The ride of my life

A month ago I reached the end of what had been a wide plateau. A significant choice was about to be made, indeed, had to be made. It was as if I had been standing in line for the scariest roller coaster ride for three and a half years without really knowing what all that entailed, and suddenly had found myself facing that last minute decision to either strap myself in, or to step over and make my way down the exit ramp. With surprising clarity and sobriety, by the grace of God, I understood the importance of the moment.

Like the traveler in Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken, I was at a fork in the road and in the end chose the one less traveled by; yet unlike him, I was not sorry that I could not travel both – instead, I was sorry that I felt the less traveled path (to get on the ride) was an impossible one to choose. Not that it seemed impossible; it was impossible.

“Lord,” I said, “I long for You, and greatly desire for my Jesus to receive in me His full inheritance, but I know that it is not possible for me to get on this ride because I’m not yet ready, though it is what You would have me do. Help! Show mercy! Speak to me; assure me; embolden me!” And – praise Him – immediately He responded, “Just as Pharaoh had hardened his heart against Me, and so I upheld his ‘No’, you have hardened your heart for Me, and so I will uphold your ‘Yes’.” And the next thing I knew, I was locked in and clicking my way slowly up that mountainous track that all coasters begin with!

With arms raised and heart pumping, I await the plunge with eager excitement, knowing that it will carry me frighteningly fast, and far, and free.

To the angel of the church in America:

True seeker-sensitive churches lead to conversion.

Sensitive-sensitive churches lead to compromise.

Selah.

theBETTERcovenant

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Keep this question at the forefront of your mind:

“How much more then ought we?”

Too often I hear that the old covenant was physical and carnal, but the new is spiritual and pure. True enough, but how does that phrase cause you to live? Sadly, most are disarmed and few are empowered by this. Yes, we are a generation of priests; yes, I am the temple of God; yes, Jesus is both our Sacrifice and High Priest in heaven’s tabernacle. But do not “spiritualize” these truths, deceiving yourself that the priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek is somehow less than the priesthood of Aaron’s order. Do not think that the heavenly city of God is more easily approachable than the burning mountain of Sinai. And do not misunderstand God’s mercy; He does not overlook or excuse sin now, just as He did not before the cross. Do not confuse the new law spoken by Jesus to be more lenient than the old law spoken by angels.

Yes, Jesus’ sacrifice was better than that of what would have been endless animal sacrifices, but this does not mean that our priestly calling is less rigorous or demanding than what was required of the Levitical priesthood. Our cleanliness and strict attention to detail is more important now than it was for Aaron’s sons (cp. Lev. 10:1-3). The duties expected of us are more effective than those performed in the earthly temple, for we minister in the tabernacle of heaven with better sacrifices. And servants are surely not as bold as sons, yet sons ought to be more zealous for the law of their Father’s house than are His mere servants.

This is far from a yoke of oppression, for grace abounds all the more for those born again into His family (Rom. 5:18-21), that we would be able to shoulder the yoke that Jesus carries with us (Matt. 11:27-30). Grace is the unmerited divine strength to continue walking faithfully in holiness; it is not, as so many teach today, the Lord refraining from exacting punishment for sins committed, for God says, “Vengeance is Mine to recompense, and I will judge My people” (Heb. 10:30-31). If Moses was faithful in the old covenant by the power of the blood of goats, how much more then ought we be faithful who are in the new covenant by the power of Christ’s own blood?

Yes, we are sons of God; yes, we are in Christ; yes, we have access to the throne of grace by the blood of Jesus. But our free entrance into the Holiest of All in heaven is not without a period of waiting and careful preparation, just as Aaron was commanded. We still must diligently calm the winds in order to enter into the Sabbath rest of God (Heb. 3:7-4:16). Even now we are to go on to perfectness (Heb. 6:1), ever reaching to lay hold of the promises of the age to come. For when God found fault with the people of promise while they were yet under the old covenant, He promised to make with them a new and better covenant. However, were God to find fault with us now, there remains no other sacrifice for sins, for Christ was appointed to die only once.

