Are You Facing the Right Way? Revelation John

Life of a believer without god inside vs outside

Jesus says carry your cross. Why…. eventually you will end up naked and your flesh will die… that's the goal… many carry.. Few die.

Mental picture of Jesus vs who he is.

Last time John seen Jesus he referred to himself as the beloved. (John 13:23) And he laid on his chest. Next time he don't even recognize him… He falls on his face… He learned what god really looked like.. All of us put a natural limitation on Jesus. We can draw him and touch him.. But what happens when he shows you who he really is… (Ps 24:3-6) If you ascend the hill of the Lord you see him for who he is and all your weakness happens…. When is the last time you realized God is bigger than you think. (Is 55 8-9) Better, more perfect… more impossible… Then, He gives you his hand and picks you up and dust you off and tells you come up here and let me show you what I am doing and what you can take part in… Some been hurt by other believers, or churches. Your confidence is been shaken in Him, because someone who followed him fell short of the Glory… That's not who you are…... Never be limited to what you see naturally.. Take the opportunity to respond to what you see heavenly.

He calls you beloved.. In a way only you and Him can know its between you and him… Peter, He called Simon, and Jesus always had to restore his role and relationship in Christ. But often He is called Simon Peter, I believe God purposely did this. It’s a picture of our present war… We struggle with what God says about us while the natural man inside us fight’s it. Simon Peter always went back to what he seen…. (Rom 8:7, Gal 5:17, Romans 7:15-20)

John went into the ministry.. Followed Jesus to the cross. (John 19:25) Next thing he is ministering.  John shows up in revelation because of persecution of things no one seen.. For some of you you're experiencing trouble because of unseen things. Whether bad or good.. But he was facing the wrong way despite. Which way are you facing when you experience persecution. (1 Peter 3:17)

I saw Revelation in a new way. I am always seeking how to get people into the presence of the Lord. I felt this revelation could be useful for the Body.

Rev 1: 9-16 John suffering for the kingdom, patient, and enduring, in jail because of the word. On the Lord's day being in the spirit. He heard a voice from behind him.. (Even in all that we can be facing the wrong way. I turned around and saw. First thing he seen was the churches, then someone among the church. Then what he was wearing. Then his voice detailed. Then saw his hand with a sword. Then finally his face.  When I finally saw him I fell dead.

Rev 1: 17-18 When we finally see Him. He touches us. And says. Do not be afraid. When John understood Jesus naturally. He never fell at his feet he was alongside. But when he got a glimpse of him with the Holy spirit in Him…Revelation Happened.  

Rev 1: 19-20 Jesus tells him and first things first deal with my church concerning what you see.  Jesus spoke to where John was at in his life. An apostle to the churches. Rev 2-3 Then wrote the 7 letters.  Many times in the presence of the Lord.. He reveals to us what we are supposed to do in the Kingdom.

Rev 4:1 After that He looked after that He looked and saw a door open before him. Open in Heaven. Now that you are done with what is down there. Come up here. Seeing the Door positions you to be in the right place to hear his voice. At once he was in the spirit. And before him was a throne. With someone sitting on it. First, He describes the One. Then he describes what was around it. The elders then what was in there hands. And on their head. Then the noise from the throne. The the seven lamps then in front of the throne a sea of glass. Then the creatures around it.  Then he sees the ministry happening. Creatures holy, holy, holy, then the ministry of the elders, saying worthy, worthy, worthy.

It's like a staircase. Going from the bottom, not seeing clear, to the top, seeing clear, then the bottom, knowing what to do after you seen what you just seen.

When John was doing everything right, he was facing the wrong direction. Sometimes we can get turned in the wrong direction.  Then the Lord was bringing him to a place where he could be effective again. (being on Patmos was a life sentence).

John didn't see Jesus in his glory right away, he seen in the order described. From the outside in. as I described earlier. Jesus went from amongst the lampstands to the blazing fire where John fell dead, in realization of what he seen. Jesus will temporarily step into what you are doing to give you a chance to catch His gaze.. So that He can show you where He is going.

After Jesus was seen perfectly, then Jesus touches him. Then after the touch he got a detailed plan on the ministry.  At this point John's understanding of a life sentence on an island is not the end of his life. Somehow he is getting off that island to minister this stuff.  He gets the blueprint for the churches.

