My heart’s desire is to see the body of Christ functioning in unity! David writes of a promise of the Lord about this in Psalm, “For from this realm of sweet harmony, God will release His eternal blessing, the promise of life forever!” (133: 3 TPT). Below is an excerpt from my upcoming book, Permission to Burn, describing how we have witnessed this unity manifest firsthand, out of worshipping the Lord!

Over the past few years, God has given me the privilege of traveling and holding 24-hour continuous worship and prayer events with ministry leaders, worshipers, prayer warriors, musicians, and singers from different ministries and backgrounds. He’s given me the opportunity to gather together those who love Him for 24 hours of fellowship in His presence. Through these meetings, we have received such powerful revelations of His desire to obliterate hindrances like denominations, theologies, and religious formulas. During these meetings, the hearts of the people have been knit together so strongly by the power of being in His presence that we use the word family when we talk about it with one another. Just 24 hours of being with our Father together, with no agenda, causes the walls of division to come tumbling down.

Where there is misunderstanding, the Lord brings understanding by the power of His Spirit. This revelation is awakening in the hearts of His people, enabling them to lay down their differences and enter into a place of worship and prayer that brings unity. This unity has absolutely nothing to do with tolerating one another. Instead, it is about allowing the presence of God to awaken love in our hearts for one another like we’ve never experienced before. In His presence, repentance and reconciliation become more real than the air we breathe. This is not fake tolerance or lukewarm political handshaking that appears to be unity but is not. This is real!

In His presence, we find fullness of joy and unconditional love. In His presence, we can reestablish the foundation work that King David set into place when he established a tent of meeting for the nation to encounter the presence of God (see 1 Chron. 15:1–29). King David established day-and-night prayer and worship as the foundation of a place of meeting. In God’s presence, we find freedom, deliverance, and true awakening (see 2 Cor. 3:17).

When we allow God to move through us however He desires, competition ceases. This is why we must learn to minister to God before we minister to people. Corporate worship and corporate prayer, guided by His Spirit, build a movement that hell can’t stop. In this place, we find the freedom to burn together for Him. Making prayer and worship the foundation allows us to love each other with the love of God in a way that cannot be accomplished by mere human wisdom or mental understanding of the Scriptures. This is why He gave us His Spirit—to awaken us to His heart. “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zech. 4:6 NIV).

I would love to hear your stories of how you’ve experienced unity in the body of Christ! Comment below!

I believe several in the body of Christ are currently going through a purification process, burning the compromise out of our lifestyles. However, purification requires fire, and this fire offends.

Many years ago, I recall the time I went through a similar experience. Below is an excerpt from my upcoming book, Permission to Burn, describing some of that process! May this meet you where you are and minister to you; drawing you closer to the One called Love—Jesus Christ!

I look back now and see how I was being sharpened and pressed deeper into His heart. I would learn how to pray through deep anguish and to love even when it hurt! I believe that everyone goes through these seasons in their walk with the Lord. I was zealous for the Lord and even when I thought I was failing, the deep inner craving for more of Him continued to grow. I found my entire identity, purpose and destiny in Him, but little did I know that the holy fire I lived in would offend some of the believers I looked to as mentors.

Jesus didn’t come into the world to offend, but offense came. He was actually called the “Rock of Offense” (Isa. 28:16; Rom. 9:30-33). The offended persons, most often religious leaders, justified their behavior because they hated the light and burning that came with the message and person of Jesus. The Light of the World was a flame of pure fire which exposed their double standard and compromised lifestyles.

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (John 3:17-20)

Often times in the times of pressing and walking through the fire purification we wrestle through offensive thoughts. These thoughts can either lead to repentance, freedom and greater maturity or to fault finding, offense, and judgement. Pause! What’s going on in your heart?

Pray: Jesus grace me to forgive and not harbor resentment, pain and judgement. Fill me with fiery passion for you and those who hurt me because of my fire for you!

Ahhhh! That feels better! Let Holy Spirit do the work!

This is just the beautiful process that shines the glorious light into the darkness of our hearts and the hearts of others around us, as mentioned in the passage above. This fire burns away carnality and leads us into a lifestyle of burning!

The truth is that when we embrace the fire and run to it and not away from it, we will love this lifestyle of purity and holiness even when it hurts! We are never alone!

Beloved, the Fiery One shines so brightly through you when you go deeper into this truth and those who love the darkness can’t help but respond with offense. But know that they see Him and you are being the light in their lives! Do it with His love. Take heart, my friend! If you are experiencing the fire that you have cried out for, you are being formed into His image! You are looking more like your Heavenly Father every day! Be quick to forgive and know they just haven’t embraced the fire yet!

I’m praying for you!

Keep Burning!

