« Matt Sorger: "Awakening: The Invasion of God into our Culture" | HomePage | Kim Clement: "SYRIA, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU WILL NOT RISE UP AGAINST THE LION! --July 16, Humble, Texas" »
07/16/2006
Paulette Reed: "A Wave Of God"
"Reverend Paulette Reed is serving in our ministry as the Chief Administrator of our school. She is a Godly woman who has a strong love for excellence. At the same time, she has proven to be flexible and submissive, quick to adjust to the priorities of those she serves.
She is a woman of faith, grace and spiritual maturity. We are blessed to have her among us."
Francis Frangipane
Senior Pastor, River of Life Ministries
Director, In Christ's Image Ministry School
As we see and hear the news of rolling seas, forceful winds, mudslides and other tragedies, we can’t help but wonder what the Lord wants to speak to His Church through these signs. For “The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.” (I Corinthians 15:46)
What blatant opportunities the earth is providing for the sheep and the goats, as it appears the Great Shepherd is preparing to place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. The Word declares, “All nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” (Matthew 25:32-33)
Jesus promises in Matthew 25:34 that many will be “blessed by the Father,” and will take their inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for them since the creation of the world. However, verse 46 states that some will go away to eternal punishment. How wonderful of our Father to present instruction, and not destruction, in these passages.
Living in these days of restoration, we need only refer to Acts 2 to see the original state of the Church. We see believers devoting themselves to teaching and to fellowship, to breaking of bread, and to prayer. Now, again, the Church is seeing many devote themselves to teaching with “schools of revival” arising around the world, as well as thousands of Christian books, CDs and DVDs. We see fellowship with small groups, home groups, and cell groups on the increase. This is an indication that church buildings will be inadequate to house the thousands of believers about to come into the Kingdom. Houses of prayer are becoming 24/7. Alleluia!
What Happens Next? A Wave of God...
For, as in the New Testament, “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 2:43-45)
We’re getting there, friends! We may not have sold “everything,” but we are sending airplanes, ships, and semi-trucks loaded with our possessions for the hurricane, tornado, and tsunami overcomers.
In the midst of tragedy, it truly is an amazing time for the Church to be the Church, for as we are devoted to teaching, and to the Master Teacher, our passion for Him increases, and our First Love is restored. His compassion is free to flow through us, birthed from our renewed passion for Him. As our destiny is to be conformed to the image of Christ, then our nature is conformed to the mission of Christ.
We can find one element of Jesus’ mission in James 2:5; “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
Brothers and sisters, as disasters expose and increase the population of poor and homeless, God is standing by to give them their inheritance. God loves the poor! He reveals Himself as a refuge to the poor in Psalms 14:6; a help to the poor in Psalms 40:17; and a deliverer to the poor in 1 Samuel 2:8. He imparts that love to us, that compassion and responsibility. In fact, He does not present it as an option, but as a requirement for entrance into His eternal kingdom--sheep on the right, goats on the left. He even says, “When you give to the poor. . .” (see Matthew 6:2)
What a Tremendous Window of Opportunity God is Allowing His Church
He is allowing an opportunity to preach the gospel, using words if necessary. How will they know God has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith if we do not tell them? Our Father is providing possibilities throughout the nations to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the strangers, clothe those in need, look after the sick and visit those in prison, as we truly do it all for His Son. (see Matthew 25:40)
And, there is more! It is reasonable that, as the Church is restored and we see more passion for Jesus and more compassion for His people, then the next component of the Gospel (Acts 2) will be many wonders and miraculous signs. A “Wave of God,” so that He may show Himself mighty to the poor, the hurting, and the suffering--a wave--not to escape from, but to ride!
Consider for a moment the “beggar” who was healed at Gate Beautiful. It is coming--A Wave of God to the poor. Passion + compassion = the miraculous.
Epilogue: As I’m writing this, Holy Spirit reminds me that waves come in succession, and we can never out-give God. So, as believers and pre-believers give to the poor, and as the Wave of God comes, many will see Truth. Consequently, a Wave of God will then come to the rich--even to “Holywood”--as they realize they are truly giving a drink to Jesus and come to know their First Love.
Waves of God, waves of God, as the waters cover the sea. (See Habakkuk 2:14)
Rev. Paulette Reed
Daughters of the Morning Ministries
www.dotmm.org
21:40 Permalink