Five-Fold Today - A Call to Maturity - The Fat Farm - God bless America - The Ache of Stagnation - Intimacy - Shout to the Lord - A Call To Intimacy And Worship - Keep Your Eyes On Me
A Call to Maturity
Rev. W. Mark Wattenford
Through a serious of events, visions and the words of other prophetic people, God has moved some of us into the following understanding.
We have seen many of late that have been coming "out of the woodwork." These individuals have a call on their lives or have flat out been "Chosen of God" having come out from their many caves wherein they have lived - or out from under the control of false or misguided shepherds. These have and are now still coming forth.
We see clearly now they are out from under the control of the "hireling" shepherds, but they are still as sheep without a shepherd. While in gathering I prayed to the Lord and said, "Dear Lord, I see the Holy Spirit in these, I see their giftings working... why do I not perceive your presence?" The Lord replied that His presence will come when things are put in order. This is why He is sending His chosen Apostles and Prophets. The Lord showed me that there was a rampant attempt in these meetings to "exercise the gifts within each; in an attempt to acquire or gain the presence of the Lord." When what is necessary - IS that things come into order that the Lord might be the head and THEN their gifts would manifest in God's intended way and by and through His compassion these would come forth.
The Lord revealed to me quite clearly that these gifted individuals had escaped the rule of false shepherds, but because of the abuse they had endured under them, they were cautious and even fearful to come under anything that resembled "leadership." The Lord is bringing to His house order, structure and leadership, but many, if not most, are not willing to have this because all they have known is the abuse of those SELF-proclaimed leaders of their past. But the Lord's word was that those whom He is calling, those Apostles and Prophets have such a deep heart of compassion and the heart of God that it IS NOT, and WILL NOT be a burdensome thing as we have seen in past abuses. Unless His people come into this structure, the building of HIS TEMPLE through and by His Apostles and Prophets, with Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers... we shall NOT come into the maturity needed to go into the fields which are even now ripened for Harvest. He showed me how, without a shepherd, each one of us have fallen back on the only thing we have known... old forms of Pentecostalism and so forth. He desires and is calling us OUT of that and into the structure that is coming forth through the Apostles and Prophets. Many fear this as another control thing rising up, but it is not so... as God is imparting the wisdom and the structure He wants for His house and it is NOT a thing from which man will build a kingdom for himself. It is coming forth from the true hearts of - Apostles and Prophets who do not have even the heart to proclaim themselves as such - and even "shirk such titles and try to avoid the name tags," but whose hearts are set in anguish and grief at what they see in this present state of God's people; wandering - in each his own way, doing the best they can. It is the heart of these God is raising up, NOT TO CONTROL, but to bring love, forgiveness, tenderness and instruction into the way God wishes for His temple to be built and how, we as HIS living stones, are to be rightly fit together with each other.
The word of the Lord is this: "Drop now your seeking after Me as though you were prophets of Baal, wherein you try harder to achieve My presence even unto the slashing of your own spirits as if to bring Me forth." Rest now, and seek the house I build and the counsel of those I send, for I send to you in this time the Apostles and Prophets I have chosen to build My temple and My house that it may stand strong and with integrity before the world. Rebel not, .. for there is nothing to rebel against... you rebel at the old images of the taskmasters who were over you in the past. You rebel over those who proclaimed authority over you, who wounded you, but I am come to build My temple and My house and not to abuse My sheep, but to bind up their wounds in love and to bring them into their place and position as I have chosen them to work and to reap the fields in this time. I shall NOT be the head of that which has no form. I shall not be the head of that which is NOT a body. Come into that which I am raising up. Come into the revelation of the structure and of the temple as I AM is proclaiming through My Apostles and Prophets, where there is peace and healing and gentle pasture. For it is true that unless you do, you shall remain as a sheep without a shepherd and shall wander in frustration looking for the coming of My presence and it shall not come upon you - until you are come into what I build; for there shall be no head of that which has no structure and I AM THE HEAD. It is not a thing to fear, for My true Apostles and Prophets are servants to My sheep and NOT taskmasters. They bring with them and in them the power I give to them to heal up your many wounds. Fear not the Apostles and Prophets I send, only remove yourselves from those who proclaim ALOUD that they are apostles and prophets, for as they proclaim aloud and have some go before them heralding them as such - THEY ARE NOT - for the proclamation of themselves is not My heart. Whom I have set as apostles and prophets are of a humble heart and spirit and whose hearts cry out for the health of My sheep and these have a burden for the lost. Lay down your excesses and come before My presence and give place to the voice of My chosen ones who are set forth to build My temple and My house. Seek for them, ask of Me where and who they are, and be of an honest heart- not seeking your own glory or trying to recapture glories of the past - and I shall bring you under the covering that is of Me. I am the head, but I am the head of a body that is set in order. I am not come to be Head of a "dismembered" thing. My presence shall fill the Body when it is come into the order that I have set forth and will be established through the revelations I bring forth through My Apostles and Prophets." Be not as scattered sheep, but come now into My fold and take your place in the temple I build and am building."
