The Gospel of Another Fire

A few days ago I was sharing with a brother the pictures and messages of the two Bibles that the Lord had me desecrate a year ago. As I also shared about the burden on His heart for many of His beloved children in charismatic churches, the Spirit moved me and told me to make a third desecrated Bible:

"Paint a lion's face on an open Bible,
for many of My people in charismatic churches
have covered over My words with their word
about the glory of supernatural power.

Paint it in gold, for they have lusted
after dazzling signs and wonders,
worshiping the ability to perform miracles
and those who perform them.

Put feathers around the lion,
just as My people have collected "evidence"
of angels to confirm their good feelings
about their leaders and their meetings.

Cut out words from the gospels about miracles
which My people love to hear and use,
just as they cut My words out of their context
to support their demand for the miraculous.

Bind the rest of the pages with wire and tie barbs
to keep other passages from being read,
for My people have forbidden allowing their teachings
to be challenged and tested by the context of My words.

Paint the barbed wires gold,
for My people use having or lacking "faith"
to make My children doubt themselves
instead of teaching them to test all things.

Make this golden image over Acts chapter 4,
for My people have made an idol
of the supernatural signs and wonders
that were performed by the early church.

Do this on your book of Luke and Acts,
for many of My people in charismatic churches
have isolated the miracles of Christ and the apostles
as if these are the good news and the kingdom."

*****

Then I asked,

"God, I love Your words, and I love it when You do miracles and wonders.
But is it really this bad? Why is it wrong for us to emphasize the miraculous?"

He answered:

“A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.”
(Matthew 12:39-42)

Then He said,

"My wisdom and My teaching should be enough."

I asked again,

"But surely it's not wrong to pray for healing?"

He answered,

"No, but many of My people are demanding it,
commanding it of Me or My servants,
determining My will for Me
and refusing to listen to My answer.

My answer is what will best help you and those you love,
not only for today but for eternity.
Trust in My timing, and trust that I love you
more than you are able to understand.
My 'no' is just as loving as My 'yes',
and I will not give you something you ask for today
if I have something better for you in the future.

I am the Lion of Judah, the Messiah and King,
but I am revealed to you as the Lamb who was slain,
and you are to follow Me in the path
of submission to My Father that I walked in as the Lamb.
When you cannot understand, say with Me to our Father:
'Not my will, but Your will be done.'
Do not presume to calculate My Father's will,
but wait for Him to answer in His time and in His way."

*****

To make this desecrated Bible, God told me to use a volume of Luke & Acts I'd found at a used book sale some years ago. I loved the little volume and thought it neat that someone had put Luke's two books into a single volume. I loved the cover design and the title, too. But honestly, I never really used this little volume. I used my whole Bibles and New Testaments far more. This was more of a novelty item, truthfully, and I didn't actually need it at all. But it was so nice that I still wanted to keep it for myself, even when He called me to ruin it for this message.

As I reflected on this, the Spirit moved me and said that this has meaning, too:

"Much of the passion of My people for the miraculous
is for novelty's sake and for their own desires,
but I am calling them to let go of these
and pray instead for people who are truly in need.

I promised to baptize you with My Spirit and fire,
but My Spirit is a fire of passion for the world,
for you, your neighbor, and your enemy;
do not accept any other fire than My agape love!"





*****

Facebook Link