The Line Has Been Drawn

I wish that you were sitting with me now. I wish you could be here in my family room as I've viewed the video clip that I am including in this blog. I wish you could feel my heart beating and see the tears streaming down my face and hear my prayers. I want you to please take a few minutes and watch this video clip and then read the remainder of this note. We are in such a desperate hour and God has given me a word for His body. That is not a statement I at all make lightly but with fear and trembling. Please, take about 15 minutes out of your time.... it's URGENT!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsxojbyAQGI
news report about this clip http://www.ktvu.com/news/17986914/detail.html



Last night, as a House of Prayer we spent the evening in intercession for these riots that are taking place in CA. At the time, I had not seen this clip. If you are unaware, the passage of Proposition 8 has created tremendous turmoil as the homosexual community has taken to the streets in protest. The preceding video is of but one example.

One of the passages of Scripture we used in our prayers was from Acts chapter 4 verses 27-31. The young lady in the video referenced them in sharing her testimony of what happened in that video clip. In this passage of Scripture, the believers in the early church were praying for boldness. Last night, I believe the Lord gave me a word and I want to share with you what He has highlighted in my spirit from these passages.

Immediately prior to this passage, Peter and John had gone before the Jewish council. They had been commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus. Peter immediately recognized that this was an impossibility for his life. As believers, in the hour in which we live now, we must not obey any authority that sets itself against preaching the gospel or otherwise require believers to disobey God's explicit commandments. I believe the Lord spoke very clearly to me that if you are a pastor, you are to in no way water down the preaching of the Word of God out of fear of losing your tax exempt status. God is your source and we are in a time where we have to speak the Word with complete boldness. Obviously, this is but one area of sin that needs addressing. But we must become bold!

Verses 25 and 26 were declared through David by the Holy Spirit. "Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed." These words were spoken regarding the Messiah, Jesus. But, can you hear them echoing down through the ages to God's anointed today? The kings of the earth, the governmental bodies are lining themselves up against Israel and against the church. Please be aware. Please become more alert than you have ever been. Be like the five virgins with their lamps trimmed and oil to spare. There are threats, there is rage against believers. And, in greater measure than ever before, it has come to our nation. It has been happening all over the world for generations and we've stood by in prayerlessness and without compassion as our brothers and sisters have endured tremendous torture and persecution for their faith. We are now seeing the beginnings of it here in our nation. Now is not the time to be consumed with anything but a firey passion for Jesus. It's time for the church to wake up and not be so caught up in TV and movies and sports and all of the distractions of this world. Legalism? NO! It's about holiness and pursuing a relationship that will sustain you in persecution. Being whole hearted for the one who was and is whole hearted for you!!

Continuing in verses 27 and 28, we see that the plan of Christ's crucifixion is being laid out as Herod and Pontius Pilate as well as the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel gathered together to "do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place." (vs 28) This is where the Lord spoke so clearly to me last night. GOD has drawn the line. Proposition 8 was but one method that the Father used in this election to draw the line of morality. A return to holiness. An opportunity to return to God. All that is taking place in CA and around the world was predestined and ordained by God! I Thess makes it clear that suffering and affliction are normal for those destined to be saved in the end. And, this is not just an issue for the unsaved turning to Christ as Savior. This issue and this line has been drawn for the body of Christ to determine our response and our readiness and our pursuit of Him.

The early church's response was a prayer not that God would look upon the threats and cause them to cease. Look at verses 29-30. "And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness while you stretch out your hand to heal and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant, Jesus". They were praying for the boldness to continue preaching Christ DURING THE THREATS AND PERSECUTION!!! They weren't saying "save me from the persecution"... their cry was for God to come one the scene and make them bold in proclaiming Jesus and that signs and wonders would come and be performed! God, grant us that heart!

And, what was the result? Verse 31... "And when they had prayed the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."

Dear friends, if you are like me you were raised with the privlege of a heritage of the Full Gospel that includes the infilling and power of the Holy Spirit. But, I am telling you, if you really want to know what it is for, I can tell you it isn't for Holy Ghost goosebumps. It is so that you will have sufficient courage to proclaim Jesus in places like the Castro District in San Fancisco and do it as people are hurling obscenities at you and pouring hot coffee in your face.

I find myself all too often consumed with everything BUT Him. And, so easily justify it. When the kids take a place in my life that isn't there I justify it as "being a good Mom". When my relationship with Jesus takes second fiddle to my husband or to managing my household, I justify it as "being a good wife." We even allow spiritual activities to take precidence over time in the Word and in prayer and consider ourselves to be good Christians. Pastors, when was the last time your hours spent in prayer and study had nothing at all to do with your next sermon or Sunday School class but had absolutely everything to do with the fact that you are in love with Jesus and prayer and study is the only way to get closer to Him and you can't stand to not be as close as you can be? When was the last time you turned off the TV and chose Christ? Gave up the football game for Christ? Flipped off the computer for Jesus? Turned off your Blackberry for Him?

We have come so far out of a Gospel of holiness and pursuit of Jesus out of fear of being perceived as legalistic. View me how you want. I want Him!!! He is going to be all that sustains me when I'm faced with persecution. And, mark my words, it's coming. Don't think that you will somehow be secretly raptured out of here and miss out. Our brothers and sisters all over the world can only wish that were the case.

The line has been drawn. Do you have the perception to see the line and understand the hour in which we are living? I pray you do....

Coming Soon....

Forgive me for not blogging in a few days. I know my last blog promised some teaching and it is coming! I've been asking the Lord what direction He'd have me take and I got a blaring answer tonight at the House of Prayer. So, bear with me... by tomorrow night or Thursday, I'll have a new blog and a powerful word from the Lord... and believe me, I don't take that lightly!

So... coming soon.... R U Ready?