CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY

     I was driving home from work one day, pondering as well as discerning some things but in an amazing place of intense presence and light as well as anointing of the Lord I had been in since 4am. The book of Colossians and 2 Chronicles had gripped my attention lately especially after a friend had given me Colossians as part of a personal word recently. After dinner, I suddenly became incredibly sleepy and I felt just sacked. Which was actually ridiculous considering I felt charged all day. I headed for a nap becoming aware He just might put me to sleep to give me a dream. Sure enough I came out of a dream with pounding heart, gasping for air and a deep sense of alert!  I won’t share the dream but I was sent into an intense study the next two days because this would be the third time He has mentioned the walls of Moab are falling. 

     I read through Colossians 1 and 2, including a description on the book. It is written as a warning against being deceived by false teaching and how Christ is a pictorial of the fullness of Father and Holy Spirit. Glory and Resurrection. A prayer watch from years ago came to mind quite suddenly from when I was in the early days of my church’s 24-7 prayer house in my home city. That particular watch I was staring at the huge wooden cross they had placed in the center of the corner of the multipurpose room where we had begun before moving it to an actual house. As I had stared at that cross then, I had a vision right out of the scene of 2 Chron 5:10-14. The Lord reminded me I had actually been reading Colossians at that time as well. He was connecting something so easily and showing me a full circle was occurring. The vision then was so intense and real I truly believed that right then and there soon a 120 priests and musicians in the Upper room would come to be sanctified. Or surely the glory was coming as soon as next week. My life was never the same that day when glory revelation pierced through me. That day I cut out a shape from yellow construction paper for He was jealous for our hearts. I wrote: ‘Christ in Me the Hope of Glory’ on it and taped it to the center of that Cross and there is remained for the 13 years that 24-7 prayer was kept. (As far as I know). 

     My feet are standing at this full circle place today but it is at a higher level. All those years ago I got to be a part of start our nation’s prayer house history. Now what He has before us is beyond this but a fresh new plan regarding what He calls New Wine. It is a way none of us have gone before. 

A recent day trip to Banff and up Sulfur Moutain had been what I see as a catalyst unlocking some things He gave me through the years and in 2019 while in Israel for almost a month. A flood of both positive and some difficult things He taught me over the years were surfacing. This was especially about the subject matter and prophecies over my life. I have observed many things over the years He would not allow me to address or speak on in His church. Especially regarding much error and lack of Biblical foundations in those who call themselves His people. There has been a chasing of a cocktail of experiences, mysticism and New Age concepts along with much bondage to religion and legalism without Biblical backup. There is such a need for solid teachers of the Word along with the discipleship of mothers and fathers to arise to bring the church back into Biblical alignment. (1 Cor 4:14-16) 

     As I prepared to take the gondola ride down from my mountain experience, I was sensitive to so much of the building blocked off with covid restrictions that actually made no sense. Felt almost a sadness at this unravelling of so much of things in the earth even on this mountaintop. In the gift shop, I had a look at the Korite jewelry that was there on sale. Gold, silver and mosaic collections. I felt the Lord prompt me to purchase a mosaic ring. It's called a mosaic because it has a pattern of 9 tiny ammolite stones arranged on it. 

     Ammolite, for those who are not aware, is a rare brilliant and rainbow-colored, opal-like gemstone that comes from fossilized ammonite seashells that is found along the Rocky Mountains. It is in the same category as amber and pearls. It is can be expensive because of its rarity. It is thin and rarely without its matrix when found which is typically a grey or brown shale, chalky clay or limestone it needs to be separated from. Ammolite tends to crack or flake with sunlight exposure that results in a stained-glass kaleidoscope or dragon skin appearance. I was personally not impressed with it years back when someone wanted to gift me a ring with it. Didn't care to put a fossilized, dragon skin looking shell on my finger no matter how pretty. Alberta has many fossils because of the ancient seabed here. My gemstone dreams leaned toward emeralds, sapphires or amethysts which are foundational stones in Revelation 21. 

     A prophetic vision given to me recently highlighted the Lord was going to take me on a short treasure hunt to discover a diamond or something like it, that was not too far in the ground and I would pull it out. I immediately thought of the journey and search for wisdom. “If you seek Wisdom as for silver and search for skillful and godly wisdom as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of our God.” Pro 2:4-5 AMPC   “I rejoice in your word like the one who finds a great treasure.” Psalm 119:162 NLT  How much we need His wisdom. How much we need Him and to know Him. 

