Good day and may the blessings of Jesus Christ enrich the family of God.
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The world offers treasures today for many people on a scale unprecedented in human history. Treasures in possessions, consumption, housing, entertainment, wealth, advancement, and recognition and personal gain.
To be whatever you desire to be and opportunities to excel in whatever venture you undertake. To be the Lord and King of your life and destiny.
What a time to be alive. The choices and array of paths in the 21st century is staggering. Where are your choices leading you?
How true is the saying of Christ today, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (NIV, Mathew 6:21)
What is it you want? What is it you desire? Almost anything is possible in the world about us.
And it is in this climate – the culture and age we live in – God has chosen to do a deep and profound work in those who desire him and the things of God.
In such a time as this, Christ is beckoning those who know him, and want to be found in him, to go deeper in him.
There is a darkness coming in the last of the last days that will engulf everyone and everything except those pursuing Jesus, and those he is in pursuit.
We need Jesus more than ever to part the waters of darkness in our lives and in the lives of those close to us, that we may choose him, and choose well, taking advantage of opportunities he brings our way – and, maybe, most importantly, to receive the grace and love of Jesus Christ to give us multiple chances until we get it right (I speak from experience on this later point!)
Each generation receives a generous outpouring of grace and revelation in Christ in accord with the proportion of faith and Spirit “apprehended” and “secured” by those preceding and those currently on the frontier of God.
Be encouraged. God is on the move; his grace and favor outpaces sin and darkness. Stay in him, and the grace and favor of God will lead and guide you through the wilderness and the darkness of this age, into Christ.
(My prayer: God would bring healing and rest to those troubled areas where our hearts cling to the appetites and desires of the world, and, instead, possess the fullness of God in our members.)
(That you and I would reclaim the rightful authority and rulership over the areas of our heart and lives formally under the stewardship of wounds, darkness, and sins.)
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To Come
The Scripture speaks of a fullness of time to come – when darkness pervades and evil seems to inhabit the air we breathe and the world we live in.
The Scripture also speaks to the work of God, a hidden work, deep in the womb of the visible church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It will be an unprecedented work of God and the ultimate expression of that work in the Saints will suspend the growth of evil and stymie it for a season.
There is a showcasing of righteousness and evil in the years ahead, in the last of the last days preceding the Millennial reign of Christ.
Whether we be in that generation God only knows. Be encouraged, seek the Lord with all your heart and he will ready you for what’s up ahead on your path and in your lifetime.
Do not be afraid or fear the increase of evil and darkness. As in the days of old, God knows how to protect those who are his and to prepare them for the commission he has for them.
Today’s Opportunity
Jesus is restoring truths today long forgotten and overshadowed by hundreds of years of commentary, analysis, and layers upon layers of human thought and tradition.
(There is much to be learned from commentaries. I am thankful for the dedication and sacrifice of those who have gone before us and spent their lives in the word of God, writing commentaries. However, they like us, are limited to the light of their day, and cannot speak beyond which God has not given them. We have more light today than in the past, and those coming after us may even have greater light and revelation in Christ.)
Yesterday’s truths and Spirit, without fresh manna from the word God, offered today through various resources, ministries, and Christ himself, will not carry you through the white waters and jutting rocks on your journey in the years ahead.
Christ is making known today resources and revelation not available in years past. He comes through many venues and ministries and he knows the path directly to your heart and spirit.
It will not be the path you would choose for your cleansing and healing. Your path and his path for you will not intersect.
Christ, is here, now, desiring to take many into the deep waters of his word and Spirit, unto himself. He is wanting connection and union with you and me. It is for our benefit, life, and his glory.
When Christ takes you deep in him, and begins a deep cleansing and healing work, some discomfort will come, and your priorities and plans will shift and change.
Again, it’s not a path you would choose (like Christ said of Peter in John Chapter 21) but a path Christ knows personally and intimately.
When Christ comes to you and begins a deep work in your life, you will experience him and situations in ways you may not understand, as you grapple with what he shows you and asks of you.
Be encouraged, clarity will come in time.
Christ, Our Example
Some of you may ask, (who have not been reading the posts in this series), what is this about – Christ taking us deep? I’m saved, born again, spirit filled, why do I need to be taken deep? Where is this, “taking deep,” in the Scripture?