With all My love, even unto death, gave I myself unto you and for your sake: Jesus Christ
---------------------------------------------------
footnote: These Apostles and Prophets will have the fruits of the Spirit. They will NOT be controlling, abusive or be of a mind to "whip the sheep"... this has been the way of the church, but God is building a living temple where those who are set in this office will be as you have never seen before... with a loving compassionate, tender heart - exemplifying the love and compassion of Christ - that will shine through them to His sheep.
Rev. W. Mark Wattenford
The Fat Farm
Just recently God caused me to remember a day many years ago when I was in boot camp in the Marine Corp. It had an impact on me then in a mighty way, yet a very spiritual context for today. I will begin by explaining The Fat Farm and what it was then by my memory. If I don't remember all of it I'm sorry, but I believe that the things that we experience in our lives have a spiritual impact on our Christian life later. It's part of the hidden training that we see as torture in our normal everyday lives, yet they are lessons untold by many.
The Fat Farm:
The Church:
The Second Chance:
Graduation:
Shalom!
God bless America
Larry Meyers
Every where you look these days, you see and hear the phrase, "God bless America". What do people think that means? Are the blessings of God random? Are they conditional? We see the fruits of media induced patriotism. Blind support by the emotionally willing. None of this is based on truth. None of this is based on knowledge. The hottest selling film to date, is a movie that intices our children to covet the fruits and glory of witchcraft. In the long lines, as they wait to pervert their hearts and minds, we hear, "God bless America." God hears your lips, but He sees just where your hearts are by your actions. (Far from Him) One of the voices that the media picked up on, after the Sept. 11 tragedy, was a woman who asked, "Where is God?" Most of America was asking the same question. God is right where you left Him. Just because you attend a building on Sunday, does not mean anything. Some blame God for the tragedy. Even those who lead have attributed this event to the hand of God. Beloved, know this. Death is, was, and always will be the enemy of God. If you go by the name of Christian, (Church goer is another name) stand on the highest hill and proclaim the truth. Do the work of the ministry. To open their eyes. To turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to the power of God. The time of pretend ministries is long past. The very real God is calling out His very real Christians. The fields are truely white. The blind are leading the blind. The blessing of our Lord follows they who follow Him, who seek Him, who know Him. If you will stand tall. If you will speak truth. If you will warn and offer help to the lost. If you set your face like a flint to walk in only His will. If you will be fearless in front of those who can only kill the body. If you will help restore the spirit of repentance throughout the land. Then you, my brothers and sisters will glory with me in tribulation. We will be blessed with the fellowship of His sufferings. The wonderful blessings of God.
May our God richly bless you all
The Ache of Stagnation
Undrai and Bridget Fizer
To the people of God..
