The Seed In Every Man and Hollyhocks

Bob's Hollyhocks return every year at this corner of our house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I drove home today I noticed the Hollyhocks …..They seem to have taken up residence in every yard on Beverly Road…….their tall heads sticking out of hedges and up next to houses, even visible from backyards, just wherever that wild seed landed. A beautiful profusion of pinks, whites and burgundies. Ahhhh! Most who live here have no idea where the seed came from.

The first year I noticed the beautiful stalks along my neighbor’s fence was 1974. Our two neighbors were the first to take up residence on Beverly Road. The oldest resident, Pate Phillips built his house in the 30s and Bob’s family came a few years later. Pate liked to lean over the fence and share his life philosophy with me. He believed all roads led to God. and I believed (still do)……Jesus is the only way to the Father………. So back to my musings……..

On the other side, Bob Powley grew a beautiful vegetable garden, with a penchant for one flower, the Hollyhock. The Hollyhocks bordered his fences amassing into other areas each spring. I remember how I loved to walk out on my balcony any time of the day and view their fleeting beauty….

Bob and I often discussed our Lord, he from his staunch Southern Baptist view and me from my ever changing experiences which included my Nazarene beliefs all the way to the Kingdom Now message. Always a lively over the fence conversation…….lol

One summer day I was working in my yard and noticed Bob was cutting down his Hollyhock stalks. I yelled over, the Hollyhocks were sure beautiful this year. He walked over and handed me one of the dried stalks and said; here, now you can grow your own. He turned and as if to show me what to do, whipped the stalks he was holding into the air and said, now everyone will have some. We both laughed at the thought.

Pate died in the 80s and in the 90s, Bob met and married a lovely lady which took him to the state of Washington. With pleasant memories I think of them both, knowing we will meet again.

Today, when I noticed the Hollyhocks showing up all over the street, I felt a whisper from the Lord. Look honey, look what one mans seed planting did. A peace flooded me as I realized again the wind (holy spirit) blows wherever it wants to go…taking seed with it. The seed when buried in the earth goes through a most amazing change .....the outside covering rots away and falls off allowing the life inside to break free. It just naturally heads to the sunshine..……Bob understood about seed and so do I…

John 12
24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Mark 4
26And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

And so it is, as in Adam all died……..So in Christ shall ALL be made ALIVE!!!!

God Bless,
Joian

IS YOUR LIGHT SHINING

.
.




.

UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY

.
"He worketh all things"—absolutely all things, without any exceptions—"after the counsel of his own will." Eph. 1:11

What do the Institutional Church, the New Agers and even a number of wayward ministries espousing Universal Reconciliation have in comon They all are built on a foundational belief in "man's free will." The belief in "free will" finds it origin in the carnal and rebellious soul of man. Simply said, the vain soul ever cries "I will." The doctrine of "free will" attempts to justify that wayward cry.

Think about it sweet sons of God as you read this simple treatise by A P Adams. Also keep in mind how God always deals in simplicity ....... even a child should understand and be able to take comfort in God's word.

Universal Sovereignty
Take still another illustration from the New Testament. The crucifixion of Christ is always looked upon as the most awful crime that ever was committed, and the perpetrators of it are considered as deserving the most severe retribution; and yet they simply did what God's hand and counsel determined before to be done. Acts 4:28. And Peter tells us that Christ "was delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God." Acts 2:23. Thus we see how even this stupendous crime was of God, and since we know that He worketh all things after the counsel of His own will (Eph. 1:11), we can readily understand from the illustrations cited how true it is that "all things are of God." Thus is God's universal sovereignty fully established by the plain teachings of the word. "He doeth according to His will, in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?" Dan. 4:35. See also Isa. 40, the whole chapter, and Rev. 17:17.

