Monday, April 14, 2008

A Meditation on Revelation

Hello beautiful bloggers!

Thank you, again, for having ears to hear...

We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and that “proceeding word”…that revelation in the now, more often than not, challenges most (if not all) of our comfort-zones. The upside is that it empowers us to “work out our own salvation”, but when the revelation is fresh from the mouth of God…when the daily bread comes, piping hot, right out of heaven’s oven…it can be so "other-wordly" that it appears dangerously close to blasphemy...so much so that to receive it we must learn to work out that salvation through that revelation with nothing but “fear and trembling”. We obediently pray “Give us this day our daily bread”, but we know that it always comes to us as indefinable, mysterious Manna (which literally means “What is it?). We need it…we want it…but every morning we still ask “What is it?”

That’s a good question – “What is it?” Do we dare eat the Manna? Can we digest the word of the Lord? Can we eat His flesh and drink His blood without offense? Can we respond correctly to the command that he gave to Ezekiel? (“But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you." – Ezekiel 2:8 TNIV )

Indeed…our God is a communicator…a revealer of secrets…but He is also versatile, multi-faceted, moody, complex…the ultimate intelligence…a cloud by day and a fire by night…a Coat of Many Colors...always new…always fresh…always in the now. In Him we move…and we move a lot…always remaining ready to pull up stakes and move with the cloud…always standing on the promise that we can run and not be weary…that we can walk and not faint…

Revelation brings awesome responsibility…to whom much is given, much is required. It is unpredictable…Jesus said that the wind blows where it wills to blow…it forces us to go from glory to glory...and while many choose to set up camps of doctrine and build fortresses of theology, those of us who can only live by the proceeding word are in a never-ending search for that city not made with hands, whose builder and maker is God.

Revelation is always potentially dangerous. It challenges all of our ideas, traditions, heritage, prejudices, limitations, strongholds…it smashes the idols and tears down the icons…it sets up one and puts down another. Often it causes division among brothers, because one man’s revelation is another man’s deception…

As a shepherd, I am instructed of the Good Shepherd to keep ever on the move, in an effort to find green pastures for my flock. If I leave you in one place for too long, you will eat up all of the living grass, and then spiritually starve to death (The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and LEADS THEM OUT. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. – John 10:3, 4). True shepherds are not afraid to lead their flocks "out"…even into uncharted territory...His rod and His staff, they comfort...

I understand why some don’t understand this. A burning bush can be a terrifying sight…it can cause some to run the other way. The recognition of holy ground not only requires the removal of shoes, it also sets the stage for God demanding the impossible, as He reveals Himself as I AM...

So today I bless you, the seekers…the believers…the visionaries...the light-bearers...I pray that you keep your minds and your hearts and your ears and your eyes wide open. You have been given the keys of the kingdom, and what you unlock on earth is unlocked in heaven...let all the dreamers wake the nations...

Our God is an awesome God!

19 comments:

Kettly said...

I can’t speak, I can’t think, I can’t sleep!

Thank you so much for the appetizer can’t wait for the big dinner Wednesday or Sunday……And dessert the following Sunday….. Wednesday.

“In a little while “, He told them, you’ll see me again.
He did not say how the sight would come, only that it surely would.
We waited; and the wind came blowing freely. We waited; and the fire came this morning leaping joyfully. We waited; and the spirit came, kindly as a dove.
You’re going to consume the world with Christ love.
Now you go because ISREAL is waiting.
COME, HOLY SPIRIT, COME!

God Bless,
Kettly

Ebony said...

Anything unfamiliar is always scary because it challenges us. I see it in my job when new methods are introduced to us in meetings and conferences, the more experienced teachers balk at it, question why it has to be done "this way", and not the way I do it. Maybe because they think that by showing them the new, you're saying something was wrong with the old. When really it's just saying "what we were doing may have worked then but it doesn't now. We have to adapt." Yes you may have to step out of the box and challenge yourself. But the end result is something beautiful. Keep looking for greener pastures Bishop.

Anonymous said...

I totally love seeing the Holy Spirit in action, and Seeing God's people being bless even though some don't understand the work of the spirit.Hopefully by the end of your series on the Holy spirit all will come to understand and welcome him.

DoubleBack Alley said...

Sahib,

I think revelation is the most difficult task that the universe provides because it is the most lethal. Revelatory knowledge has produced all of the greatest killing devices and killing campaigns that man has ever perpetrated on himself. In some ways, it is the earth’s virus to prevent man from destroying the environment. Having said that, there is nothing more beautiful than a word fitly spoken that soothes the savage breast.

