PROGRESS OR PRESENCE?

OH PILGRIM, WHEN PROGRESS IS BOUND

BY DISAPPOINTMENTS YOU HAVE FOUND

WITH COURAGE WANT AND FAITH DEPLETE

EVERY DAY SMACKS BITTERSWEET

HARSH MORSELS OF THE CONSTANT PAIN

THAT HINDER WALK AND STYMIE GAIN

AND BRINGS IN EBB AND FLOW OF GRIEF

THAT CAUSES HOPE TO EVER CEASE

THE WONDERS OF HIS LOVE ERASE

DISMISSING CRIMSON BLOTCH WITH GRACE

AND MAKING SMOOTH THE CREASE OF SCAR

YOU’LL FIND THE PATH OF JOY NOT FAR

SO JOURNEY ONWARD WITHOUT FAIL

HIS PRESENCE GOES BEHIND THE VEIL

THE DARKNESS THAT ONCE SEEMED SO BLEAK

BREAKS DAWN WITH MORNING AT HIS FEET

NO DARK NIGHT OF SOUL WILL WIN

FOR GREATER IS HE WHO IS WITHIN

NOW, SET A WATCH AND KNOW HE’S NEAR

WITH ARMS TO HOLD AND EAR TO HEAR

HIS GENTLE WHISPER IN YOUR HEART

REMINDS THAT HE WILL NEVER PART

HIS LOVE IS STEADFAST, STRONG, AND TRUE

THE HOPE OF GLORY, CHRIST IN YOU!

The Sword of My Mouth

Those who look to Me will see that there is a sharp two-edged sword in my mouth.  It is My Word that I AM speaking to you who are My people.  My Word is living and powerful and sharp enough to separate and divide the soul from the spirit.  My Word discerns between your thoughts and the motives of your heart.

The purpose of My Word to you in this season is to reveal the hidden motives of your heart.  Your thoughts are not My thoughts.  My ways are not your ways.  Man looks at the outward things, but I look at the heart.  Doing the “right” thing in the eyes of man, but for the wrong reason will ultimately be just as futile as doing the wrong thing.  Self-seeking and envy are at the root of many so called “good” works. These works are dead works that stem from a religious spirit of performance.  This brings confusion into things rather than clarity and builds a kingdom that will not stand the storms that are coming.  Only those things that are born out of intimacy with Me by the Holy Spirit produce works that last, having the essence of My nature and eternal life in them. 

This severing work is not the painful incision of a scalpel, but rather, the swift and liberating slicing of My sword to the things that have kept you bound up, tethered to an earthly evaluation of things.  Where My Spirit is the motivator of your heart there is true freedom.  This freedom will cause you to rise up to My perspective, thoughts, and ways.  From My perspective there is clarity, strength to stand the storms, and lasting Kingdom fruit. 

Revelation1:16; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Samuel 16:7; James 2:14

Knowledge and Life

The old adage that what you don’t know won’t hurt you is a fallacy.  The truth is that my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.  Knowing Me by continually experiencing My Presence and feeding on My Word is the only way to all that is life-giving.  Even those of My people who are honorable become famished apart from Me and multitudes are dried up with thirst.

Continuing in My Presence is essential to experiencing the satisfaction of a restored soul on a daily basis.  As you stay close to Me, experientially knowing Me by My Spirit, hearing and obeying My Word, you will be nourished by the green pastures and restful waters that I have provided for the care of your soul.  This is how you know Me as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

The Kingdom of Heaven is not far off, it is very near, it is within you.  Tend to your inner life and your outer life will come into alignment with the knowledge of the Holy One...the One Who is Truth and Life.  Seek first My Kingdom and My righteousness and everything else will be taken care of as well.  My Presence is full of life-giving abundance.  It is only as you know and experience My Presence that you find the way of abundant life and avoid the  paths of destruction.