To the child of God this truth is most precious and reassuring. It teaches us how absolutely safe we are while we "abide under the shadow of the Almighty." His power extends not simply to the smallest affairs like the hairs of our heads and the birds of the air, but also to greater things--individuals, communities, states, nations, and world--and no creature moves but by His appointment or permission. "All things are of God"; therefore I can understand how all things work together for good to them that love God, and how also all things shall yet turn for good to man, since God loves him. God uses the forces of the world, whether human or otherwise, just as one would move the pieces on a chess-board. They are so many instruments--tools--in His hands. "Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if a rod should shake itself against them that lift up, or as if the staff should lift up itself as if it were no wood." Isa. 10:15

"He worketh all things"—absolutely all things, without any exceptions—"after the counsel of his own will." (Eph. 1:11).

Sweet reader does not this scripture speak to there being only "ONE WILL"

Jack

.

NEDA

.
Neda

You happen upon the video of this beautiful 27 year old Iranian student shot in the heart. She falls and as others offer assistance Neda's mind scrambles in terror to make sense of what has happened to her. To see into Neda's eyes, as she passes from this world to the next can only but evoke prayer. A prayer that knows no bounds of time that reaches back a few days and relieves some of the horror and fear that precious young woman felt as she left this earth. No, I didn't pray for the parents. I prayed for Neda at the moment of her passing and I know it made a difference.

Thank God we can do such. There are as many kinds of prayer as there are needs in this world. And after prayer still we yet groan, "How Long O Lord .......... how long"
.

Surely, soon all our tears will be wiped away.
.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neda_(Iranian_protester)


.

HELL ..... Where's the Respect !!

.

USE ANYTHING, BUT LEAVE MY HELLFIRE DOCTRINE ALONE !!

http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/playback/playback-54/1327300



and we wonder why the world scoffs



.

THE FORTY GOOD SOLDIERS OF SEBASTE

.
I have long loved this wonderful testimony of heroic zeal towards God. I speak of the legendary "forty good soldiers of Sebaste." Whenever I read this old story (below) my eyes fill with tears as I envision these forty beautiful souls demonstrating so gloriously their jealousy and love of Christ. If you listen close you can still hear the echo of their song played out from the lives of today's sons. This is the account of the "forty good soldiers of Sebaste."
.
.
THE FORTY MARTYRS OF SEBASTE
"Forty great soldiers from Cappadocia in Rome’s vaunted twelfth legion shared Paul’s jealousy for God some two hundred fifty years after his death. Licinius was reigning over the eastern portion of the empire but was sensing an increasing military threat from the west. He became more and more repressive in his policies, particularly toward Christians. To solidify his strength, he called on his armies to demonstrate their support by offering a sacrifice to the pagan gods.

Most of the legion stationed at Sebaste, a city south of the Black Sea, dutifully complied, but the forty Cappadocians, all Christians, respectfully declined. For more than a week they were placed under guard, where they sang and prayed together continually. Their captain pleaded with them: "Of all the soldiers who serve the emperor, none are more loved by us and more needed right now. Do not turn our love into hatred. It lies in you whether to be loved or hated. If it rests with us, they replied, we have made our choice. We shall devote our love to our God.

It was sundown when they were stripped and escorted shivering to the middle of a frozen lake with guards stationed along the shore. A heated Roman bathhouse stood ready at the shore for any of them who were prepared to renounce their faith in Christ and offer a pagan sacrifice. Their jailer stood by with arms folded, watching, as a bitter winter wind whipped across the ice. But through the whistling wind the soldiers could be heard singing:

Forty good soldiers for Christ!
We shall not depart from You as long as You give us life.
We shall call upon Your Name whom all creation praises:
Fire and hail, snow and wind and storm.
On You we have hoped and we were not ashamed!

As midnight approached, their song grew more feeble. Then a strange thing happened. One of the forty staggered toward shore, fell to his knees and began crawling toward the bathhouse. Thirty-nine good soldiers for Christ! came the weakening, trembling song from the distance. The jailer watched the man enter the bathhouse and emerge quickly, apparently overcome by the heat, then collapse on the ground and expire. The other guards could not believe what they saw next. The jailer wrenched off his armor and coat, dashed to the edge of the lake, lifted his right hand and cried, Forty good soldiers for Christ! then disappeared over the ice into the darkness.