I read Tracy’s response about “Tyrone, but not Tyrone”. Only revelation can lay claim to that type of God-word. Only revelation can speak to Abraham and create two nations. Only revelation can speak to Moses that leads a nation. Only revelation can speak to Jesus that births a new world. Only revelation can speak to Mohammed and birth another new world. Only revelation can speak to countless prophets that blazoned out the good news, “love God and love your neighbor!” Revelation is as good as it gets and worse than can be imagined.

I believe there is seminal research manifesting itself now in the world of co-existing. Not sure if we are ready for reconciliation because I don’t think we have ever been conciled to one another. The Aga Khan will be here next week. He leads over fifteen million Ishmaelites. I must admit that I have never heard of him before, but he apparently wields a good amount of influence in the Muslim world and is noted as being a centrist and a unifying force in that world. President Carter has made vast inroads in that area. His influence can be felt by the pushback he is currently receiving. Peace initiatives are germinating and are in dire need of an apolitical green thumb. I am less sure than ever of the tack of the war, but I am more sure than ever that governments cannot do what needs to be done. Northern Ireland is more unified than ever because people saw that the religious war was dumbing down their country. They began to see that education was the most important agenda. They marginalized the extremist elements and allowed their children to matriculate as equals, regardless of religious or political affiliation. This was not a government mandate. Bernadette Devlin and the British Parliament were no match for the will of the people when the consideration was the welfare of the children.

I am concerned about our children now. I want you to be part of such stuff as dreams are made on. I want every mountain to be lowered and each valley exalted if it is the intent of the universe for you to go to Israel. Perfect harmony and timing are required, but I know that these are things that need doing. Korea may well in fact be penultimate to this experience. The river will carry you so that you will not have to strive if it is to happen. These are class 5 rapids, so wear you I Am the Life jacket. Peace bro.

Irish for world peace (Shout out to Peacemaker)

Ain’t God Good?

Iris said...

Good morning Bishop and all my Blog family...

Wow… what an awe-inspiring service yesterday… The Holy Spirit was so tangible my knees were trembling while basking in His presence… It is amazing how the flesh becomes weak when His presence is so strong… we are truly on Holy Ground…

I am astounded at how a word spoken in the receptive crevices of my heart can cause me (and I know everyone else who shared the service yesterday) to see Him more clearly… When in His presence it seems that the crumbling walls of childhood indoctrinated religion are crushed into a fine dust and blown away with the wind… dispersed is the haze of theology… lifted is the dense curtain of disagreements and judgments… rubbed out are my blinding mistakes and egotism…nothing matters because He is here… He is no longer a wavy figure walking out of a desert mirage… He is a touchable face of a best friend… He is the kind and gentle voice that fills my being with His unconditional love… My heart burns with in me as I absorb every spoken word…

His glory has filled the temple... The soaring Eagle of eternity… the Admiral of the Kingdom… all the splendor of Heaven has come and made Himself known… He has shown us the forever open doors of the throne room and He welcomes all to enter…

One problem though… I am addicted… It seems that with every glimpse of Him it consumes me with the desire to see more and say more about Him… Pew-warming is not an alternative… stale religious convictions of television evangelist will no longer suffice…I have to have more of the fresh manna from heaven daily to survive… The hunger pangs for Him are overwhelming… Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights are not sufficient enough to sustain me… My body groans for more… What is it???? I’m not sure that there is any word on earth that can articulate it… I just know that I have tasted, and I will never ever be the same… I will never be full enough for the hunger pangs to be relieved… I am addicted... I have seen Him and I will forever long to be in His continual presence… because without His presence I am not alive…

Hungry!!!
Iris…

Iris said...

Good morning Bishop and my Blog Family

Wow… what an awe-inspiring service yesterday… The Holy Spirit was so tangible my knees were trembling while basking in His presence… It is amazing how the flesh becomes weak when His presence is so strong… we are truly on Holy Ground…

I am astounded at how a word spoken in the receptive crevices of my heart can cause me (and I know everyone else who shared the service yesterday) to see Him more clearly… When in His presence it seems that the crumbling walls of childhood indoctrinated religion are crushed into a fine dust and blown away with the wind… dispersed is the haze of theology… lifted is the dense curtain of disagreements and judgments… rubbed out are my blinding mistakes and egotism…nothing matters because He is here… He is no longer a wavy figure walking out of a desert mirage… He is a touchable face of a best friend… He is the kind and gentle voice that fills my being with His unconditional love… My heart burns with in me as I absorb every word spoken…

His glory has filled the temple... The soaring Eagle of eternity… the Admiral of the Kingdom… all the splendor of the Heaven has come and made Himself known… He has shown us the forever open doors of the throne room and He welcomes all to enter…

One problem though… I am addicted… It seems that with every glimpse of Him it consumes me with the desire to see more and say more about Him… Pew-warming is not an alternative… stale religious convictions of television evangelist will no longer suffice…I have to have more of the fresh manna from heaven daily to survive… The hunger pangs for Him are overwhelming… Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights are not sufficient enough to sustain me… My body groans for more… What is it???? I’m not sure that there is any word on earth that can articulate it… I just know that I have tasted, and I will never be the same… I will never be full enough for the hunger pangs to be relieved… I am addicted… I have seen Him and I will forever long to be in His continual presence… because without His presence I am not alive…

Hungry!!!
Iris…

Anonymous said...