The worst tragedy in life, apart from not ever knowing God, is to live comfortably without ever catching hold of why you were born. To exist with the "ache of stagnation" (knowing that there is more for you in destiny, but choosing to live apart from it, because of fear and unbelief). Living in the torment of fear and faithlessness to reach for the higher purpose in Him.
What does it feel like? To live and grow older, and yet, not live out the reason God laid His Hands on you and spoke into your very life? What does it feel like? To grow more and more comfortable in living a "form of godliness," but denying the power of full maturity?
That is one of the worst tragedies in life. To live "with an ache" and never bring healing to the pain. The "ache" is the knowing of a path that God has spoken into the depths of your life, and watching the years go by, without ever receiving the joy of living in it's reality. The Word of God is preached to bring healing, not just the physical, but to spiritual existences living apart from the Life of God. Purpose and Destiny.
The "aches" of inexperienced revelations (truths that are lodged in mind, but not lived out in spirit or life), will cause torments to life. God is calling us into realms of living out the words He has spoken into the souls of our lives. How long can we exist and feel comfortable in knowing that "we are rejecting the More?"
There are many people who are existing, "tolerating life" in the detours of Kingdom opportunity (they have taken another turn). What does it feel like to live without growing in faith? Without maturing into a deeper level of commitment and sonship? What does it feel like to "live without leaving a legacy of something fought for?
I believe that was the prayer that Paul prayed, that all of the believers "know this love that surpasses knowledge, and that they be filled to the measure of the fullness of God," Eph3:19. The sad part is that there are people who "despise their measure," have no desire to apprehend, or who have given their ability to comprehend the Father, to another's opinion or experience.
The relics of religion or "dead works" has the smell of stagnation. It's painful to watch lives lived without ever experiencing the anointing of the "Full Measure." It's even sadder to watch others "turn away" from the Fragrance of the Freshness of the Lord, and live afterwards, rather comfortably (but with an "ache"). You cannot get that close and not forget what it was like. You just can't.
This is also a tragedy, to continue on with the "scent of His presence," but not consumed in His Fire. To live with the "ache of stagnation," but having the smell of what could have been. The good news is that it's not late to cry out to the Father, " I need your Help, God!" (Please do not pray with "reserves". This cry must be fervent and with conviction of a belief in His Word. FAITH!)
You do not have to live with the subtle ache of "stagnation" (the uncomfortable feeling of "I need to be doing something else with my life," but I will tolerate or accept "this"). You can be free by doing the opposite of the "ache." Believe the opposite. Know in yourself that there will be warfare for believing God. Know and have confidence in the Word of His Promise. You cannot feel the power of the Word until you live out the reality of the word. You cannot "imagine" obedience. You must "do" something!
You do not have to live with an "ache of being stuck" in the mud of unbelief. You alone have the power to change the foundation of what you are "standing" in. You must believe.
Do not become a statistic of the perils of unbelief.
www.exploringthevision.org
Intimacy
Sharon Fernandez
I am calling you my church into a depth of intimacy that will cost you. It will not cost you something -- it will cost you everthing. Are you willing to risk everthing for me? say's The Lord. Not for what I can do or what I can bless you with but for myself. For I am that I am.
Intimacy comes with a price a high price beloved. Do you want it at the cost of you life? How precious is your life and lifestyle in comparison to intimacy with me? For I am your source, I am your strength, I am your power, I am your healing and I am your provision say's The Lord. All you will ever need is found in me. In me you will find all you need for I am your source.
For years my church has prayed, "Lord visit us, come down in our midst. This where we are going, come with us Lord." But I am telling you my church I want you to come up where I am. For I am high and lifted up and my train fills the temple. You want me to fill you to overflowing until my presence flows out to lives and nations as my train in the temple. Then you must come up to where I am.
Do you desire to go higher, there is no higher place than the secret place, the Holy of Holies. Many worship me but few enter the Holy place for the cost is high. It will cot you your life, your family, your ministry all you have. All that you are must die in order to come up higher. I am removing the weights that so easily beset you. There must be no rival in your heart -- it belongs to me and me alone say's The Lord.