Hosea 3:6; Isaiah 5:13; Psalm 23:1-3; Luke 17:20-21  

A "Back To The Future" Word

This is a "Back To The Future" kind of season.  By this I mean that sometimes it is necessary to go backward before you can go forward.  There are pathways that have been obstructed because of certain things that have happened in your past.  History cannot be changed, but I  have released a redemptive grace for new pathways to be created at the point of hindrance in the areas of broken relationships, lost dreams, missed opportunities, failed health, and much, much more.
Let faith rise up so that when I bring that person, dream, or opportunity from the past into your present reality that you will recognize it as the point of redemption.  Be renewed in hope and act on the truth of My love.
The wormhole that I provide will not remain open for very long so you must prepare yourself now to be ready to access it by faith in that moment.
Renew your mind to the truth that I AM creating a NEW pathway with a DIFFERENT outcome than you have previously experienced.  You cannot change your past, but changing your response in the present will propel you to a new place in the future...a different place...a place of redemption by grace.

Titus 2:11-14; Psalm 107:1-2; Isaiah 35; Luke 1:68-75

Glory, The Perfection of Unity With Me

Perfection is not established through effort.  Perfection is infused through the lifeblood of the Creator, the One Who is Perfection…the Perfection of Beauty…the Perfection of Holiness…the Perfection of Love.  Staying connected to Me is the lifeline of all that is good, desirable, lasting, and perfect.  This lifeline is the Word of Life, the very essence of eternal life…life that is ever flowing and endless in nature.  That is why staying connected to Me by the power of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, is vital.  It is this ongoing fellowship of Me in you and the Father in Me which makes you perfect in oneness through the bond of love.

When you put on love, you put on the bond of perfection because I AM Love.  Love is life-giving because its source is God, the One Who is the essence of eternal life.  As you know and believe the love that I have for you, you dwell in Me and I in you.  As you love others, My love is perfected in you and you become an empowered witness of eternal life.  This mystery of oneness with the Father through Me…of a life hidden in Christ through the bond of love is the perfection of My glory in the earth.

John 15:5, 17:22-23; 1 John 1:2-3, 4:12-16; Colossians 1:27, 3:14

Revitalization and Progress

Progress, not perfection is the goal.  Each moment holds a measure of potential.  Energy directed towards a goal potentiates the effectiveness of a particular work in progress.

Maximized energy with focused aim accomplishes more than diffused and distracted effort.  Narrow your focus to the chosen path, minimizing diversions that draw you away from Me.  I AM your life-source.  Everything else depletes your resources of energy and drains life from your being.  Revitalization is a continuous process as you stay connected to Me, the One Who is Life, by walking in the Spirit.  I AM with you to revitalize, energize, maximize, and potentiate your effectiveness as you make Me the focus of every labor of love.

You were created for good works which I prepared for you to walk in even before you were born.  You were hand-picked, chosen by Me to bear fruit that is lasting…remaining for all eternity.  Focus your energies towards that goal as worship to Me.

Ephesians 2:10; John 15:16; Romans 12:1-2

The Beautification of the Bride

You are My Bride.  I have chosen you for all eternity.  I love you with an everlasting love.  I nourish and cherish you as My own flesh.  I set you apart to Myself and cleanse you by the washing of My blood, My Word, and My Holy Spirit.

I will have a Bride that is glorious…without spot, blemish, or wrinkle.  As you yield to this washing with My blood, My Word, and My Spirit, the spot of sin is removed, the blemish of immaturity gives way to the age of wisdom, and the wrinkle of bulging excess rooted in the fear of unfulfilled worldly desires melts away in the contented satisfaction of My all-sufficient Presence.

My Bride has come to the fullness of age.  It is time for her to make herself ready for her Bridegroom.  My desire is for you!  I yearn for the marriage supper.  I AM the lover of your soul.  Will you join with My blood, My Word, and My Spirit to prepare yourself in this glorious beautification of the Bride for her long-desirous Bridegroom?  As you do, My Bride becomes fit for her King.

John 15:16; Jeremiah 31:3; Ephesians 5:22-32