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Over the past few weeks I have been hearing the longing of the heart of  Bridegroom Jesus calling to His beloved Bride to be “made ready”(Revelation 19:7). He is longing for her to come back to a place of “first love”  passion  for Him above all else! (Rev. 2:4)

In a time of prayer on August 12th, 2015 I began to experience the awakening and passionate voice of the Lord Jesus speak the words written below.

And He said to me “Write the message my beloved and release this longing of Mine! Make ready my Bride; call her to AWAKEN to me in this hour”

This message is an out-cry to the church and to those whom He is raising up to be end time voices in this hour!

Who Has Bewitched You?

I hear Him saying:

“I am the rewarder of those who diligently seek me (Heb. 11:6)! Return to me ( Joel 2:12) and seek Me with all of your heart and you will find me.

They say their churches are for the seekers but I say that they are houses of lukewarmness-a mixture of hot and cold.  The hot gets put out and the cold just barely warmed.  The fire of the longing ones is doused.  Lamps “without oil” are sold to the cold hearted.( See Matthew 25)   I will spew them out of my mouth in the time of judgement (Rev. 3:16). They are “white washed tombs with dead man’s bones inside”( Matt. 23:27). They are seeking but finding something other than Me. I will not share my glory with another says the Lord.

Oh were are the real seekers?

Where are love-sick-longing ones?

Oh were have you gone?

Oh How I long to gather you like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings” (Matthew 2:37)

Why did you go away on your own way?

Why do you reject my messengers?

Why do you look in all other places?

Who has bewitched you My Beloved? Have you not heard?  Have you not seen? Do you not know?

You are my beloved and I long for you!

I AM  here!

I AM in secret in the secret place (Psalm 91)!

COME!  I AM calling! COME!

Return to the deeds you did at first (Rev. 2:5).

Return to your first Love (Rev. 2:4)! Be ye Holy as I am HOLY (1 Peter 1:16)!

Come away with me while there is yet time! Come! (Song of Solomon 2:10)

A Greater Glory for Laid-Down Lovers

Then I heard The Lord proclaiming!

There are some that have laid it all down in this hour.  They long to be lovers laying  down everything and desiring  to be hidden in MY heart.

I am revealing to them the mysteries of heaven– the jewels of heavenly mysteries that will shake the earth. To you I say: “Pull back and write the very pulse of my heart.  For eye has not seen and ear has not heard the things  that I have in store for those who love Me!

Oh my beloved ones, some of you look for me but do not find me.  You are looking in all the wrong places.   I am in the secret places.  I speaking through the mouths of the unknown ones. Through the ones who hide themselves in my heart and under my wings ( Psalm 91)! I am trumpeting the very beat of my heart from their lungs! Do you hear them?

Most of them  are not on national stages, they are still  hidden like jewels in the cleft of the rocks! The are voices crying out in the wilderness places. But I tell you this -the seasons are changing! They are the ones whom I will use to lead a generation into the promise of My coming.

It is time!  They are being revealed, but be aware all ye peoples, they will follow the very whisper of my voice, yes even the whistle the wind of my Spirit.  They will only go where I tell them to go and say what I say.  They will quickly pull back in the seasons that seem to bring them the most fame. They will arise in times that may seem to cause the most upset not caring about their reputation.  They will not take my Glory says the Lord- for they know there is a greater glory in store! I have put a trumpet to their mouths!

Do you hear them? He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says!

They are obedient to deliver the Word in power, in demonstration, but this is merely their adornment says the Lord- for they are lovers of my presence and they are chasers of My Face.

Signs and wonders they do not chase, but they chase after me!

Know this therefore, signs and wonders will chase them down!  Fame is not their desire. They want to take My Name as their own and worldy fame will not phase them! They only  want My presence as their reward and MY Name to be of great fame!

The seasons are changing!

The seasons are changing  and like a whirl wind I AM coming quickly.

In the night- like a thief in the night (1 Thes. 1:2).   I am coming and I will draw all men unto myself.

Come into my chambers, says the Lord.

Who will come?

I am calling you into my chambers! I am calling! COME says the Lord- come to me!

 Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.  Revelation 2:12.

We are in an hour now that the seeker friendly light shows,  hyper grace messages, and social media superstars  will come to a close. They will fade into the pages of history.  All fame and glory belongs to the Lord!

To whom much is given much is required! In this hour we must die to the claim to personal fame and  take HIS Name, but not HIS Glory!   There is a greater glory! The Lamb is coming and His reward is with Him!

Greater! Greater Glory belongs to the Bride than this world can ever give!

Arise out of the caves you lovers! You longing ones, it is time to sound the trumpet!  But make it your hearts cry to say  “May the Lamb receive the reward of His suffering” 

Come Lord Jesus! (Rev. 22:17)