But many hearts are not yeilded to me. You cannot have my presence unless you are willing to loose your own. For I am that I am. I am brining you my church to the place where I am your number one priority. All the issues of life must flow out from your intimacy with me. Your ministry must be an overflow of your ministry of worship and adoration for who I am. I will give you all you need if you will seek me my church for who I am. I must be your only desire.
Beloved if you think there is anything greater than intimacy with me then you never had it to begin with. I fully satisfy and fill the hungry soul to long after me, to seek for me in this world where nothing can satisfy. When you eat at my table you will never be satisfied anywhere else say's The Lord. I am calling you my church to count everything loss to come up higher, to come up where I am. What I am doing in your hearts my people will enable you to do just this , for I see your hearts. I am and I will be Lord of your hearts. I will captivate your hearts beloved intimately in the Holy place. I am calling you. Will you come to where I am. This is my desire and my heart say's The Lord.
fernandez@winnet.com.au
Shout to the Lord
Denise Lagrimas
Shout to the Lord all you earth!!
Worship your King for your time has come. All the Earth will look upon the majesty of God and see the wonders of His glory and majesty manifested so that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess Jesus Christ is Lord. It is time for you to Arise and Dance upon this land...Lift up your voice to the heavens, Worship before your Lord and Savior for on this earth has come a new thing, a new revelation for some, a true revelation for others... that
It's not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord....
Worship Me! Worship Me I say for it is your worship that comes before me and releases blessings upon this earth. If all the earth would worship me I would not keep my presence from among you one more day but Alas Oh earth some of you have turned and your hearts are hardened with your own desires, but I will again bring revelation that you also stubborn ones will gaze upon your creator and see that He is worthy to be praised. I am preparing at this hour to bring a mighty move upon the earth mightier than has been seen so far. Renewal was but a vapor of my intentions for this people. I will bring you to a place of change one that will change your heart and cause you to rise to your call. To the nations I have said "I have placed this day before you the choice of life or death choose this day whom you will serve for it is time for you to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and dance upon injustice."
Dance and Sing! Let your worship be like a violent tempest that will cause all who hear and see to be swept in by the awesome power of love. It is your true love for me that is evident in the things you say and do. I have told you the power of life and death are in the tongue, spare not your worship and in so doing you will produce life as your words go forth from your lips and produce life.
Let not your heart be troubled in the days ahead for it is necessary to bring about my plans for you remember my plans for you are good and not evil, filled with hope so do not lose your peace. Prepare yourself for the King is coming and when He comes a mighty shaking will come before His presence and all those things that can be shaken will be shaken but those who have placed their feet in the rock will stand and see the Glory of the King.
To the ruling cities of power upon this earth I say prepare yourself for you will see me coming with mighty power in my hand and I will know if you are for me or against me as you are consumed with my refiners fire. You will come forth as pure gold and all will see your love for me or you will be consumed by your own greed and many will watch your fall.
Oh that you would turn back to me and worship your King all the earth! Oh that you would again see me as Lord over all. I have placed those in power that would do my bidding and you must worship the "one who sent" them and not "the one sent."
See the hand of the Lord as it moves upon this earth. I will sweep you into my bosom and hold you as one who is dearly loved I will cause you to shine if you would just worship me in Spirit and in Truth.. The dark days ahead are coming and only truth will prevail... look into your heart oh lovely one and see if you will be found in truth... I would that you be found in truth that you may live.. Let your light so shine as to produce a melody of praise to me. Arise and Dance!! Sing the song of victory for the hour has come for you oh lands of the earth.
Beloved after I received this I wept as one who sees differently..The days are coming and now is when we must be found by Him in worship......Let us worship with a heart of love and truth for He is worthy of our praise and adoration.
