Coconut
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Warning, Danger! Danger!
By Ron McGatlin
Recently I was awakened from a troubling dream hearing the words “Warning, Danger! Danger!”I am confident that there are some personal implications in this for me. However, after considering the word and seeking further in prayer, I am aware of a broader application of the warning.
Ignoring or improperly responding to a warning can lead to unnecessary loss.Especially a warning word from God is to be urgently attended when received. A warning of danger from God is not something to be feared but rather a blessing of caring provision from our loving Father.
The Lord is my Shepherd.
How good and safe it is to live in the flow of God. There is no safer place in the world than to be walking in the will of God led by Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Provision is always there when we arrive at the place where it is needed to accomplish His will. We can truly trust God to protect and lead us in peace even in the valley of the shadow of death. Our Great Shepherd goes before us and safely leads us through, even preparing a table for us in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23).
So, what could there be that we should be aware of that is potentially dangerous, and what preparation or actions should be taken to avoid painful unnecessary loss?
Briefly stated the danger lies in NOT fully following our Shepherd.
Especially in times of extreme change and movement it is vital to move as He leads and in His timing. Being out of time is being out of the flow of His order. Veering off from following in the path of His leading is being out of order. Disorder in our walk with God will cause disruptions and unnecessary loss of peace and productivity.
In times of change, the path of following God may not continue along the traditional ways of familiarity. Our human tendency is to desire the traditional path with which, we are familiar. Our desire may cause us to hesitate to follow His leading on to a new path. Or even worse we may choose to follow the old path and move away from the leading of our Shepherd. Sticking to our traditional paths instead of following Jesus into a different higher way will not have a good outcome. If He leads us upward into green pastures and we choose to take the old path, there may be dried up pasture, and the lack of His presence and protection can leave us vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.
Let me speak plainly regarding current situations and changes.
God is warning on a personal or individual level and on a corporate or Body-wide level that laxness in following the leadership of our Shepherd and corporate Head Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit can lead to frustrating and potentially painful experiences. We are not just speaking of a gross fleshly sinful form of getting off track. It is possible for “good” Christian people, including church leaders, to get off track with God by failing to shift or move as the Lord leads into a new direction.
In the passing church systems we learned to repetitively follow patterns and procedures usually set in place by a board of men and taught by a pastor or priest. We may have felt little or no need to know and hear the voice of our Lord the Good Shepherd and follow Him. In the kingdom of God, we are going a way that we have not been before, and it is imperative that we know His voice and follow Him. The systems of the past are being removed from us and we are free to move to higher places with God in intimate relationship with and personal guidance by Christ Jesus through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
When the voice of the Shepherd calls, if we quickly respond, there is no need for a word of warning. The urgent warnings usually only come after we have failed to respond and follow in a timely manner.
Jesus leads us individually within the Body and corporately as a whole Body.
There are personal individual paths within the spiritual networking that form the general or overall path of the whole Body. In God’s infinite wisdom and power, each of the many personal paths fit together to form the whole. The whole is moving toward the greater reality of the kingdom of God on earth. The place and timing for each person to respond to the higher call to step out of the old religious paths onto the path to kingdom will fit perfectly in the overall scope of His leading us into His New Jerusalem kingdom of God lifestyle. The eventual goal of the life of Christ in His people is the governance of all life on earth by its true King Christ Jesus.
The danger for individuals is in not making that step onto the path to kingdom when the Lord makes the call clear to the person. The danger for a nation is to disallow the call for the Body to follow Christ Jesus on the path to New Jerusalem, kingdom of God living, and eventual governance.
What hinders following Christ onto the path to kingdom?
Probably many things can be recognized as hindrances, but they can be seen as two general categories of profane and religious mindsets. Profane includes the fallen world secular systems and religious pertains to all religious systems including Christian. These systems plant the hearts of people with strong beliefs that hinder the word of the kingdom from being recognized and taking root. Jesus spoke of these things as hardened soil, rocky soil, and thorn-bush soil that prevented the kingdom of God seed from growing to fruition. These are blocks to the word of the kingdom in the hearts of people who have been trained in the ways of the fallen world or the religious church systems. When the call comes to leave the past and step onto the path of seeking first the kingdom of God, these people are greatly hindered in making that step.
The existing fallen-world and religious systems will NOT be reformed and must be replaced.
This is why there is a massive movement of people out of these systems. Many are led into a wilderness for a season to be cleansed and healed in preparation to fully follow Christ into the real kingdom of God. New and more flexible systems of retraining to follow Christ by the Holy Spirit into the kingdom reality will come into being to replace the past systems. House churches, city-wide apostolic gatherings, and business training events are some of the new systems that can more easily become kingdom propagating ministries.
The predominant characteristic of the kingdom of God is love.
The biggest hindrance to our flowing in the love of God is the kingdom of self. The fallen nature in natural man sets people up as their own little king. Our little self-kingdoms are threatened by the consideration of loosing the rule of our lives to Christ Jesus. Men have become skilled at devising doctrines and systems to preserve and protect their self-rule. Knowing the real love of God in Christ Jesus and being literally invaded and filled with His love in His presence by the Holy Spirit can wipe out our hesitance in yielding up the throne of our lives to the true King Christ Jesus.
Yet, for those who resist the love of God flowing by the Holy Spirit, the dissipation of their little self kingdom may come through great adversity as the self kingdom comes to its natural conclusion of self destruction. Either way the love of God is reaching out for His chosen people to lay down all else and seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first above all else in life.
Rom 5:3-5:And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Mat 6:33:But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
2 Cor 13:14:The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Keep on pursuing love.
It never fails.