All forty were dead by the next day, but it was the jailer who caught the captain’s notice as their bodies were being carted away. What is he doing there? he demanded. One of the guards replied, We cannot understand it, Captain. Ever since those Christians came under his care, we noticed something different about him. The martyrs of Sebaste were jealous for the name of their God, and it had a profound impact on that jailer who looked on."
Richard Strauss

Lord help us to know it is not about numbers. It is not about crowds. It's the remnant of each age that is called to divvy up what others count dear. It's only a handful out of each generation that gives all, to gain Your All. There is no more than one to a city and of a family two. We honor what You have done in these most precious of sons and saints.

Out of the age a remnant
Out of each generation a handful
Out of Rome's twelfth legion there were forty
Out of a city one and of a family two


In His Sweet Lord Jesus,

Jack/John


.

PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD by Ellie

.
Prepare the way of the Lord....what does that mean?

See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.(Malachi 3:1)

This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' "(Matthew 3:3)

For all the talk of THE MANY....and by the many I am referring to those who love to talk of their knowledge and understanding of the Elijah/John company, who will usher in the restoration of all things before the coming of the Lord.....I have found that these ‘many’ actually have no clue nor understanding as to what the REAL Elijah/John company looks like or sounds like.....they have no clue, as to what “PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD” means.

What does ‘prepare the way of the Lord’ mean? Well, let me ask another question ....who is THE WAY?

Where is THIS WAY to be found?

What direction would this messenger that is THE LORD’S MESSENGER be pointing to? Would the direction be towards the external....to the world and worldly events....to the timing of current events and biblical prophecy.....OR would the direction that the Lord’s messenger be pointing to, be INTERNAL....to the KINGDOM WITHIN?

This is a new season that the Lord has brought HIS FEW into and that is of preparing THE WAY.... and this preparation is of a Heavenly nature.... it is not looking at the world or discussing the things of the world....but this is very much a HIDDEN preparation.....a time where the HOLY CHAMBERLAIN is beckoning all HIS ESTHER’S to come into the bride chamber and receive her beauty treatments. These beauty treatments are so that she will be without spot and wrinkle.... so that she will be undefiled....free from the pollution of this world and its system.
These precious anointing oils that the Bride is being bathed in right now consist of
truth, nobility, righteousness, purity, loveliness, admirability, excellence and praiseworthiness.
How do I know the quality of these Heavenly essential OILS? They are revealed to us in the book of Phillipians...”Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Phil. 4:8). These oils are the fragrance of our beloved Lord. “Like the fragrance of thy precious oils, Oil poured out, is thy name, For this cause, virgins love thee.” (Song of Songs 1:3). He is the OIL.


I am grieved by ministers that mix the earthly with the heavenly. I am grieved by ministers that gaze and focus on those things that are below AND those things that are above thus creating BLURRY VISION for the body of Christ. One cannot gaze at BOTH at the same time.... The focus, the PURE FOCUS can only be when we are LOOKING UP....when we are gazing at those things above. Many of these ministers have been given various gifts and talents that have been used in the lives of the precious BRIDE COMPANY.....and unfortunately many of the Lord’s precious flock have decided to camp out and stay put with these under-shepherds instead of understanding that the season has changed and the cloud is moving.....and so the Lord has allowed the test to come....to distinguish who are the wise virgins and who are the foolish ones. For the test is this.....there comes a time in the virgin’s life where she has to make a decision.....and this is to either camp out with those that have been a blessing to her and have taught her many things in her sojourn up Mt. Zion or to break camp and MOVE WITH THE CLOUD......this test will come to all those that travel on to KNOW THE LORD.