And, Jesus was holy and pure the day of his birth, never knowing sin, so how does, “taking deep,” apply to him? (I will cover this in the next few posts and plan to do a separate series down the road.)
These are good questions and the ones pertaining to us have been answered in this series.
In brief:
There are numerous Scripture’s in the New Testament which speak of Christ’s “coming,” “appearing,” “revealing,” “taking,” to you and me, to bring righteousness into our life – i.e., to baptize us in him – to put to death the sinful appetites and desires of the lower nature, to walk in newness of life – this may include, but is beyond, what is normally thought as the Christian’s journey of tests and trials.
This is Christ coming personally to you and me, to cleanse and heal the deeper areas of wounds and sins in our life – beyond the resources and gifting Passover and Pentecost bring, as wonderful as they are.
And, it is beyond your typical intensive – prayer, inner – healing, and/or deliverance session, though they may play a part.
Being taken deep in Christ, is where Jesus comes and ushers you into a place of grace, a place and position in him where condemnation and shame give way to confidence and trust. Where he gains greater access to the deep and unresolved areas of wounds, sins, and brokenness – that care, love and grace may be brought to the troubled areas of your life and mine. What a wonderful opportunity to “receive” from the Lord!
It’s the revelation of Christ to you and me, imparting his nature in our heart and mind. It’s a deep and profound work of the Holy Spirit you do not want to miss.
Being taken deep is a journey and a process, establishing communication, growing into communion and fellowship, and hopefully, union.
To use today’s terms, it’s Christ’s “hands-on” ministry to you and me, in a deep, personal, and intimate way. One might say, it’s the final chapter of personal one-on-one healing and relationship in Christ.
The Scriptures:
The Scriptures are saturated with the deep work of God in the Saints. I refer you to the previous posts in this series.
Here are some of the Scriptures I’ve covered in this series (and some I have not, like the “day of Christ” scriptures and what they mean, which I will write about later) with the Part number referenced, as follows:
John 10:3 – 4, Part 16; John 14:1 – 4, 18, 23, Parts 2 and 5; John 21:18, Parts 5 and 12; Matthew 24:40 – 41, Parts 1, 3, and 5; Matthew 25:1 – 10, Suddenly, Part 2, in the Revival series; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10, Part 5; “Day of Christ” Scriptures, Philippians 1:6, 1:10, 2:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:23 – 24, Parts 5 and 17; 1 Peter 1:2 and 1:13, 5:4, 5:10, Parts 3, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12; Hebrews 3:14, 9:28, Parts 3, 17, 21 and 22; Parable of the fig tree in Luke – which applies to all of us in areas of our lives, Parts 4 and 5; and, of course, the book of Romans and “baptism” is the heart of the deep work of God in us, Part 17.
Wrap Up
The grace and love and care of Jesus Christ is for you and me today, to be made new, today.
It is to translate and elevate us into the kingdom of God, here, now, today. To grow us into all things God, to know and be known, to love and be loved, to minister and be ministered to, and to care and receive care, here and now.
The Scriptures “speak” to you and me, inviting and compelling us to apprehend the intimate and high places in God this side of heaven.
The Scriptures are not for heaven, they are for the here and now.
This is a journey, individually and corporately.
After the dark ages God used Luther to restart this process in earnest.
There is a high calling in Jesus Christ that includes the path – that only Christ knows – to the deep recesses of our heart and being.
My friend, I believe we are in the season of seeing the Feast of Tabernacles restored and fulfilled once again in the New Testament age. I believe Peter, James, John, Paul, and others fulfilled it earlier in their season. And undoubtedly, others have fulfilled it since.
Do you desire to apprehend, and be apprehended by Christ as his bride, without blemish, spot or wrinkle, in union with him, complete and mature, lacking nothing?
Only Christ knows this path. That’s what our journey is all about. Why settle for less when Jesus is offering much? This is not something we can do, only Christ in and through us.
Jesus will give you a new heart for the journey and will walk with you. Be encouraged, God can leap frog brand new and old Christians into the deep things of God quickly.
Blessings, Drake
(NIV) Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblical, Inc.™
