HE LOVES US
Cornelia Forsberg
CHILDHOOD
I had an encounter with God that turned my life upside down in the spring of 2015. I had come to a point during the year before that "it must be much more than this". A long story short - the hunger for more of God increased. The hunger to see Him work, to see miracles and signs, to see the promises of the Bible become visible in my life and through my life. I decided to start looking for more of Him. The Holy Spirit led me to begin praying with a friend, True. We did not know each other well, no more than we were acquainted. But the same hunger for more of God was with her. We decided to start asking for more. We did not know how. But we began to pray. Ask for more. More of Him, more of His power, more of His holiness. We were not seen for long periods, we were seen once a week. After barely a month, something happened. During a service we got answers to what we asked for - we got to experience more. It was as if the glory of God fell upon us. It was not an encounter that came like a gust of wind that then passed, but an encounter with His glory that seemed to come to land. A meeting that could not be escaped, which did not end. A glory that remained. Everything was different from that moment. Something happened to my days. Suddenly I became so sure that His presence was over me. Every second was in wonder at who He is and what was possible with Him. I was noticed by the certainty that there is more, much more. In an early vision at the beginning of what happened just over four years ago, I experienced how Jesus showed me a buffet table - He welcomed us to eat from a buffet, His banquet, which never ended. Rather, the table was filled with more the more we ate. That's the way He is. He has opened the door to his treasury. He has opened the way to all the blessings of heaven (Eph. 1: 3). We must have a good appetite - that is to have great faith.
One month into this absolutely amazing and completely transformative time, I had an encounter with God, my Father, in a way I had not experienced before. I was on my way home after a late service in Lysekil. Right at home, in the stairwell on the way up to our door, God had arranged a meeting with me. The revelation of childhood raged over my life. I heard the Father's voice over my life: “You are my daughter. I love you. You're my daughter. I love you. You're my daughter. I love you." The sweetest words our ears can hear - The Father's confirmation of our lives. Everything we need is in His voice, in Himself. There was no "do this, do this" at that moment, but it was He and I and He overwhelmed me with His joy over my life. I am a daughter, I am chosen, my Father rejoices over me, my Father is proud of me, He loves me. I am His and He is mine. With my whole being I understood this, with every cell in my body: that He loves me, I am His and that is enough. From that moment on, it became natural for me to call the Father Dad. The closest word for Father that my vocabulary has. For He is near. Not far away. Closer than my own breaths. He's Abba! In the meeting with Him in my stairwell, I experienced Him talk about revival - that this, what I was standing in the middle of, is what the revival that breaks out is - a wave of love from God himself. A revival - an awakening - to the Father's voice over His children that He loves, that He is good and only good. An awakening to the fact that He is a God who equips sons and daughters to walk in great, great, yes, great faith and boldness because they know Who they are and Who goes with them. An awakening to be fearless because perfect love drives out all fear (1 John 4:18). An awakening to be sons and daughters who demonstrate the love of the Father by healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, and casting out evil spirits (Matthew 10: 7). An awakening to be sons and daughters who get to know their God and trust Him without reservation, who dare to go on water, dare to go where no one else has gone and who can brush off the words of the world because you have heard the words of the Father. It is a revival to a first love, to a full trust in his Father, to a "I go forward boldly because I have heard You call me by name". God awakens His church: “You are my beloved Son, my beloved daughter. I have my joy in you. ”
Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ” (John 14: 7). Jesus opens the way to a life with a perfect Father. Jesus and the Father are one - Jesus only does what He sees the Father do. Jesus demonstrates with his life what it is to be fully Son. The cross demonstrates perfect love. The cross opens the way for us to live in the midst of that love, to live face to face with Him who created us just as it was originally intended (Hebrews 10: 19-20, John 17: 24-26). Let us boldly run straight into what Jesus died and rose to make available to everyone who believes, an intimate fellowship with Him who created heaven and earth and who has more for us than we can even imagine or dream of . John 20:17: "But go unto my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, my God and your God."
Childhood with God is our identity. We are chosen and predestined by God to be children (Ephesians 1: 5). Sons and daughters of God! It was the Father's love that breathed life into us, that shaped our bones (Psalm 139: 15-18). The Father's love for our lives is heard throughout history - from the very beginning. We are created for that love. To be a child of Him forever. That's who I am. God's love breathes life into dead bones - everything comes to life in His love. For everything was created from the beginning in the middle of it. The Father's love awakens all creation for its purpose.
Childhood with God reveals our heritage - for childhood and inheritance go hand in hand. Romans 8:17: "And if we be children, we are heirs, heirs of God, and heirs with Christ." Galatians 4: 4-7: “But when the time was right, God sent his Son, who was born of the woman and placed under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might have the right of sons. … So you are no longer a slave but a son. And if you are a son, you are also an heir, ordained of God. ” A child knows the right to his inheritance. The children of God know that the kingdom of God belongs to them. A son and a daughter go forward in great faith for that very reason. We are called to inherit the world (Romans 4:13). We know that all His is ours. I'm a kid in the house. Luke 12:32: "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has decided to give you the kingdom."