Then another opportunity came. And he was facing in the right direction this time. In Rev 4, and he seen the Open door in front of him.  The Voice spoke to him as a trumpet. More clearly then a rumbling like before, He comes up here and immediately he was in the Spirit. The first thing He seen was the GOD OF GLORY. Immediately describing each intimate feature. Then he seen the things around the throne. Then the churches, then the ministry happening.

The only way we got the Book of Revelation with the intro from John that blows us away Rev 1-1:8. Is that God rescued Him from the wrong direction. He Seen God.

I believe this is where we are at in the Spirit.

There is no where i can go that your love can't find me.. There is no where i can go where you can't see me.

When is the last time we found Him.  Where we said oh,, there you are.  HE is always always with us. And pouring into us…..

Where He sets it all right. Where he sets the score.  Where he lifts us up and sets our heart in the right place… He is here.

Oh Lord continue to send us your ones.. That need you.. That you have called. And the few who respond.

Beware of the season we are in.. Make the adjustment. Be, let go of the do, and just Be. Be with Me He Says.

It is not a gifted few who can talk to him.  That is what some want us to think.  He is individually invested in each one.

Many times we ask where are you Lord.  Then He looks at us. And says come up here……. May we continue to have intimate and deep encounters in You Lord.  WE want to know your heart.

John 15: 7"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8"My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples

1 Rev because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, 1

Heb 4: again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

Revelation 4:1

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."

Revelation 4:2

At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.

Revelation 17:3

Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

Revelation 21:10

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

Am I supposed to perform work for God or Abide in Him?

Tonight was another amazing night of ministry.  Each week we minister in the Juvenile detention center.  Each week we take turns praying about the word the Lord is speaking for the week.  That way each week we don't come in with 3 different ideas then try to merge them.  This is also a good way to make sure we have a base line, to have a goal for the night. So tonight the Lord led me to the verses about bearing fruit.  We bear fruit if we remain in Him.  If we are in him He prunes and bears us up and carries us close to Himself, so we can bear fruit.  If we are not in Him we are like a dead branch on the ground that gets picked up and thrown away.  During prayer, before we went in, I told us all to stay focused on ministering to the kids.  Whatever the Lord is pruning in each of our lives is not going to be what He is saying to them.  When trying to minister what you believe the Lord is saying.  We must love the person and speak what God says for them.  The temptation is to speak what the Lord is showing us in our lives. But lets reach for revelation and truly speak what He is saying for the other person.  So I told us to stay on course. Tony used to tell me that this ministry will have fruit that remains.  Like in John 15. He also always used to say that apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists would come out of the ministry.  So I encouraged us to expect BIG results and fruit that will remain. Also to preach God as He is, super attractive, the Answer the One they been looking for.  When we got in the jail we were informed that we would minister to the girls only.  Last week I was in the jail on my own, so I wanted one of my other guys to speak because half the girls just heard me talk last week.  I wanted them to hear from someone else.  Because when God says something to us through multiple people we get to really see the Lord is talking to us. It is a tool I like to submit to, to help those we minister too.

Josh taught them about remaining in God, that if they do they will bear fruit. What kind of fruit? The fruit of the Spirit.  I love this because I was just talking to my son, he is 5, about the fruits of the Spirit earlier. and although I knew the Lord wanted us to minister about remaining in Him I never thought to put the fruit of the Spirit as the fruit we bear. So he also showed us that since the beginning God made us just like Him.  He made a garden to bless us, not harm us. Now He wants to just pour out Himself, Love, on us.   As he was speaking I seen the Lord show me a picture of each fruit on each of the 9 or so women in there.  Then I thought why don't we ask them which fruit of the Spirit they are lacking the most.  So I asked each one, and they said the one. My goal was to pick the Hardest one and That way they know God has done a work in them because the hardest one is the one He is after giving them. So then after they confessed, I asked them all who wants to be close to God who wants to be in Him.  All but one raised there hand.  I wanted to first establish and continue on with what Josh had preached and make sure they were all "connected to the vine" before they received the fruit "results" of being connected.  Then I Prayed for each one to receive the thing most lacking.  Self control, Joy, Patience, Peace.  I spoke the bible verses I knew about each as I prayed, then Josh asked if anyone here had a chronic sickness that they were struggling with.  One person said I deal with depression. Josh said yes, anyone else with a physical need? no one responded. So he prayed for the one who had depression and now she is free.