Be encouraged
A Call To Intimacy And Worship
June Anne Garber
My children, come and rejoice in your worship and praise. Let your hearts spring forth in adoration, for you bring much pleasure to Me. The beautiful breaking of the invisible barrier or canopy over you is taking place; it is the shattering of the barrier of unbelief within yourselves. The crash is a delightful sound, beautiful in the demolition thereof. It results in shattered pieces falling to the ground about your feet.
You have come into My fulness and divine presence, in which you have reassurance of My love for you. This is the place of joy. This is the place of peace and rest. This is the place of complete trust in Me.
You have known of Me and My provision and have tasted and seen that I am good, but you have only tasted. And I say, "Be filled." You have only sampled My goodness and yet there is abundance of My goodness and My righteousness for all of you who seek it. Continue to seek, continue to draw near, for I am more than what you expect. I am more than what you experience, more than enough, more than eternity can bring.....for in My hand I hold eternity.
Resist not and hold not back from the Lord of Hosts. Give all that you are and all that you will be in Me. For now, I say, draw ever so close that you remain at My side, My right side. For you are in My Son and He remains here by My right side, yet lives in your heart. So, come closer, closer, closer still, and experience My love and rest. Come, the way is right here, right now, right before you. I will not withhold any good thing from you as you walk in My righteousness.
garber@fyi.net
Keep Your Eyes On Me
Yolanda Ballard
Most likely every child of God has been given a holy mandate in which to follow, but how many really respond to the call to give their lives completely to worship the Lord wholeheartedly? For this is the time and the hour where I will pour out My power upon My people, but you must be ready. You must have a heart that is receptive and able to carry My glory. For if you are not ready, for if you have not been purged through the fire, the devastation and the molestation that surrounds you will overtake you, and you will die. This is not a physical death, but one of the spirit. For your spirit man must strive to surrender all to the calling at all times to remain strong in spite of all that you will see around you. For many will have their love wax cold, and will live many a downfall in the spirit.
You must keep your eyes on Me and the vision I have given you. Waver not to the left or to the right, but look straight ahead in the direction I am taking you. For yes, I direct your foot steps for you are My righteous ones. I see your heart of desperation. And I see your strength wanning in the natural. For yes, I will lift you up and pour out My great grace and My joy and peace upon you. Do not grow weary in well doing or give up on believing in My faithfulness. For yes, I take you through the fire to purify your character...to make you into the person I called you to be...a warrior. For a soldier does not involve himself with the affairs of this life but looks only to the battle and for its preparation and affairs.
So I tell you this day that when you see wars and rumors of wars....when you see the devastation and molestation surround you, look up for your redemption is drawing near. I am coming back to meet My bride, My true faithful servants, who have given their lives for the cause of My kingdom alone. For I love you. I said I would never leave you or forsake you. No matter what you see or feel, know that I am for you and that I will deliver you and honor you and give you a full life, says your Lord.
RainNglory@msn.com
November 29, 2001
(Be not as Sheep Without a Shepherd)
ilbcnugod@hotmail.com 
Dr. Cliff Long
The fat farm was a place that overweight and undernourished men went. They couldn't keep up with the usual boot camp daily routine. They were simply taken out of traing in boot camp to go through extensive training in another way. They weren't physically fit to accomplish the task, yet they had a lot of weight on them because they lacked discipline in their lives for some reason or another. Their training was cruel and harsh, forcing them to diet and exercise in a dramatic way. If they didn't lose the weight and were still sluggish by the end of boot camp, they didn't graduate with the class. Then they had to go through the training again and again until they had lost enough weight and could support their bodies physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. They had to become people who respected themselves enough to shake off the bad habits they had given in to for so many years. A few graduated with the normal 3 month basic training class. Others went through the horrible, yet much needed exercises due to lack of discipline.
Many have come to the place where they have no discipline to make the first cut. Some are going through extensive training, yet they won't discipline themselves to catch up with those who have. When the Lord showed me the parallel, I began to understand why we have so many people (not excluding myself) who aren't making an impact for Christ the way they should. We've gotten fat on the word of God. We've been blessed with finances and treasures. Many have let it blind their judgment. Mammon misaligns discernment. Laziness misaligns discernment.