Ron McGatlin
OpenHeaven.com - Home
By Ron McGatlin
Recently I was awakened from a troubling dream hearing the words “Warning, Danger! Danger!”I am confident that there are some personal implications in this for me. However, after considering the word and seeking further in prayer, I am aware of a broader application of the warning.
Ignoring or improperly responding to a warning can lead to unnecessary loss.Especially a warning word from God is to be urgently attended when received. A warning of danger from God is not something to be feared but rather a blessing of caring provision from our loving Father.
The Lord is my Shepherd.
How good and safe it is to live in the flow of God. There is no safer place in the world than to be walking in the will of God led by Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Provision is always there when we arrive at the place where it is needed to accomplish His will. We can truly trust God to protect and lead us in peace even in the valley of the shadow of death. Our Great Shepherd goes before us and safely leads us through, even preparing a table for us in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23).
So, what could there be that we should be aware of that is potentially dangerous, and what preparation or actions should be taken to avoid painful unnecessary loss?
Briefly stated the danger lies in NOT fully following our Shepherd.
Especially in times of extreme change and movement it is vital to move as He leads and in His timing. Being out of time is being out of the flow of His order. Veering off from following in the path of His leading is being out of order. Disorder in our walk with God will cause disruptions and unnecessary loss of peace and productivity.
In times of change, the path of following God may not continue along the traditional ways of familiarity. Our human tendency is to desire the traditional path with which, we are familiar. Our desire may cause us to hesitate to follow His leading on to a new path. Or even worse we may choose to follow the old path and move away from the leading of our Shepherd. Sticking to our traditional paths instead of following Jesus into a different higher way will not have a good outcome. If He leads us upward into green pastures and we choose to take the old path, there may be dried up pasture, and the lack of His presence and protection can leave us vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.
Let me speak plainly regarding current situations and changes.
God is warning on a personal or individual level and on a corporate or Body-wide level that laxness in following the leadership of our Shepherd and corporate Head Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit can lead to frustrating and potentially painful experiences. We are not just speaking of a gross fleshly sinful form of getting off track. It is possible for “good” Christian people, including church leaders, to get off track with God by failing to shift or move as the Lord leads into a new direction.
In the passing church systems we learned to repetitively follow patterns and procedures usually set in place by a board of men and taught by a pastor or priest. We may have felt little or no need to know and hear the voice of our Lord the Good Shepherd and follow Him. In the kingdom of God, we are going a way that we have not been before, and it is imperative that we know His voice and follow Him. The systems of the past are being removed from us and we are free to move to higher places with God in intimate relationship with and personal guidance by Christ Jesus through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
When the voice of the Shepherd calls, if we quickly respond, there is no need for a word of warning. The urgent warnings usually only come after we have failed to respond and follow in a timely manner.
Jesus leads us individually within the Body and corporately as a whole Body.
There are personal individual paths within the spiritual networking that form the general or overall path of the whole Body. In God’s infinite wisdom and power, each of the many personal paths fit together to form the whole. The whole is moving toward the greater reality of the kingdom of God on earth. The place and timing for each person to respond to the higher call to step out of the old religious paths onto the path to kingdom will fit perfectly in the overall scope of His leading us into His New Jerusalem kingdom of God lifestyle. The eventual goal of the life of Christ in His people is the governance of all life on earth by its true King Christ Jesus.
The danger for individuals is in not making that step onto the path to kingdom when the Lord makes the call clear to the person. The danger for a nation is to disallow the call for the Body to follow Christ Jesus on the path to New Jerusalem, kingdom of God living, and eventual governance.
What hinders following Christ onto the path to kingdom?
Probably many things can be recognized as hindrances, but they can be seen as two general categories of profane and religious mindsets. Profane includes the fallen world secular systems and religious pertains to all religious systems including Christian. These systems plant the hearts of people with strong beliefs that hinder the word of the kingdom from being recognized and taking root. Jesus spoke of these things as hardened soil, rocky soil, and thorn-bush soil that prevented the kingdom of God seed from growing to fruition. These are blocks to the word of the kingdom in the hearts of people who have been trained in the ways of the fallen world or the religious church systems. When the call comes to leave the past and step onto the path of seeking first the kingdom of God, these people are greatly hindered in making that step.
The existing fallen-world and religious systems will NOT be reformed and must be replaced.
This is why there is a massive movement of people out of these systems. Many are led into a wilderness for a season to be cleansed and healed in preparation to fully follow Christ into the real kingdom of God. New and more flexible systems of retraining to follow Christ by the Holy Spirit into the kingdom reality will come into being to replace the past systems. House churches, city-wide apostolic gatherings, and business training events are some of the new systems that can more easily become kingdom propagating ministries.
The predominant characteristic of the kingdom of God is love.
The biggest hindrance to our flowing in the love of God is the kingdom of self. The fallen nature in natural man sets people up as their own little king. Our little self-kingdoms are threatened by the consideration of loosing the rule of our lives to Christ Jesus. Men have become skilled at devising doctrines and systems to preserve and protect their self-rule. Knowing the real love of God in Christ Jesus and being literally invaded and filled with His love in His presence by the Holy Spirit can wipe out our hesitance in yielding up the throne of our lives to the true King Christ Jesus.
Yet, for those who resist the love of God flowing by the Holy Spirit, the dissipation of their little self kingdom may come through great adversity as the self kingdom comes to its natural conclusion of self destruction. Either way the love of God is reaching out for His chosen people to lay down all else and seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first above all else in life.
Rom 5:3-5:And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Mat 6:33:But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
2 Cor 13:14:The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
Keep on pursuing love.
It never fails.
Ron McGatlin
OpenHeaven.com - Home