Then we walk out to the main lobby and there is a Yoga instructor who teaches the same night we go in. She said ohh great the Church is here.  She asked us if we would pray with her in the parking lot.  At one other time Josh asked her if she needed prayer and she said yes. Come to find out She is now teaching at a school and was struggling. We prayed and ministered to her about the love of God and how God was pleased with her and for her to let go of any pressure and for her to be healed.   It was great, then as she was leaving she started yelling to us... Wait, wait,,, we are like what's up, she said it worked, it worked,   She said someone called her and she was wanting to do yoga for people with a physical limitation and its been 4 months since she contacted this person.  And they called right as she got in the car.  She turns around and says I'm getting Chinese tonight. we were like great. God is so loving to all. What a great promise that if we seek the truth with all our hearts we will find it.

Now to answer the titled question.  Much of ministry in the Lord is about ministering to others. Now we get excited when the person in an extreme situation gets results that we can see.  But what about the ones that are not so obvious, or even glorious.  

In order to answer this question we must look at Jesus.  How does He minister to others.  More importantly what is His mindset.  Today we look in John 15 1-17. Jesus literally says we can do nothing without Him, but if we abide, stay close, live, in Him, we will bear much fruit.  This is not an invitation for us to go run around and do a bunch of stuff expecting and needing results. He is the goal, He is where we put our efforts in.  Then we just simply bear fruit.  Relax He has got us. He knows how to do it.  You don't really need credit.  You need Him. I need Him.

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants,^[a] for the servant^[b] does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

1 can put 1,000 to flight and 2 puts 10,000

This week we got a great chance to work together. Imagine that 3 fully grown mature men. Who are all very unique and designed by God with a different individual purpose.

Being an evangelist at heart. My driver is to establish healthy relationships. So with the Lords help, I try to bring things together. People mostly. Even when I am playing video games. I am thinking of ways to complete objectives where the whole team is involved and benefiting. This will happen in every believers life. You may start off ministering by yourself to people about the love of God. But God loves us to much to be left unattended to our limiting views in Him. So he puts us with other believers. All hearing from Him. Yet all from our unique relationship that we have in Christ. 

I always am asking what the Lord is showing someone. It's hard to say whether or not someone is right or wrong.We must look and try and find the Lord in what someone says. Then those who are responsible to lead should now try to plug that into the time of ministry so that the whole body is blessed. If you haven't adjusted to the way the Lord is doing things you will find this difficult.  No longer is God only speaking to one man to do all the work. The Lord is raising a whole Body to do all of the work. We must shift to not allow people to sit and let you do all the work.  It's actually more work for me because I am now responsible for what they told me.  If it is judged as from the Lord now I have to plug it into the ministry. Whether it comes from me or them. As long as it happens so the people receiving the ministry get all that the Lord is showing. It is irresponsible for me, if others are there, to take all the ministry and let others sit.  Even if they don't minister that night I will make sure that what the Lord shows them gets ministered. 

God can always do more when we team up. But He spends 2/3 of the New Testament teaching us the best way to do it. Rom:14. In order to put 10,000 to flight when we come together we have to shift our thinking to whom we are ministering. Instead of looking beside us at our brother or sister making sure they are doing it "right". Lol. How pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. Operating in the unique identity Christ has given, yet submitting the function that has been previously outlined. 

So tonight three of us went into the jail. One hadn't been in a while and could easily run the ministry without me. But he can run the ministry with me there so I usually don't stay home when he comes. Let me explain. Some people will always look to the leader to be the only source of the ministry. but if we love the Lord. If I need not be there for you to function as the Lord intends for you to, then i won't go, so that you can grow. But its rare and wonderfult to have those who will step up and lead with you there. With the guy I previously mentioned, I know He will step out and do what the Lord shows him whether I'm there or not. And the other brother who has been coming in each week I knew he would preach the gospel and continue preaching from the angle of the kingdom. So I had him preach. And the other start us off to set up a gateway for him to preach. Then I later asked him to finish the night off. This was weird because who ever brings the word usually is in the right place to close us out. Because they have been watching and judging the hearts as they preach. They can pray but I did see a lot of demonic oppression going on in the kids hearts. ( I dont throw those words out there to act like we have something big), Which broke my heart. I knew most of them didn't want to be free that night. Usually we will hammer the word to try and win a few before we close. But I told our finisher to ignore that default setting and full commit to the ten who were wanting what the Lord had. Act like they are the only ones there. This is key. Sometimes, for the sake of those who want it we must crucify our flesh (that wants attention at all times) and ignore a potential distraction. In order to love and serve those who need the ministry that day. Read when Paul cast the demon out of the fortune telling girl.  She would go wherever they went saying these guys are from God, these guys are from God. Then Paul finally got tired of it and cast the demon out. lol after many days, are you kidding me. We have separate children's ministry so we don't get distracted, imagine having the grace of God and control of your mind to not be distracted in order for the Body to be blessed. Anyways, our finisher for that night gave an opportunity for those to stand up and exactly 10 out of about 39 stood. This was amazing due to the peer pressure that we noticed in the room. Then our finisher prayed for one individual and our preacher tonight said that the Lord pointed that same guy out to him that he was oppressed. And then we set him free of course. 