God has blessed many with the second chance. It's called The Fat Farm. This is not the pig pen. The pig pen is wallowing in your defeated attitude and listening to the lies of the devil. The Fat Farm is where God hand picks you because you have been an obese Christian living off the good of the gospel watching everyone else do the work. Just lazy with no discipline. You don't pray, study, give, or help out in active ministry. A mere pew sitter. Most people deny that they have this problem, so God puts them into The Fat Farm where He can discipline and train them. Some who have been put in The Fat Farm think God is cruel, or they are being pointed out by the church. They become more bitter because they don't believe that God would do such a thing. It's humiliating and degrading. GOOD! Without humility we can't serve God in holiness and peace of mind. I have been in The Fat Farm. It's very unpleasant and hard, but if you submit and look to see why God is doing what He is doing then you would become happy that He loves you enough to walk you through the most difficult stages of disciplining you to be a slim, powerful, and open servant in His army.
Not everybody graduates I'm sorry to say. Some have to repeat the process until they are fashioned like a diamond. The ones that graduate aren't always immediately grateful either. They are anxious to get out of the fire, but not totally ready to submit. A very dangerous place indeed. If you persist to go forward, and God brings you out of the novice stages, later you will thank Him for what you had to go through. I think the deepest revelation a man or woman of God could ever come to (and the most powerful) is not blaming God or anyone else for your mistakes, just yourself, and accepting it humbly being able to thank the Lord for the lesson you learned. Sometimes (and most of the time) it takes years to accomplish. One of the problems with not graduating with the class is jealousy. It runs rampant in the church. Taking shortcuts to look spiritual so people won't think you are immature. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher. It is vain to try to pretend that you are fit when others can see you better than you think. Only a disciplined life in Christ will make an impact on this world we live in. Someone who is out of shape in the things of the spirit doesn't know the real meaning of love. You cannot love others if you cannot love Christ enough to discipline yourself. 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 give us the account of God's love. It sometimes seems impossible to have a love so deep and undemanding of others, but with God ALL things are possible. So if you have been in The Fat Farm, it's for your good. God is trying to get you to discipline yourself before He has to intervene with drastic measures. The worst thing that could happen is getting kicked out of God's service because you didn't take the chastening of the Lord and apply it. Read the Old Testament about Saul, and how God drew the line on him because he wouldn't discipline himself to wait for the timing of the Lord. He wouldn't destroy all of the evil around him that would eventually take him completely out of the service of the Lord. It took his heart away from God. At one time, Saul looked very spiritual. He prophesied and was overtaken by the spirit once and everyone thought he was a prophet too at one stage of his kingship. The problem was, he was superficial on the inside and he was lacking in hearing the voice of God for himself. It eventually drove him crazy until he killed himself. This was only one tragic event of many who were called by God and didn't make the cut. God gave Saul another heart and a second chance. The sad part is he didn't capitalize on it and discipline himself. Let God do what He wants to do with you. Be joyful. Not that things seem to be so bad right now, but that God has chosen you to be trained in such of a way that you will be fit and true in the days ahead. God bless you!
------------------------------
Dr. Cliff Long
Moderator cityablazelist
cityablaze@yahoo.com
In Christ
Bro Larry
sage@the-onramp.net
DominionTODAY@aol.com
Denise LagrimasAnd they overcame by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony
and they loved not their lives even to death. Rev. 12:11
http://homestead.juno.com/chosen91/
chosen91@juno.comFive-Fold Today Archives
The Lord has given us the grace to reconcile the children to their Fathers
As One Body
Issue Oriented Discussion Newsletter
Index | Search This Site | Aristide.Org | The Latter Rain | Babylon the Great | The Kingdom | The Nicolaitans | Jezebel
The Baptism With the Holy Ghost | The Grand Delusion | World Trade Org | Liberation Theology | Jay Atkinson | Alphabetical Index