The childhood of God makes us fearless and full of faith. The children of God, some of whom they are, run fast with His kingdom. They are fearless because they know Him, they know their Father. They know that if He is for them, then who can be against them (Romans 8:31). They proceed in great boldness and faith because they know that a word from His mouth turns water into solid ground. When Peter heard Jesus say, "Come," the water became possible to walk on (Matthew 14: 28-29). Faith came from the Word Peter heard Him speak. Faith is falling in trust in a good Father - in full trust that His word carries, that He is who He says He is. Faith is living by His Father's voice and knowing that what He says is building His life on. Faith is full confidence that regardless of external circumstances, the whisper of the Father in our hearts carries the power to perform everything He speaks - so therefore we proceed in great faith.
Childhood with God breaks every yoke of self-achievement. Childhood cracks ok by comparison - for the Father's voice stills the need for the confirmation of others alongside His. You know that you are fully created perfectly in His sight. Childhood breaks competition and competition - because I know I have been given a place by God that no one else can take from me. A place that is only chosen for me and no one else, because I am chosen. Therefore, I do not try to be someone else or take someone else's place, but instead step fully into what God has given me. You do not want any other place than the Father has given you, because you trust where He will take you. He is good and just good.
Childhood with God is full trust and surrender. It is to be sure that it is only in His power that it happens. It is to put down every effort and instead let His power rest upon us (2 Cor 12: 8-10). We long and cry out for Him as newborn babies (1 Peter 2: 1). We live in complete dependence on Him. We know that He is the one who "clothes" me, the One who provides for me - that my daily bread comes from Him (Matthew 6: 25-33, John 15: 5).
Knowing that you are a son and a daughter is a key to biblical unity. We are called to one and the same family. We are sons and daughters. We have a Father, who is the Father of all (Ephesians 4: 6, John 17: 21-23). Parish is then about family and not organization. Parish is then not about any mutual competition between parishes but about seeing the kingdom of God take over a world together as a family. We love our sisters and brothers, no matter where we think differently, because we experience the Father's love and joy over our own lives and hear it over their lives as well. The childhood of God does not leave its own pride - all our pride we have in Him (1 Cor 1:31).
Childhood with God is not childishness - it is fullness. We were created to be His children, that is our deepest identity. John 1:12: "But unto all that received him he gave the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name." In salvation we are fully adopted with the full rights of a child into the family of God. Jesus fully knew what it was like to be a Son. He is the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of childhood. Romans 8: 14-16: “All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. You have not received the spirit of slavery so that you must live in fear again. No, you have received the Spirit of childhood, and in him we cry out, “Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself testifies that we are children of God. ” Before the foundation of the earth, we were called to childhood. (Eph 1: 4-5). Rev 21: 7 says, "He that overcometh shall inherit it; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."
In glory - in fullness - sounds childhood. In Jesus' baptism, heaven opens and the voice of the Father reads: “He is my beloved Son. In Him I have my joy ”(Matthew 3:17). On the mountain of glory, where they see the Son of Man coming into his kingdom, a cloud comes, the glory, and the voice of the Father is heard again: “He is my beloved Son. In Him I have my joy ”(Matthew 17: 5). The bridegroom who comes on the clouds of glory will meet a bride in the last days who knows what it is like to be a child, a child of God. She will know what it means to have her identity in Him in the deepest way. To be loved by his Father. Ephesians 1: 5: "In love he predestined us to be children". 1 John 3: 1: “See what love the Father has given us: that we may be called children of God! And so are we. ” In eternal time, fulfilled and covered by His glory, we will be children of Him who created us (Hebrews 2: 10-13).
Childhood with God is not childishness - it is knowing one's authority. Ps 8: 3: "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained power for the sake of thine enemies to destroy the enemy and the avenger." God raises up His children, His army, His bride, His people to fully know who they are and to advance in all that has been given to them. I believe we will see a generation of children of God who know who they are, a generation of "revealed children" who are advancing in power that we have never seen a generation do before. A final generation that prepares the way for His coming and that will meet Him who is coming. A generation that knows that the enemy belongs under their feet - in the authority given in the name of Jesus (Luke 10:20, Romans 16:20). A generation that sees the enemy flee, demons cast out and the work of the devil annihilated (1 John 3: 8). The whole creation is waiting for His children to be fully revealed. Romans 8:19: “Creation itself waits and longs for the revelation of the children of God. The creation has been placed during the perdition, not of his own free will but through him who laid it down. Yet there is hope that even creation will be freed from its slavery during perdition and attain the glorious freedom of the children of God. ” God raises up children in this age who know who they are and who ask for what no one has claimed before. God gives of his good in abundance!
