The Light is shining in my basement.
I usually don't spend much time down there. Let alone shine a bright light on the place. But this corona crisis is causing me to go down there. To see what is in my basement. To have a good look around at the bottom line of how the Lord Jesus is part of the basement, the foundation, of my life.
It is amazing. In such a short time, how nearly everything is stripped away from my normal everyday life. We are "housebound". We are placed in the most basic realities of our lives. We are with the family. And the Light of Christ is shining on this basement.
Question. What are you finding in your basement?
The Way, Truth, and Life of Jesus Christ? Or boxes, junk, old things of no use, and a sense of emptiness?
So, let's review the situation. We are truly housebound. Warned off from contact with people except in our own houses. We do not have church services. We do not have gatherings of the Saints. Our weekly rhythms of life, work, family, spiritual pursuits are completely altered. Possibly our financial lives are in great distress as the country reels in the economic bomb that has blown most of our financial hope to pieces. Some of us are completely alone.
When everything is stripped away and laid bare, what remains? What is in the basement of our lives?
Basements typically reveal our foundation. Often we are not very in touch with the foundation of our lives. There is so much noise and activity to keep our eyes from such places. In a dramatic crisis, we often find ourselves inspecting the foundation.
On the 19th of March, I was up late into the night listening. The Lord poured out to me a fresh perspective and I hope insight for the DAY. Getting the word of the Lord for a time and season brings fresh grace, vision, authority in prayer and focused action --- co-laboring action with the Spirit. Listening is one of the foundations of the believer. Finding the voice of God in the midst of any and every circumstance, the natural desire of those following Jesus. (John 12:24-26)
During my night encounter, the Lord opened my perspective on a number of topics. I'm rolling those out of my basement each day in hopes of being faithful to his call on my life and to his immediate word for the times. Psalm 37:3
It's time to put some light on The Foundation. "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him, you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit". Ephesians 2:19-21
The foundation of the Ekklesia of Jesus (the Church) is apostolic and prophetic grace in motion. As the church looks at her basement the Lord can and will pour out wonderful new wisdom and revelation (Ephesians 1:17). This is our inheritance in the Lord Jesus, or better, the very victories Jesus won for us in the Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension to sit at the Father's right hand. The Foundation of the Ekklesia of Jesus is the "sending grace of God" and the "Encouragement, strength and comfort of the Holy Spirit" in now activation.
For some, this time feels like being stripped or being laid bare. The Light of the Glory of Jesus is pouring over the very foundations of our lives, churches, ministry concepts, and true abiding. Some may be humbled in their lack of power and rhema (now word of God) in the present time. Cultural blessings may be revealed in contrast to the true blessings of the Kingdom of God through the Gospel of the Kingdom. Meaning, baseline decent human culture is not empowered Kingdom at hand realities. Possibly we have called our cultural blessings the blessings of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom at hand is the ministry of Jesus (Isaiah 61: Matthew 5).
There are three very important realities God wants to refine, impart and renew in the Body of Christ in this season. The awakening, that I believe is already in motion, will take on great power and quickening in these three Kingdom realities.
A. The Blood of Jesus Christ - Isaiah 43 - "I've redeemed you, You are mine." The cross of Christ and the pouring out of his blood upon the world were and are the one sacrifice for all times that cleanses the world of sin (Hebrews 10). Past, present and future sins are washed away as each person puts their faith in Jesus Christ and grace is activated. "But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:13 The blood of Christ is an effectual witness of the righteousness we receive as we believe in Jesus. It is a living witness of the cleansing and redeeming reality of the Cross. It is power. As we sang over and over "there is power in the blood" and more again today, "There is power in the blood of Jesus". The blood is a righteousness that is not our own or of ourselves. It is the gift of God. It is so important that our lives grow and transform in the righteousness of God imparted to us through faith in Jesus. Day in and day out we are becoming like him as we faithfully bring forth his will in the world (I John 2:15-17).