     I have known a little bit about diamonds as my late husband’s drilling company was involved in diamond drilling. Diamonds are formed from having incredible pressure and heat applied to them over a long period of time in the earth’s mantle layer. There are four different C’s of diamonds based on color, cut, carat weight and clarity. Clarity is how clean and clear the diamond is and thus has a better grade, depth and characteristics. Only the rarest ones emerge in perfect condition. They have exceptional physical characteristics such as the highest thermal conductivity and sound velocity, high optical dispersion from far infrared to deep ultraviolet, low adhesion and friction, high electrical resistance, doesn’t react with most corrosive substances and excellent biological compatibility. I did not have an interest in  diamonds for a significant part of my life either but have come to appreciate them as well their prophetic significance to our maturing walk with the Lord. These characteristics find a similarity to the fruits of the spirit and maturity in a believer.  

     There are great similarities between the two stones and great differences. Both are formed from great pressure, fire or earth’s plates shifting. One reflects the rainbow’s brilliant colors and God’s promises, that comes from a fossilized shell. The other reflects a clarity, purity and brilliance of light shining through it from the transforming process that occurred. It is not unlike an individual that has been through the fire of God, life’s tribulations and trials that are designed to conform our flesh to crucifixion as Christ. It produces the image of Christ in us. He is the Light. Not a popular topic I have found discussed in the church over the years. Diamonds form in either kimberlite pipes of volcanos or from meteorites – explosive either way. Both stones can be set in jewelry with diamonds being a favorite symbol of eternal love for engagements or marriage. More recently I have viewed the ammolite in comparison to Joseph’s coat of many colors and process one goes through to carry such an end time mantle.  

     It's interesting how my ring came from the mosaic collection. There are nine stones on it. Jacob’s ninth son was Issachar. This became the prophetic tribe as Issachar knew the times and seasons.  So I choose today to look through the lens of the Issachar anointing to see what God is saying. My study led me to study Moses. Yahweh God gave Moses His laws to the nation of Israel on Mt. Sinai in particular the 10 Commandments which was one of three parts making up what is called the Mosaic law. It covered theological practices, health and dietary, social practices and criminal law, and others to provide guidance and direction. It was a blueprint for social order and the four spheres of government He instituted. The symbol of the ammolite stones reflect the old. Preserved.  There are many Christians that preserve or observe Jewish shabbat, keep kosher diet or the feasts which is fine but it cannot not in any way bring one closer to God. Yeshua established a New Covenant. His Blood atonement on the Cross once and for all took captivity captive and set us free from our sin by His grace. Now we can draw near freely to God having been forgiven and released from the law. It no longer has power over us and He has made it obsolete. (Heb 7-9) 

     When I was in Bethlehem, I was able to purchase a ring with sapphires in it. This little town where Yeshua first entered the earth as a man. The sea of glass, often called the sapphire sea, is in front of and part of the Throne. In Ezekiel 1:26, it speaks on the firmament over their heads was as the appearance of sapphire. It is understood that the first, original 10 commandments were cut from the clear blue sapphire seen on Mt. Sinai that Moses walked on. Blue often symbolizes revelation. In this season of remembering the firsts of God, I reflect on the need to look up for our help comes from the Lord. Then, as now, He is giving us new direction and leading us from the old into the new. How much we need Him and revelation erupting from the Throne room in this hour. To walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corin 5:7). It is indeed a way none of us have gone before as I imagine Moses, Aaron, his sons and the 70 elders felt walking up Mt. Sinai in faith to have dinner with God. There is a shaking in the earth now of everything that can be shaken will be shaken. As His Kingdom comes and aligns us. Again, we are in a place of a revealing. 

     I believe so many in the church have not had a revelation that there was a changing of the priesthood 2000 years ago and still adhere to Aaronic, Mosaic, Levitical priesthood. However, Yeshua, brought a change in the law and therefore now a different priest, like Melchizedek of Genesis 14. “You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek,” Heb 7:17. Under the old priesthoods, the priests died but our glorious Priest and King Yeshua lives forever. He is the first born from the dead. A whole revealing of our identity as children of God is advancing. As His people are delivered out of the poverty mindset, fear of Egypt, gross errors, lies and false teachings will dissolve in revelation of the truth of the finished work of the Cross and the love of the Father. He has begun pouring out revelation of our inheritance as sons and daughters of God and the mind of Christ we have.  

     Here I see the walls of Moab beginning to fall en masse all over the globe in so many peoples that I started this writing with. A diamond comes forth from the sanctification and purification process of those who willingly subject themselves to draw near to Him, yielding and surrendering to the process of maturing as an heir of Christ. “Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God.” (Matt 5:8) For our Bridegroom will have a pure and spotless Bride. In essence, Father presents the purified Bride to His Son. “Arise! Shine! For the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” (Isa 60:1) A pure diamond without flaw showcasing the Light of Christ. 