How much more then ought we regard the blood of Jesus than they did of goats? How much more then ought we draw near to God through the veil of Jesus’ flesh than they did through the veil made of fine woven linen? How much more then ought we serve in the heavenly tabernacle made by God than they in the earthly tabernacle of goats’ hair? For if Aaron and his sons served in the shadow, then we who are the sons of God serve in the physical. And if the Levites were prevented by death, then we of Melchizedek’s order are enabled by the power of an endless life. To symbolize away such profound truths would be to make your life devoid of priestliness. There really is a temple in heaven where God’s throne resides, and we really enter into that throne room much in the same way that the Levitical priests daily entered the temple on earth. We cannot be casual or presumptuous about such weighty matters. For if those who offered profane sacrifices died by God’s consuming fiery presence under Moses’ law, how much more then ought we give worthy offerings, paying the more earnest heed to Jesus’ law? Therein lies true and abiding priestliness.

Fasting, voting, and the nations

Here at IHOP-KC, we are as a body giving ourselves to two forty-day fasts during the remainder of 2008, one beginning today and ending 08/08/08, and the second beginning Sept. 26th and ending on election day (Nov. 4th). For every four days of fasting it takes one day to break it, so a forty day fast should take ten days to break – this then gives us forty days of a normalized diet in between the two fasts. The purpose of the first is for the glory of God to break in; that we’d love Jesus more; to ascend the mountain of the Lord – this fast will be very devotional in nature. The second is obviously directed at having a God-fearing president in office, and will be heightened spiritual warfare.

While praying a simple ninety-second prayer for revelation concerning these two fasts, the Lord answered. He told me that the first was in preparation for the second, and that one without the other would be very ineffective. He said that to enter into the first with an understanding of the purpose of the second would posture us for faithful endurance for both fasts, which will impact not just America, but Islam, Israel, and China. We must have a president who will support Israel militarily, who will keep the troops in Iraq until governmental structure is put into place there (allowing us access to influence or even override administratively without question for something like the next ten years), and who fears God. Being pro-life is also paramount, but I will have to discuss that at another time.

Some quick info to help connect some dots: Saddam Hussein was a Sunni Muslim, as were those in power under him, though the nation of Iraq’s majority of Muslims are Shiite (the ratio being about 2:1). When we removed Saddam from his place of authority, suddenly the Shiites, who for so long were under the oppression of the Sunni leaders, saw an opportunity to snatch the open position. The American soldiers found themselves as aliens in the middle of a civil war. For a short time the Shiites had genocidal intentions, until they were suppressed by our confused but able Army. Were our next president to call our troops home and abandon the opportunity, even the responsibility, to have a hand in rebuilding legislation, surely the Shiites would once again shed the blood of their brothers, and elect a radical Shiite Imam (a leader). And were this to happen, Iran would certainly unite with Iraq (Iran’s ratio of Shiite to Sunni is 9:1).

[There are several major theological differences between Sunnis and Shiites. Sunnis believe that Allah can act aimlessly, does not show mercy or give grace, can command people to commit sin, and would be just if Allah sent a prophet to hell and Satan to heaven, because they do not believe in cause and effect; also, that we do not have free will in even the least of things, that prophets can sin, and that their leaders are not infallible. Shiites on the other hand believe that Allah only ever acts with a purpose, is merciful and gives grace, and could never command a person to commit sin; also, that we have free will in everything, that prophets cannot sin, and that their leaders are as Allah - infallible. If the Shiite leader is peaceful, his followers are peaceful; if blood-thirsty, then his followers are blood-thirsty.]

