Dear Friend, How are you? I’m well. I shared Pastor Rick Joyner’s interview with Sid Roth last week. After I watched it, I really wanted to know more about the friendship with God and bought a video teaching, God’s Storm Changers, in MorningStar Ministry website. I did enjoy series of Pastor Rick’s teachings from his encounter with the Lord and I’d like to share with you some of them that spoke to me so much. Pastor Rick quoted what Jesus said to him, “Labors (servants) are cheap; Friends are expensive; Sons are priceless.” Jesus said that Pastor Rick should be delivered from the slave mentality, to become Friends of God. But paradoxically, He said that slave mentality got him into being promoted to becoming His friend. Pastor Rick said that he served the Lord for 40 years, before this encounter and he always wanted to serve the Lord, saying “What do You want me to do? I will obey.” We need to serve the Lord, but He needs more than that. He desires friendship. And Jesus said to him that if Pastor Rick didn’t obey His voice to ride his motorcycle during the storm and despite his weak knees, he would have missed the promotion to be His friend. It was the test from the Lord. Friend, I’m writing this, not that I’m being proud of myself, thinking I’m promoted, but I’d like to encourage you, as anybody can be His friend. Pastor Rick said it took 40 years for him to be delivered from the slave mentality and to be his Friend. But it would take a year or a few months to some. I believe the Lord would be merciful to many of us, perhaps because we are running out of time. In 2016, after I was baptized with the Holy Spirit, my heart desire was to be His servant not only now, but in eternity. I really wanted to be close to Him, serving and worshipping Him day and night in eternity. Then, last year, when I read the late Pastor Neville Johnson’s book, Destiny and the Eternal Purposes of God, his testimony and encounter with the Lord really made me into tears, getting to know about His loneliness. I knelt down on the floor and said to the Lord, “I set my heart to become Your friend.” Then, when I listened to Pastor Rick’s testimony on the Lord’s testing him, I felt that asking my old friend forgiveness was a test, likewise. It was not easy to break the silence and ask forgiveness to someone who I think is immature and self-centered. In addition, I was resolute in not arguing with her, nor backbiting her, after that. When I was tempted, I said to the Lord, “Father, I wouldn’t backbite her.” Probably, not only asking her forgiveness, but being quiet, not defending myself nor backbiting her, just as Jesus was before He was crucified, could have been the test. And I stood in awe again that He orchestrated everything including the timing of watching Pastor Rick’s testimony right after this incident. Interestingly enough, Pastor Rick said, “Some of you might see 11:11 very often. It’s Isaiah 11:11. The second chance.” Since 2020, I saw 11:11 so often and I interpreted that I’m in a transition. With Pastor Rick’s interpretation, I said to myself, “Could it be really the second chance, as the Lord kept showing my friend in my dreams, but I didn’t listen to Him?” Friend, Pastor Rick said he is just a baby in the friendship with the Lord. How much more immature would I be? I may be a fetus in a womb. Yet, I ask His great grace and mercy that I would grow in this friendship with Him. I don’t hear Him often or see Him face to face, as Pastor Rick does. But, I’m fine with that. My heart is to long for Him and want to bring Him joy and be conformed to His character. Being so encouraged, I looked up Pastor John Fenn’s book, Pursuing the Seasons of God, as I recalled he also shared on the friendship with God in it. I reread the part and I’d like to share some of it: There is another aspect to friendship with the Lord that Jesus shared with me that day. Friends keep confidences. He shared that many people have wonderful experiences in the things of the spirit, but many get puffed up, or they don’t learn what he intended for them to learn from it, or they get into the flesh and change it or otherwise err, so he limits what he tells them. Fenn, John C.. Pursuing the Seasons of God . Docs2eBooks. Kindle Edition. It resonated with me, as one of the reasons that made me keep some distance from my old friend was that she didn’t keep confidences. And I indeed limited what I would tell her, due to lack of trust in her. Last, but not least, I would like to share Pastor John’s writing “Heaven’s Value System” that made me into tears. He shared his experience when he was in church on Sunday. In an altar call, he saw a deaf and mute man full of joy on the altar, which he thought was out of place for the type of altar call. Then, he suddenly saw a shaft of light come down at him: Suddenly I found myself eavesdropping by divine revelation on words of love flowing from the Father to this man. I both read and heard the words. In part, he was telling him how much he was loved and appreciated. The Father was telling him he saw his hard work and was pleased. He was sending love that was tangible into this man. Though he is mute, I’m sure if he could have shouted he would have: his mouth was open, he had a huge grin across his face, and he could barely contain himself for the joy and love that was coursing through him. The Father continued: “My son, you have a throne and authority in my kingdom. I have provided great things for you and you shall walk in them, for you have been faithful in your love for me.” As I witnessed this I blurted out in my mind, “Father, why him?” Just as quickly the Father responded: “Because of the simplicity of his love for me. His love for me is unencumbered with ulterior motives and he asks nothing for himself. The purity of his love for me is uncomplicated by issues others are distracted with. It is because of the simplicity and purity of his love that I bless him this way. In the ages to come he will share the wisdom which flows from this simplicity and purity of love.” I asked, “You’ve given him a throne and authority?” Again he responded, “He has been given authority because he has done more with the little he has been given in this life than nearly everyone here [in the church that night] whom you would consider “whole.” therefore he will be their teacher.” I asked, “Why don’t you just heal him?” The Father replied very quickly and with a matter of fact tone, “I enjoy his worship.” “But, Father,” I reasoned, “he’s missing so much of life he could have if he was healed—family, jobs, cars, and so on.” He replied, “I make sure he has everything he needs. He finds his fulfillment in his love and fellowship with me.” “But what a wonderful testimony and example of love he could be to everyone if you healed him, and he could tell us here in this life about loving you with purity and simplicity.” He continued teaching me, “they [the congregation] have the scripture that tells them what pure religion and love is, yet this man is not even given a thought or noticed by them. Therefore I have set him in their midst as an example and testimony to them, that by him they might know humility and simplicity of love for me. Learn wisdom in this, Son: most just see a deaf mute, but I see a man who loves me in simplicity and purity, therefore he will be their teacher. Look at people as I see them, for man looks at the outward appearance, but I see the heart and weigh all things in the balance. Know people according to their heart.” Fenn, John C.. Pursuing the Seasons of God . Docs2eBooks. Kindle Edition. My eyes are still wet, thinking of the simplicity and purity in the man and the Father’s joy. Friend, if you think your spouse or your friend or your child come to you, only when they need something from you, you would understand how our Father would feel. Some people would choose their spouses for money, social status and so on, even from the outset. I would call the relationship “business”. Sadly, there are many believing businessmen who come to the Lord, with their ulterior motives. Yes, we all have needs on earth, and He knows that very well and provides what He thinks is the best for us. Even if we are not businessmen, but His servants, He wants more than that. He desires friendship. He wants you and me as His true friends. Friend, It’s my prayer that you and I simply love the Father and bring Him joy, by knowing Him and loving our brothers and sisters. The life we have here on earth would be 70~90 years, if we could enjoy long life. Think about how tiny proportion it is, when we think of thousand years, or ten-thousand years or an eon to come. But still many believers live like chicken, earth-bound, not looking at the eternity to come. I pray that you and I press on toward the high calling in Jesus’ name. (As trailer, next week, I may write on Sons of God, our high calling. :) Have a bliss! Yunee He who loves purity of heart Comments are closed.
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