So anyways here is a small picture of the ministry that happened tonight. Remind yourself to fan into flame the gift that is in you. 

Ministry is always about the person we minister to.

Journal Entry 2,

For those of you who are reading. I have the opportunity to serve as a leader in Rock Solid Ministries southern division. We get a chance to visit our local juvenile detention center each week.  I have always wanted to "keep track" of my thoughts and experiences as I serve in this capacity.  Thanks to the internet its easy to put this out there for myself mainly to look back on all the Lord has done.  These are my personal thoughts and events that happen while we minister.

This week, like always, is amazing that God would want to visit with us and meet many people even though they never asked Him too.  I didn't feel a direct direction this week.  Last week I was led to tell my friend who goes in with me to preach on a parable that the Lord showed them.  What I originally heard from the Lord was that He wanted us to spend time preaching about the Kingdom of God.  Like Jesus did as He was here.  This week as we met before we went into the building, my friend agreed that we continue preaching the kingdom.  He shared a parable about the boy who had a demon that would throw him into a fire and cause a seizure. and the fact that Jesus asked the father if he believed.  The father said I believe but help my unbelief.  This is an amazing principle that shows up many times in the Word.  Abraham despite unbelief believed God and it was credited as righteousness (Rom 4:18).  We get to minister twice each night so I felt like that may be for one of those.  We started at the girls. I felt led to start. to sum it up I preached on the fact that we look to be numbed from reality or what we are going through.  This is not a bad desire but when we do this without the Lord we always end up empty and the result is not what we desired. But with the Lord we get peace that passes understanding ( no understanding why to have peace but we do), and joy unspeakable and full of Glory.  We also have a Father who loves us and gives us Grace that surpasses everything we go through. Ultimately His plan for us is the best possible life available. 

Then at our church, my pastor has set a goal for us to get at least 365 people saved.  Although this ministry is not part of that church I still have felt led to tell him those who receive the Lord each week. and for that number to be counted.  Now this was most difficult for me.  I never count how many who make a decision for Christ.  Its just not me.  King David once counted how many troops he had to show how powerful he was.  God frowned upon that and he paid a price.  So its not bad to count.  Many times God had His people count.  But only count when the Lord leads.  But we are a body and no matter what ministry we are its all 1 Kingdom.  So I was glad to report that 5 out of the 6 who we preached to received the Lord. I usually bring the people I preach to, to the place in the night where they can make a decision this can be done many ways. As the Holy Spirit leads. some times we do it silently in prayer as I pray I tell those who want to receive the free gift of Salvation to get it... so they know they did it.  this time I provided that but I felt led to have them repeat a prayer of salvation.  I seen in the Lord, that many needed to hear themselves say it.  So despite me being uncomfortable.  I did that for them.  Because in ministry its not about me.  and many times the Lord will have us do things that are uncomfortable for us. but its not about us its all about the people and what they need.  Then I asked them if they wanted individual prayer.  They all wanted it.  I prophesied to all of them.  then we were done.  the guards a the jail said that they didn't have enough guards for us to go into the boys to minister so we went home.  this was difficult because I didn't have my friend minister.  This also goes against much of what I believe.  My heart is to provide opportunities for those who come in with me to minister to so they can grow by exercising their faith.  but many times as a leader in ministry, you minister to "show how it can be done" or to provide a night where those who come in with me understand how the ministry operates. or how to handle situations as they arise. so its important for those who come in to see different ways to minister.  so the next time they minister they believe they can do that too.  or add that type of ministry to the way they do it.  because its effective and they got to see it in real time with real people.  Opposed to being in a conference hearing about how to do it. 