Now to discuss Israel. A generation of Jews have come and gone since 1967, which was when Jerusalem was seized and reunified by Israel, putting the whole of their chief city under their sovereignty. However, even this new generation does not love Jesus, the true God of Abraham (John 8:58), though their dwelling in the promised land was always contingent upon their faithfulness to Him. If this new generation is not a “Joshua generation”, what are we to expect but that God will raise up a wicked nation to judge them? Before the world’s eyes, America is a Christian nation – were our next president to no longer support Israel, who will intercede militarily for God’s chosen people? Just as when their fathers advanced upon Ai, putting their trust in the ark but presuming God to be with them, today’s Jewish Army trusts in their Air Force. What they will get – apart from corporate repentance – is a massive defeat, and, hopefully, a wake-up call.

Who our next president is, then, will also either alleviate or worsen the church in China’s end-time ministerial focus known as B2J: Back to Jerusalem, where they train up prophetic evangelists to give their lives that the Muslim nations immediately surrounding Israel would abandon Islam for Christianity, which, in effect, would provoke the Jews to jealousy – “and so all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 10:19; 11:25-27).

As I was laying on my bunk, receiving all that the Lord was releasing, He then began to speak of the first forty-day fast, tying the two together. Though the first will start out with the intention of me, an individual, falling more in love with Jesus, by His hand it will expand to nations giving themselves to an intimate relationship with Christ; not just America, but China, Israel, and the Muslim nations of the Middle East. As we intercessors climb the mountain of God, we must do so as priests and as kings of righteousness and peace, that when we stand as mediators in Christ we would have the mercy and grace from God to help in our time of need.

Celebrating Salvation

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Open wide for the Lord ye gates to the east,

here riding cherubim and no common beast!

The glory of the King is now entering;

fattened calves are ready for the wedding feast!

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Clap with the trees! With the prevailing hills sing!

Come with harp and bowl full of incense burning:

He who made Himself least, we crown as High Priest,

and stand on Mount Zion with palm boughs waving!

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I *will* speak in the tongues of men and of angels!

As some of you well know, I have been without a personal prayer language for the three and a half years I’ve been saved. For the first year I was not a little bitter about it, once even yelling at God in my car. The second year came and went, which was hard, seeing as we attend a church where nearly every worship cycle prays and sings in tongues for ten to thirty minutes. I did, however, receive a phrase (shoo-rrah-bah-kah) and its interpretation (receive the Holy Spirit), but it only caused me to become more frustrated about not having a *language* to pray in, especially considering it was an effort to say the phrase, and not “carried along” by the Spirit. During the third year, some friends and family received *their* love language, and it was difficult (but I did it!) to be excited for them and thankful. I was finally brought to a place of complete abandonment, and laid down all my desires. After some time and some testing, I can now say with excitement, praise the God of all spirits – those days are over!

While here at my Army Annual Training (AT) in Fort Leonard Wood, I’ve been contending for tongues in a very focused way. I woke up an hour early (and we were already waking up before the sun rose) and paced out on the lawn, babbling away. I would do this during my lunch break, and for an hour before bed. And in between, when I felt spurred to, I’d go pretend to talk on my phone. :)

At night I’d call my wife Kelly, who has had tongues since before I was saved, and ask her questions. All I wanted was to *know* if it was Spirit led, or just me speaking sweet nothings. I kept saying that: “I just want to KNOW. I just want to KNOW.” I also told her that in the midst of all the nonsense, a word would keep coming to mind that, when said, didn’t seem to fit. It sounded Spanish: “see-em-prray”. Surprisingly, Kel told me that it was *indeed* Spanish, and meant, “always”. Of course, I thought, “Cool, but I need more confirmation here before I believe all this babbling is You, God, and not me.”

After hanging up the phone, I went inside and started watching a David Pawson seminar on the book of Revelation. Not long into the DVD, he told about how he had once asked God for a name of His to pray that was the English equivalent to Yahweh, and to my utter astonishment, he said the immediate reply from the Spirit was: “Always”…! Suffice it to say, I was now convinced – I have the gift of tongues! And though it’s only been a few days now, the difference has been like night and day. Thank You, Father, for giving good gifts to Your children, and I ask for strength to continue in this gift as I had when pursuing it!

