The latter rain
James 5:7-9"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door."Hosea 6:1-3
"Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."Joel 2:23"Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month."Zechariah 10:1
"Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field."2 Chronicles 16:9"For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him."Church... He's ready to pour out his spirit. He is looking, watching, waiting for perfect hearts... those who are willing to follow Him, His plans and His Purposes. We need to get a revelation of this. Those who would rather pray than watch TV... Those who will willingly change their schedule, their plans of the future, just to follow Him. When are we gonna get so sold out that everything we do, even the little things, bring glory to him? I don't know about you, but I want to be there. I want to be one of those people. Do you?
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Reader beware!
1 Corinthians 12:27-31
"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that
miracles, then
gifts of healings, helps, governments,
diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."
Chapter 13 goes on to explain the "more excellent way". The way is Love.
1 Corinthians 13:1
"Though I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels, and have not LOVE, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. "
I'm not pushing doctrine. I Love people. I just can't stand to think that people are missing out on something that God intended for us. Many teach that these things were for signs and are over with. Others teach that the "sign gifts" [slang], were only to "jump start" the church... WHAT! That is so crazy! I don't want to offend anyone, and if I do... please forgive me. I Love you all. I'm for you, not against you. Some just want to ignore things such as tongues and healings and miracles... why!!! God intended for this to be in the church. I know that some have went off astray in these areas... but why does that matter to us? Yes, others say that Love takes the place of the "sign gifts", and that we should emphasize Love... that's true... we should emphasize and encourage Love... but the gifts of the Spirit are still here!
Translated into todays verbage, Paul would've said something like this...
"If I speak in the language of men and of angels, and I don't do it out of Love, it is worthless".
Paul said the same thing about giving to the poor... if it's not done in Love... it's worthless!
Can we see? Has giving to the poor ceased? No! Tongues, healings, miracles, and giving to the poor are all part of God's will...God, whom is Love... and all these things should be done through Love, or in other words without the want for selfish gain!
In Chapter 12 at the top... if tongues and healings are gone away... the so must the Apostle, the Prophet, the Teacher, church government, and helps ministry! Do you see? If the others are passed away, then why would God annoint people for the "helps" ministry... and why do we have people in church "government"?
Eph 4:11-13
"
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"
We see here that the Apostle and Prophet are part of the same fivefold ministry. If the Apostle and Prophet office is done away with... then why isn't the evangelist, pastor and teacher? And, If we still have Pastors, Evangelist and Teachers... then we still have Apostles & Prophets. And, If we still have Apostles & Prophets, then we still have Miracles and Healings and Tongues and Governments and Helps.... etc, etc.
Why can't we see it? I haven't been indoctrinated with this [spelling?]... I prayed in tongues when I was in the Methodist church... and I've prayed in tongues in the Baptist church... And I'm not Pentecostal! And I won't let myself understand how people can center their whole ministry around explaining why God doesn't do this or that anymore. I've read my Bible. What started on the day of Pentecost never ended. If the Word didn't say it ended, and It doesn't, anywhere, then we should be coveting or literally: "burning with zeal" for these things. Don't say "that's not for me"... b/c it is for you... just like everything else in the gospels are. Why turn our heads at what God said we could and should do...? Let us walk in ALL that God has for us! Remember, we are to burn with zeal for the gifts, and the gifts work only through Love!
I saved it up for today!
"
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
Eph 2:19-22
Read this scripture carefully. Let's get something from it. Some revelation, or advanced knowledge. Let's break down.
- No longer strangers, foreigners.
a) alien (from a person or a thing)
b) without the knowledge of, without a share in
c) new, unheard of
2. Fellowcitizens: literally: possessing the same citizenship with others, a fellow citizen
3. So, we are no longer alien to the household of God. Therefore, we are part God's household. His people. His Kingdom.
4. This house... the Church... not the building but the Bride... was BUILT upon the FOUNDATION of the > Apostles, and the Prophets<>
5. A Holy Habitation of God through the Spirit. Holiness only comes from God. We can't make it or fake it. A habitation to a rabbit would be the woods, fields, brush, etc. To us it would be our home, nature, etc. To God... His habitation...the one that He is seeking... is us! Christianity is the only faith where the one who is worshipped is on the inside of the worshipper! Praise God! God is looking and waiting for His Bride to allow Him to come in... to pour out His glory! His glory changes things. One second in His Glory can change your life forever. That's what we all need... we need to get hungry for His presence... for His Glory! That's when we really change... and gain strength... we have been in the presence of our Father! If they had it in the Old Testement... under an imperfect covenant... then shouldn't we have it and even in higher manifestation? The early church had His Glory... and we will see... when we get hungry enough... when we sell out to all else like they did... when nothing else will satisify us... an outpouring of His Spirit and Glory that will confound the world and empower the Church to bring in that final harvest. Halelujah! The latter rain is always 10 times heavier than the early rain. Bring it Lord Jesus. Glory be to God!
We are in this world, but not of this world. We are people of God. Of His household. Of His kingdom. There is nothing impossible for Him, therefore what could be impossible to us? Nothing. Nothing is impossible to us because we believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder, a helper, a comforter to those that Love Him and seek Him. God is on our side. We are a temple of God, and His Glory is manifested in us... and through us. We have annointings to teach, to preach, to heal, to cast out demons, bind up depressions and oppressions. Greater is He that is in us than He that is in this world!