So a unique night.  But good praise to the person who came in with me.  It didn't bother him that he didn't get to minister.  Its all about God all the time and the people.  Thank God I have people coming in with me that are not concerned about themselves and what they can do.  We can all flow and we all play a huge part.  I know that he was praying as we were ministering and that helped the peoples heart to receive all that the Lord had for them tonight.

Thought process behind Minstering, and then what happens. Rock Solid Ministries South.

    I am part of ministry called Rock Solid Ministries. In that ministry, we minister to the juvenile detention center here and my local town. Every week we have been ministering there since the year 2001. Each week I would like to highlight things the Lord showed us or may have done. This is more for me then for anyone reading this.  I have always wanted to do this, to one day, to look back and see what the Lord has done. Now with technology we can do it so much easier than writing in a notebook and losing the paper some where.

   Our goal in this season is to preach the Kingdom. Jesus preached how the kingdom of heaven is like. Also the Word says when you preach the gospel, signs, and wonders shall follow. I felt led to ask my friend to minister tonight by picking one parable that lines up with what the Lord is speaking to his heart.  He ministered about the Camel going through the Eye of the Needle in a city. In this parable, Jesus dealt with the fact that we have to let everything go, for us to go after God . In this parable the Lord reveals how difficult it is for a rich person to enter the kingdom unless they let go of there need to have everything at all times. Not saying riches are bad. But can we let go of always needing them? Like they some how hold us up, or they give us some value?  How about King David who worshiped the lord in his underwear.  He had no problem stripping everything away, even though he had a kingdom on earth.  Then began to minister to the kids about his testimony. How God rescues him and delivers him all the time. Instead of being addicted and lacking why not be addicted to having the fruits of the Spirit.  To be addicted to love, joy, peace, etc. When he finished speaking I felt led to highlight a few key things that I seen the Lord doing as he spoke. One was the fact that we are on a path with God, not just a one day emotional encounter.  Like the camel going through the needle in a city, its constant, not just one time.  When he spoke about his testimony. He spoke it as though God continually broke him free of stuff, and continued to transform him. 

 For the First time in a long time I seen the kids in the room have a lot of faith.  I seen that they were engaging with the fact that this is possible with them, even though they're in jail and not doing well. It appeared that they were thinking  "wow this joy would be make my life better" and it was a little easier to let go of all the issues because, they were grabbing hold what God had for them. He finalized stating, as Jesus did, with man this is impossible but with God all things are possible.

  I seen the Lord all over this night. I spoke to the kids that this is possible, that they could have faith in God not faith in themselves. It is impossible to please God without faith. Many people have faith not even having faith in God, and still overcome amazing obstacles because they believe. However when we believe in ourselves, we are limited because when we mess up we lose faith because we are not perfect however, if we put our faith in God he is perfect.  He has a plan that goes way beyond our understanding. To mature each one of us, and that will be a light to others of who God looks like for them. So imagine if we really invested in everything God had for us. We would have faith in Him, and when we fall short He helps us overcome our weaknesses because He is strong.

As we were going to walk out, one of the kids asked if we could pray for them.  I originally wasn't going to, in fear that they would forget what we spoke on, but I thought sure.  What I heard earlier was that the Lord wanted us to preach the Gospel and that signs and wonders would follow. Specifically that we would preach about the Kingdom of God.  Then it hit me while praying, and I called out a time for God to heal them.  Every disease, addiction, relationship issue, diabetes, teeth issues, incurable diseases, and anything else that we didn't say.  I was like the room was super charged with faith in their hearts.  I could tell they were believing God to touch their life individually.  Wow. what can I say.  He did it.  He always shows up.  He loves those kids and us so much.

In Ministry, God heals and touches people all the time in spite of us.  My doctrine or capabilities are limited. I am not perfect.  But I do believe He can do whatever He wants to.  All I have to do is see Him, recognize what God is doing, then speak it to others.  We can have the most amazing messages and faith on our end, but that alone won't activate much in the people who are listening.  The people receiving must have faith on their own.  Many times, during ministry, we do whatever we have to do to get them in the best place possible to receive, and then preach what God wants us to say,  so they don't miss out on what God has. 

Like I said this is a online journal for me.  But if you are reading this thanks.  I appreciate it.  Hopefully it blesses you.  It blesses me to see God do His thing in the earth and the great mystery is that He wants to do it with us and in us.

We will continue preaching about the Kingdom and expect God to show up and minister to everyone who wants Him.