This test will also come to the under-shepherds as well. I have been a witness as to the test that the Lord has sent to one particular under-shepherd. This minister has been given a glorious understanding of the divine law and the restoration of all things. It has been eye-opening to me to watch the test of the Lord unfold and be administered to this under-shepherd, for this is someone that I have been richly blessed by. I honor the time that this minister has put into the study of the scriptures. I honor the Lord within this minister’s life. The Lord loves this son too....and wants to provoke him to stop looking and talking of those things below but to LOOK UP and be watchful for thy redemption is drawing near. What I have found so very interesting is that this same individual and many others that eat from the same table love to talk about the Elijah/John company. They love to talk of this company that will be used to bring about the restoration of all things before the great day of the Lord and YET when the Lord’s CHARIOT OF FIRE showed up to bring forth the REVEALING, that YES!, indeed the DAY HAS COME....the day of the INWARD PREPARATION....those of the many did not have eyes to see.....but those of the few did.

This was a profound test....and all of Heaven was a witness to it. It was a very sobering day. My heart ached as I listened to false humility and a lack of discernment by THE MANY and especially by this beloved minister. Once again I witnessed that the prophets OF THE LORD are still stoned today....with words....and the words usually consist of these.....’stop the criticism of an elder’.....’pull out the splinter in your eye before you pull out the plank in another’s’......’we must stay in unity’.....’strife is not of the Lord’.....etc.

All of these arguments SOUND GOOD....but are not OF the truth....the Spirit of Truth will never compromise. The message of ELIJAH is this.....”PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD”.....prepare INWARD.....prepare by waiting on Him.....by listening to Him.....by obeying Him.....by looking for Him.....by being still.....by enjoying Him ....by communing with Him....by embracing His cross......by YIELDING TO HIS WORKMANSHIP.

It is by this preparation, this inward preparation that THE THE LORD WILL COME TO HIS TEMPLE....that He will have a temple that is ready....that is CLEAN.....for no unclean thing will enter the Kingdom.....and His fullness will be given.....this is the promised land.....the glorified body.....the true heavenly garment.....the WEDDING GOWN FROM ABOVE.

The Lord wants HIS BODY/HIS BRIDE to be prepared.....and He has His ministers, His HOLY CHAMBERLAINS that minister to only Him that He will send to those virgin’s that are still camping out.... these chamberlains are those that know the Kings’s likes and dislikes....they know His tastes. Some of these virgin’s are still camping out at Passover....others are camping out at Pentecost....then there are those that have heard the feast of trumpets, but are still camping out at BETHEL. Bethel is the place/house that has become VERY COMFORTABLE for them.....for this is the place where usually their beloved earthly teacher is residing....and this is the place where they have learned many deep and profound kingdom truths....but just as Abraham they too must LEAVE THEIR FATHER’S HOUSEHOLD and go to a place I will show you.....a place of the UNKNOWN.....the feast of Tabernacles.

The journey of the Feast of Tabernacles begins at Jordan....the place of descending....this is the place of dying to all that you have known to come into all that you have not known. This is the INWARD JOURNEY. This is the place that David knew of.... "David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.” (2Sam. 5:8-9)

David is our pattern for today....of showing us how to get INTO the city of David....by traveling/descending into the gutters....these gutters were the underground water conduit’s that flowed beneath Jerusalem....as the men of David went into the pipes/tunnels of the water spouts their journey ended right in the center of Jerusalem....for they were able to capture the CITY OF ZION from within. HalleluYah!

This is our same pattern for victory today. Our Lord is our forerunner and has shown us the way....by dying to self and embracing our cross. We must continue this journey back upstream by leaving this world and all that it contains to possess our inheritance. Our inheritance is UNION. To be one with our Father, our Lord, our Spirit. We are His inheritance and He is ours.

Let us set our faces as flint for this glorious journey. Let us not be distracted by the noise of the world, the events of the world, for we have a wedding to attend. Let us be READY for our wedding! It is the time of the PREPARATION....the anointing of the Holy OIL....the storing up of the oil is WITHIN....the bathing of the oil in spirit, soul, and body.

Blessed is He who comes in the NAME OF THE LORD!

All His love to you my precious Sonshine family,
ellie


.