Yes we must move on.
It's a new day.
If a river stops flowing it becomes
stagnant.
The River flows because we flow with Him.
Love to see a new day.
Love to hear a new word.
Love to taste new manna.
Love to smell His fresh reign.
Love feeling His love for me.
Want more.
Need more
Give more of His glory.
Just keep moving forward
Not going back
Moving ahead
The past is over
Moving forward, forward, Forward

Anonymous said...

Thanks Bishop. There is nothing better than a teaching on the Holy Spirit. He really touches my heart and the hearts of many who don't understand the doctrine of religion. Their hearts know when the Spirit of God touches them!

All hats off to the Holy spirit as He does His work in the world!

Donald said...

Often is causes division among brothers because one man’s revelation is another man’s deception…
That really hits on a personal level for me. It’s actually quite ironic also. For many years I tried to “witness” to my oldest brother who took great pleasure in telling preachers that they could kiss his “you know what” or to get out of his face with their Jesus “stuff”. I’m trying to be polite because his colorful metaphors were always quite inappropriate to share with decent people. He would literally go into a very frightening rage.
But a few years ago he read something in his Bible (I don’t know what enticed him to read the Bible again) about any man that hated his father would be cursed or something like that…definitely Old Testament law stuff. He told me that he got scared and decided that he needed to make a change in his life. I guess he figured that verse applied to him since he and my dad had not spoken to each other for nearly 15 years because of a little “difference of opinion” on some issues.
Now I’m getting CD’s sent to me from him by preacher’s that he now listens to trying to get me to see the error of my ways. I made the “mistake” of trying to share some revelation with him and my dad.
I really do appreciate the fact that he is trying to help me, but the light he is trying to share is like a little night light compared to the one I’m using now which is more like the one on the front end of a freight train.
I sometimes think that it will be impossible for him to see things differently, but then I have to remember that I used to be as dogmatic as he is now about the same things.

Anonymous said...

It was great to feel the presence of the Holy Ghost yesterday !! Can't wait for more..... more...... more..... more.... It's also such a relief to let it sink into my mind that no one is really going to burn. I was raised on that & when I think about it.... how scary it is.... It's so comforting to know everything is really o.k. and God really does love us.

PattiL007 said...

The Israel trip is such a holy and wonderful thing...such a God thing. I remember your saying that you felt very "at home" when you first visited there...that makes even more sense now. The bad news does get most of the PR but for every explosion and the mayhem in its wake, there are a hundred others saying "NO MORE!" This is, without a doubt, THE Peace Train and I believe this is the train that Donald, and all of us, are hanging onto as it zooms in and illuminates the darkest of places and all nations. It's thrilling and sometimes causes nervousness, but it's the ride we're on...the one we've chosen and we will see it through.

I was thinking of your ring, Bishop...you know, "that" ring. I know that you said it was handed down and that each receiver had some sort of TV ministry manifest shortly thereafter...yours ended. Then one day you broke it...in a way, you broke the mold and let the Spirit out...set Him free even more in your life and in ours. I don't know if you still have it, but the ministry that has and is manifesting since then...well...those TV guys only wish they were a part of such things.

Bring it on, we're still here, still ready, still supporting you, and still ready to follow our Shepherd.

Y'all are right...this is one amazing place to be and I'm so thankful to be here...and so ready for more...What Is It?

Blessings Blog Fam...

PattiL007 said...

Maybe instead of a train...it's actually a plane as Bishop has alluded to in the past...now that one is a hoot to hang on to as it zooms into the darkness--a little more difficult to hang on but definitely worth it...especially when you see that the pilot is ON FIRE! LOL!

By the way, Bishop...this is the BEST flight I've EVER been on--you sure do know how to fly this thing...Can't wait to fly with you again!