B. The word of our "witness" - this is not just our personal testimony of the Kingdom of Jesus invading and blessing our lives. It is our witness to the reality of the Gospel of the Kingdom. The very salvation power that transforms us from the dominions of darkness into the dominion of the King of Kings and his rule and reign in us. Yes, our testimony is living witness of God's faithfulness and inheritance purchased in the blood of Jesus for us individually, but the "marturion" the witness is of Jesus himself. Our testimonies do not compare to the Gospel testimony of the Lord Jesus; his life/death on the Cross, his resurrection power and defeat of death, and his ascension from the earth to sit down at the Father's right hand until all his enemies are placed under his feet. May the light shine of this basement and revive its power and spiritual reality ---- the kind that pours out freely to the fallen and broken world - and pours forth onto the world in the love and compassion of God.
C. No Fear of Death. In the resurrection, death was and is forever defeated. Eternal life broke forth on humanity and the heart of God was revealed. He is seeking to abide with us forever in his steadfast love and make a place for us to walk with him in the fullness of the Son he loves. The family of God is truly a people in whom the fear of death is defeated. This expressed itself in our bold and faithful witness of the Gospel and our bold and faithful action in loving our neighbors in the leading of the Holy Spirit. This no fear empowerment sends us into any and every situation as the Spirit leads. And it speaks a living word to the "death all around us" and "death in mindset, ways of living and the very fear of dying."
I'm quickened of late with these thoughts.
1. The Awakening is not stopped by the Coronavirus. The church may explode with refreshing grace, power, and commitment to prayer, praise and going with the Gospel when the doors open up again and the church can gather and go.
2. The enemy would have us agree with "isolation", "shrinking back" and feeling overwhelmed. God would have us abide, connect, envision, listen and prepare for the day all these limitations are lifted and the Church can gather in power and prayer.
3. There is much to be acquired as we "shelter in place". Let the light of the Glory of Christ shine on the basement and foundation of our lives and of the ministries, churches we lead and are part of. The Kingdom of God is not in "stop motion" for any of these apparent limitations. Time to take the light down into the basement and examine the Foundation. How is the apostolic grace of God, the sending grace, in motion in what you are bringing forth? How is the prophetic grace, the now Voice of God, living and active in your understanding, strategy, and approach to these times? Shine the light and gain the wisdom and revelation the Holy Spirit would have for us in this season. We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:31f.
To Remember in these times......
You're not alone. All around the world. right next door. The Saints are with you and you are part of the household of God. Be proactive. Connect with the Kingdom family. Be an encourager like the Holy Spirit and you will find more and more opportunities to pour the compassion of God on hungry hearts. You have something so vital to give. (I Corinthians 12:7)
The Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ is grace sufficient for every time and season. The Lord is already at work. There is nothing in all creation that can separate us from his love ----- and likewise that can separate us from that love being poured out on those around us. Be the Light. Let it shine from the basement of your life.
Focus on listening again. Hear God. In the Word. In the ekklesia. The world is a very noisy place. Find some space. Set aside some time in the quietest place you can find. In former days the Saints would literally go into their closet close the door and "Listen". God is faithful. He will speak. It is a season in which the voice of God spoken forth - will add immense encouragement to those in need. Listen. Then speak from the housetops what is spoken in secret. Let the love of God activate you into his heart and what he has already prepared for you to bring, share, witness and speak forth in love. You will stay busy co-laboring with Jesus.
REMEMBER.
The light may be shining on our basements. Yes. The Lord himself established a foundation that is unshakable. Every present help in times of trouble is the Lord God. Let the light of Christ shine into your heart, deep down into the basement of your life and the way you live, and don't shrink back. Embrace the Voice of God today. Today is the day of salvation.
Much love beloved. We will overcome by the blood of the Lamb, the word of our witness, and by letting perfect love drive out the fears of death.
Comments. Responses. Prayer requests. Please email me. And we'll be live in prayer each morning at 8 am. join us on Facebook live. Share that voice you heard in a quiet place with all the world.
In the Lord,
Brother Jeff - GKH Ministries
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