     Many have understood the concept of ‘in Christ.’ But many have been on a journey or have not understood yet the concept of “Christ in us the hope of glory.” (Colossians 2) It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; it is the glory of kings to pursue seeking out a matter. (Pro 25) God conceals for a time from some and then reveals yet to others that which will produce a demonstration of His power. There is wisdom and justice so closely connected in this. We must first learn how to be a priest as Samuel did before we become a king as Yeshua. I see that in this time of intense fiery intercession, He is accelerating us all into maturity. The fires do not last forever. He is preparing a people. There is an anointing coming through the revealed sons of God coming this world has never seen. There is nothing in the way of a pure perfect diamond. A perfect conduit for the resurrection power of Holy Spirit to pour out to a world so desperately needing Him. He has given us Holy Spirit like an engagement ring guarantee (2 Corin 5:5) Miracles are coming as we proclaim the Kingdom. The Bridegroom comes.

 

Elisha, the Youth and the Bears

Its not often that I wake up from a dream finding myself travelling forward on a road through a small forest. Coming face to face with a black bear staring me in the eye. I do remember beginning to physically shake internally like an earthquake was happening but it definitely had no fear attached to the shaking.

Thus began a journey through the Bible about why I was seeing a black bear. I stopped first at 2 Kings 2. This chapter has a lot of activity most widely known for the dramatic way in which Elijah the prophet made his exit from earth to heaven as well as Elisha becoming Elijah's successor. Quite the eyeful 50 sons of the prophets witnessed. And their doubt as to what they witnessed shown in their earnest searching of Elijah and what could have happened to him. Even though they saw with their own eyes and saw Elisha with the mantle. Elisha told them not to search for Elisha but they ignored him for 3 days. Elisha's first test of credibility in the eyes of everyone in this idolatrous town as well as the company of prophets of Elijah's Bethel school had to be passed. It must have been difficult for Elisha during this transition to new leadership phase and his authority being taken seriously. He had just witnessed his spiritual father leave this earth in a fiery chariot, a man he absolutely loved and adored. And he received a double portion of what he boldly asked for. I imagine he might have perhaps even been in a bit of shock and some grief.  His first task of leadership was getting the poisoned water of Jericho cleaned up first so it was useable. A huge needed requirement in a desert area. 

As Elisha walked back to Bethel from Jericho, it so happens that a bunch of boys came up to him and mocked and ridiculed him. Now depending on Biblical version, boys is probably not an accurate picture of their age. They were more than likely not small children but indeed older teens or young men. Many commentaries speak on this in the past with outrage and have had a difficult time with what happens here because of interpretation of 'boys.' In response to them mocking this new successor to Elijah, we find Elisha turning to them and cursing them in the name of the Lord. The verse describes two bears coming out of the woods and mauling 42 of them right then. Not a small group. Whether they died or whether they lived it doesn't say. But if they lived they certainly learned a harsh lesson as well as this whole town. The false gods in this nation had failed to protect them. These 42 young men were foolish and old enough to know better than to challenge a man of God.  Elisha the Prophet was established in his authority that day in the eyes of those that certainly did not want an Elijah replacement. One who stood for truth and brought the word of the Lord to a corrupt nation. 

I cross-referenced 2 King 2 to this interesting verse 2 Chronicles 36:16. "But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord's anger could no longer be restrained and there was no remedy." They are referring to Israel here. 

As I waited on the Lord, what He began to reveal was a destruction of Moab and what it symbolizes today is coming. 2 Kings 3. The walls of Moab will come tumbling down like Jericho, Isaiah 25:12. Anything and everything to do with poverty, unbelief and rebellion needs to go. The Lord's expanding glory is about to the earth and come to a people that He has been preparing through much trial and tribulation. We must be ready and need to stand. There are many changing of the guards occurring at the moment, the most recent with being Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh passing away. This bear attack shows our God is long suffering by repeatedly trying to bring His people back to Himself through smaller judgments so that there would be an avoidance of a worse 'full force' judgment. Rebelliousness must be dealt with in this era. He is very serious about the false being addressed with His true people. This season of the world forced to put on a mask, isolate, people losing their businesses, jobs, stressed out relationships is all telling of the work transpiring beneath the surface.

Interestingly enough, the place where Elisha cursed these young men from - in the name of the Lord - is also the place from where the miraculous emerges from. The miraculous and healings are coming. But so is the severity of the Lord when one is pointed to the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Act 5:1-11 that I see also coming. We must be ready in order to be able to successfully walk in and carry this powerful anointing this world has never seen. Run to Him now and embrace the fire of purification and the Cross. He's waiting. His glory and the harvest at hand will be indescribable. Are you ready?