Be teachable

In a debate there are winners and losers.

In a discussion there are teachers and students.

Selah.

I’ve gone and stayed up all night!

For the past four months or so I’ve been devouring the scroll of Hebrews. Tonight, I thought I’d just have a late night “snack”, but somehow it turned into an all night “feast”! I ended up writing posts about the importance of rightly understanding priestliness in the end times, and why I believe there will be a millennial temple with mandated sin offerings from Jesus the Slain Lamb Himself. It won’t be until later today that I’ll wonder if I couldn’t have just put it off until a decent time, but for the moment I’m feeling rather good.

The sun has not yet advanced over the horizon, but its colorful banners are waving triumphantly in the distance, and the birds are even now heralding its victory over the night’s sky. Because Kelly will undoubtedly not understand as to why I’ve neglected my sleep, I think I’ll make her a nice breakfast in hopes to win her approval of me staying home and napping while she takes Z to the prayer room. One can dream, anyway.

Sacred Sypathy

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Old Man prideful yet despairs;

knows Death will catch him unawares;

so lives he life to Sup and Play

with gods of fading earthen wares;

but all their passing joys dismay,

for none stay Death nor Fear’s display,

least of all the gods of empty earthen wares…

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fool Old Man is condemned by sin,

but Living God wisely hemmed him in,

and planted in his heart of stone

the Seed of Hope which stemmed within,

now watered by His proceeding Throne

and Regal Blood with pow’r to atone;

he thinks it queer this Hope now stemmed within…

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to make an end of his transgression,

the broken man makes good Confession;

Who cleansed his conscience of condemnation?

the Slain Lamb who Lives to make intercession;

and now a New Man stands a New Creation,

his Old Man judged made expiation

just as the Lamb who Died to make intercession…

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twas by sympathy that Death was defeated,

and New Man in heavenly places is seated;

the Spirit Without Measure is to him afforded

as High Priest and Sacrifice declares, “Completed!”

born anew and inheritance awarded,

but outside His Family are the false and the sordid,

for as priest and as offering Communion is completed…

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Writing a book worthy of remembrance

This spring I purposed in my heart to write a book over the summer break. Now that summer is here, I’m unsure of what exactly to write about! A children’s story? Or strictly ecclesiastical? I even have an amazing ghost story idea, of all things, that’s never been done before! I don’t really want to do anything with it, but the point is that it is not a lack of options that is hindering my starting, but rather too many. My dad would like to see me write a book of short stories from my year’s tour of duty in Iraq, and truth be told I already have favor in the market place with that from when I was a student at Iowa State University.

However, I told him that I would likely not pursue such an endeavor, for I know that God has skilled me with the pen, and therefore I live to glorify Him by my skill. It is only in that place that I could be without conviction. But again, should I use those collected short stories with the unveiling of my conversion and salvation as the pinnacle of such a novel, as covert evangelism, then I would still be using God’s free gift to honor His name. This is similar to what I would do with a children’s book, but the audience would obviously be radically different, and my method of preaching the gospel still disguised yet by allegory.

So, I am torn. For three years now I’ve been writing only either to God or about God to His maturing saints. Were I to write a book for the church, I would rather it be one of those skinny pamphlet sized books that sell for no more than five dollars – the ones that drip with revelation, they are so saturated with God’s glory; the ones that you just “happen” across, unaware that it was your spirit man drawn to its fragrant pages. Those are the books with substance and sustenance enough for an entire army of lovers after God’s heart, spanning with ease ages upon endless ages, yet never diminishing in potency. Whether I write this, that, or the other, it is a book worthy of even a seraphim’s remembrance that I desire to put my fingers to this summer, and I know that as a son My Father in heaven will bless it.

The Lord’s Christ be praised in all that you do! – Ben