Understanding the Times: Part 7- Accepting His Invitations

The body of Christ is at a crossroads here in The United States.

Grow deeper in Him… or grow cold.

Dad has been dismantling me these days. Even as I have been praying for and encouraging those around me who are allowing Father-God to move His church deeper into Himself, so too have I been, shall we say…a “mess.”  This is more than fine with me. What else is there if there is no deep communion with my God? To whom shall I go to instead?

As odd as it may sound on the surface, the pain, angst and “dying” I am experiencing is due to primarily one thing: I recently accepted a beautiful invitation from my Lord.

Now, here is what I find even more humorous. When I opened the invitation it read like this:

“My dearest son, David, I want you to know the reality of my love for you in a much deeper way. I am desperately desiring to radically change your walk in Me. It’s time for much greater intimacy. I want you to walk with me amongst the fiery coals of my presence and holiness.  A bi-product of this is that I will flow through you in greater power and Love to those around you. I want others to be touched by Me through you. Would you like to do this with me?”

“Wooo-Ho!!!!!!!  Awesome, Father. Amazing! Thank you. Let’s do this.”

Hmmmmm. Really…?

We live in the generation where words such as pruning, grooming, disciplining, refining, purging, judgement, chastisement, or  holiness  ( to name a few) are stricken from the pulpit. I will take this reality a step forward and expose the true condition of our lopsided dogmas to say that those who dare to speak of the heart of God in regard to these areas of His nature are labeled as “fear mongering.”  This is simply a result of an exchange rate we have come to favor in the world economy of the church.

We prefer convenience to communion.

Rules in exchange for relationship.

Not surprisingly, two extremes result due to this American apathy toward seeking the heart of our Father.

1. We avoid standing apart from the world  because we live in fear
2. We attempt to stand out… but with no authority behind it… because we live in fear

Properly exercising authority comes as a result of knowing who our Lord is, and then who we are as His child. Authority comes as a result of intimacy. The closer we draw to our Dad’s heart the more we understand who we are and Who lives inside us. This distills down to knowing He loves you.

Here is the real urgency with this illness in the American Church for this hour: the time is upon us where those who do not know how to exercise His kingdom authority and His will on the earth will be in great danger of falling away.

The scriptures are warning us of this. The greatest manifestation of His authority is Love. If we are not connected intimately with His love in us, for us and through us… our love will grow cold.

Now, here is the crux.

Light exposes darkness. When we commune it will expose the areas we are not living in agreement to His nature and His nature expressed through His word. His presence exposes our fears, lies, insecurities and demonic pacts we have made (agreement with the world is a demonic pact brothers and sisters- see Rom 8:7, 2 Cor 10:5, Gal 6:8, 2 Cor 4:4 as a warm up exercise).

What will we do when that moment comes?

“Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might,while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.As the ark of the Lord  was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord , she despised him in her heart.

….When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord , who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord people Israel–I will celebrate before the Lord .

I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”  (2 Samuel 6)

David did not need to build up courage to toss aside his royal garments and while he was half naked, dance in joy, love and humility before the Lord. He couldn’t care less. David had, by this time already learned who he was as a child of the Living God. He learned this in the lonely pastures while guarding his sheep… alone.

Raising a knife high above a tied up son, lion dens, fiery furnaces, wet fleeces, bears, snowy pits… … The lives we live publicly can be traced back to the invitation we accepted (or rejected) privately from the Lord to enter into deeper communion with Him. Said another way, the life we live publicly will reveal the life we live In Him privately. I am not referring to how we “behave.” That is what christian masks are for. A great many church fellowships sell them at the pulpit, retail stores, and book-stands at the back of the building next to the tithe and offering plates. They even come with detailed instructions. These masks have no kingdom power. No, I am referring to the degree of  Kingdom life that emanates through us without any thought or intention, will be directly related to the depth of our communion in Him.

These invitations are often not recognized because we do not see past the trial. Said another way, we will not recognize the invitations, much less accept them, if our hearts are not properly aligned with Him during the difficulties we are walking through.

Please remember this: the revelation of His love and His nature is revealed in the secret places within your trials, disciplines and experiences. They are done most often (though not always) in solitude and seclusion.

What is secretly reaped during those lonely times of sowing are eventually revealed in public. Do you know of someone who openly displays the nature of Christ? Find out what his/her secret story is. I assure you… that person has many personal accounts to tell of interactions with his King.

The mind of Christ cannot be offended and knows no fear. Please hear me. This is not about us, … it’s about Him.. if we simply surrender and are willing to die. This can be gained or lost at any time. We must learn to live in Him every moment. His invitations are constantly being sent out to the darkest, most timid areas of our bruised and broken hearts. Fear manifests in His children in many, many different way. Timidity, boldness, apathy, constant movement, despair, self-reliance, insecurity, relationship dynamics… it’s endless…  The root is the same however. We are either doing what we do as an outflow of His life expressed in us… or we are living that area of our heart apart from Him.

“He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him.” Psalm 40:2-3

Our Dad is extending invitations in this season that require us to stare down that fear until it gives way to the revelation of Jesus Christ revealed more deeply in our heart. Don’t focus on how you are performing. This leads to dead religion and worse still… a relationship based on trying to earn something that we already have, namely His love and acceptance.

Instead, look to Him. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Pull back the grave clothes from around our soul and let Him begin to write His words on the heart of His redeemed. His words, revealed through revelation of Him, bring forth eternal life within us in greater and greater measure… if we just… go to Him…

Ask Him to send you an invitation…. He will keep sending them.

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 

What will we do when that moment comes?

“Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:68

Shalom