with our whole heart, wanting to know Him with a passion, wanting to know His will for our life and in this time, and earnestly desiring to put to death all that stands between us and Him?

This is the most important thing that we can do. For sure, we may listen to Him, and ask if there is anything in particular He would have us do in preparation. But what we do is very much secondary to what we are. Are we the Lords? Or are we play-acting? Going though the motions, if you like? Are we serious about the Lord whom we say we serve? This is the most important, the most urgent question before us now. By His grace, we have a window, a short window of time, to decide where our hearts priorities lie.

The truth is this – there is only one place where there is light, life, salvation and security. Only one place that can never be shaken -and that is in Christ. This place is free, but not cheap. It will cost you nothing, and will cost you everything. It offers you life abundantly, joyfully and eternally – and to enter it you must die. Indeed, there is no other way. If you have not entered this life – this Kingdom life, or you were once in the Kingdom and now find yourself once again on the grey plain of the world, then please – turn to Jesus Christ while you still can.

Please listen to this final word, The heart of winter, given to me October 2004:

Grey clouds scurry across a twilight sky.
A cool wind blows from the North.
The last of the leaves are blown from the trees.
Dead leaves make patterns in the swirl of the wind.

There is still time.
Come home to Me – there is still time.
Before the heart of winter grips you forever.
Before it is too late.
Come home to Me.

Come home to the one who loves you dearly, and has loved you from before the foundations of the world. Come home to the only sure foundation in the coming storm.

Let Christ be before us,
Let Christ be behind us,
Let Christ be below us,
Let Christ be above us,
Let Christ be within us,
And let Christ be without us.

This is the only place to be, the only place that will endure. This is His call to us now, and in the coming times.