Blessings Blog Fam...

dgm2007 said...

wow.. so i missed a few days on the blog and feel all caught up now. the word i feel right now is wow. this past sunday was awesome i mean juts the fact that we spoke Jesus into existence on this planet. it means so much to me just about the overall power of words that we posses. and I am incredibly blessed not because of who i say i am but because ppl say im blessed and speak that over me. wow so that was really cool. ive been talking to some of my freinds one of whom was like i am all about God as an energy but i just dont do the whole Jesus thing. and after this sunday i know that every knee shall bow. i mean my new saying is if god lets satan have hell and still be God I'm pretty sure he's cool with what your doing. when i say that people just feel such a connection to God. there like huh wow god must be greater than what i thought him to be. i mean every knee shall bow that includes my own. so glad you have a blog its just great to read how much ppl are thinking and on the same wavelength. it just confirms that we are hearers and seekers of the word.

Anonymous said...

Manna, what is it? It is whatever you need it to be. It is God manifested as our need, our provision, our supply, our blessings. And that is different in each individual case and person. That’s the reason the Spirit called it “what is it?” He wants YOU to name it and then receive it as and from our heavenly host. The God of from whom all blessings flow. That which you need most is where God will meet you. We define that meeting place by “naming our need” and God becomes what we need him to be at that hour. His Servant nature never ceases to amaze me. He teaches us his character by showing up as the giver of all good gifts. And therefore teaching us His children “look this is how you do it”. And this is why we meet new needs, new demands, new challenges each day so that the good shepherd can lead His sheep into just the right pastor for there nutritional needs for that day. If we did not continue to have these ongoing problems, needs and challenges our relationship with our heavenly Father would become stagnate and decline into a ever increasing monotony of existence.

Shalom,
Dennis

famman87 said...

All,

It seems that revelation IS scary partly because it is unfamiliar, and pushes us toward change that we frequently do not want to make.
(rock the boat[don't rock the boat, baby]...)

But to me these days, it's like good scary. Roller Coaster scary. Good OLD horror movie scary.First kiss scary(that's from my boy!) I ask for it more every day, even though I don't always "like" what I hear because I'm having to let go of a lot of "stuff" that I want to hold tight, even though I know it may come back in a better form later.

Thank God that I know the manna is coming, and my shepherd(s) is/are there to lead me by still waters...

Much Love...

Anonymous said...

I asked for bread and once again representing the fathers heart, Bishop you freely gave..Thank-you.
I could never begin to convey in mere words what this blog has done for me and in me...healing, validation of hearing and leading of the GOOD shepard...This one thing the Spirit of this blog has produced or better put, re-awakened in me is a hunger for GOD that was for a long time non-exsistant...Fresh bread...everyday now I crave..This Spiritual carb...makes me more hungry the more i eat of it...it gives me spiritual energy..it fuels my faith.

Anonymous said...

Bishop, this is Karl...
I'll try & remember what I wrote yesterday before my computer went "blah" and disconnected me.

...Good morning beautiful shepherd it started...baah, baah (sheepie talk meaning "I'm here, present and accounted for, sir!")

In the pasture the grass will eventually be "greener" on the other side as we take our fill where we are, BUT we must WAIT for the shepherd to LEAD US out.
We hear your voice!

I personally want to say that I believe I have truly found/discerned my first spiritual father in you, Bishop. I definitely want to get know you better, dad!

Thanks for all the green grass and still waters that you lead me to. I never knew some things were so good until you led me out and away from that dark and dry valley. I didn't like it there much, it was a little scary. Sometimes its hard to talk about. Thanks for your rod and staff, they comfort me, and help keep me from wandering back or wandering off. I can eat more calmly now, too. You're the best!

Maybe if everyone in the flock can "Baah" loud enough we'll get some of the other shepherds attention and they'll see what a wonderful pasture we're in over here and they can come share with us, I think there is plenty here for everyone. What do you think?...can we?...can we?

Okay, everybody, on the count of three...1...2...3...

Anonymous said...

I like to think about fresh "HOT" bread coming out of the oven. We smell it just before it comes out, and we ooh and aah as it does.
Bishop has just the right way of warning us that it is HOT, stand back a sec...then serves it up nice and yummy. Sometimes with just the right condiments we're used to. Sometimes it is a similar bread like what we're used to, sometimes a whole new grain altogether to try, but always with the baker's mark. Oh the staff of life!- I love carbs, especially the SPIRITUAL one (like I heard another blogger Ronnielee say )

... and yesterday's bread doesn't quite taste the same as the fresh of today.

Good eatin' everyone, now pass the butter, please!

--Karl Cobos

Anonymous said...

Bishop, this is definitely food for thought, "...open your mouth and eat what I give you." 'what is it?'
Revelation: awesome responsibility-step out of the tent and count the stars, contiunue to move; and the potential for danger-where are my friends, family, it's just me and...no, wait it's beginning to rain, it's pouring & no umbrella...
"and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." Bishop, continue to find green pastures, to lead where no man has gone before.
"What is it?" something to meditate on while I rest. Good night my friends.