Knowing that you are a son and a daughter opens up the depths of His Word, into the secrets. This is because we need to have a child's expectation that there is more, much more. More to see, much more. That He wants to show more, much more (1 Cor 2: 9-12). A child's belief that there are treasures hidden to be discovered (Proverbs 25: 2). A child's belief that all knowledge and wisdom I find in Himself (Col. 2: 3). Luke 10:21: "At that very moment Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Ghost, saying, I praise thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid this thing from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed it unto little children. Yes, Father, so was your good will. ” The simple truths of who God is and who we are reveal the great depths of His word.
I think that the love encounter with Him - with a Father who loves without limit - is the wave of revival that breaks out. The encounter with God himself raises a generation, a body, a church that can no longer be silent but that boldly springs forth in full force because they have met the deepest of love. My conviction is that God's people will experience a profound revelation of the Father's overwhelming love in the last days — for it takes us "to the beginning" again, to why we are, "back to Eden." My conviction is that we are living in a time now - in the midst of a global awakening. Where the Father's love breathes life and awakens. Then experience after experience testifies and will testify that God is a good, good, yes such a good Father. I think we are facing a time in world history when we will see a generation of His children taste what the letter to the Romans calls "the glorious freedom of children." A time when creation will respond to the progress of God's children (Romans 8: 19-21). A time when the children of God will advance in the power of the Spirit in a way that no generation has experienced before - where the desert becomes like Eden in their steps, where the ruin becomes whole and ruins are built up (Isa. 58:12). A time when God notices children's eyes to see the new city coming. A time when God notices glances with the vision of Himself. A time when He notices glances with the vision of seeing the King coming back, seeing the Groom coming for his bride. A time when we shout: “He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He is good, He is better than we could ever believe. ”
THE CONTOURS OF SION
Eden was a place where God's presence rested. A place of close communion between man and God himself. It has always been the heart of the Father - to live among His people, to live in fellowship with His children, with those who are created in His image. We are created for this one thing - Him! We are created to live in full fellowship with God himself. Eden was such a place - a place that tells about the Father's heart, about God's desire to live among his children. Adam and God walked in the garden together. Eden was a place of God's resting glory. The Fall took us from there.
Through the Old Testament we then see how the tabernacle, the temple and the function of the sacrifices testify to this one purpose - testify to God's desire to live among his people, God's desire to let his glory rest in the midst of his children (Exodus 25: 8). The function of the tabernacle and the temple was just that - to be a place for God's presence to rest, for Him to dwell in our midst.
The tabernacle and the temple are also shadow images of Christ himself (John 1:14, John 2:19, Rev 21:22, Col 2:17). In Christ we are grafted, into becoming through Himself temples where God's presence dwells, part of His own body - called to bear His own presence, called to be persons over whom the Holy Spirit can fill and rest. Called to be vessels of glory.
Jesus opens the way to the Father's embrace, into living in the midst of His presence again (Hebrews 6:19, John 14: 7). Jesus opens the way to what we lost in the fall. Jesus opens the way "back to Eden" - to no longer be separated from Him, not even in the slightest (Ephesians 2: 17-18).
When Ezekiel prophesies about the new City of God, into a time that lies ahead of us, he gives us its characteristics: "… and for ever its name shall be: The Lord is here." (Ezek. 48:35) Here in the middle of spring. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:12: "Now we see a mysterious reflection, but then we will see face to face."
God takes us "back to Eden". Not to the same Eden that was then, but to an "Eden" that the first garden testifies to. We see a time ahead of us where He will forever live in the midst of His child, to what the prophets prophesy about - when His presence takes over everything. He takes us into what has been His longing from the beginning - to live in our midst forever. Into when His glory not only rests in a garden or in a temple but where His presence takes over, rests over the earth, where we agree with angels that the whole earth is full of His glory. The prophet Isaiah comes to the throne room and hears the angels shout that the earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6: 3). Habakkuk prophesies, "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the depths of the sea" (Hab 2:14). The word "knowledge" in the passage means to feel intimately. In other words, not knowledge as in facts, but a knowledge that means that the earth should feel, experience, become one with and be "swallowed up" by His glory. At the beginning of time we were given a mission - to put the earth under us, to let Eden be Eden everywhere (Genesis 1:28). The mission was that the earth would be placed under God's order, God's kingdom, God's shalom, God's presence. That mission still applies (1 John 3: 8, Romans 4:13). Through his death and resurrection, Jesus takes back the keys that the enemy was given in the fall and we are in the middle of the same mission again - to put the earth under us (Matthew 16: 18-19, Matthew 28: 18-20). The mission to see the sky invade the earth, the nearness of God take over here. The prophet Joel prophesies of a time when the Spirit of God will be poured out on all flesh - yes, one day it will be so (Joel 2:28). On the first day of Pentecost, Peter preaches that what happens when they see the Spirit being shed concerns what Joel previously prophesied (Acts 2: 16-18). On the day of Pentecost, the prophetic word in the book of Joel got its start and we will see it completed. One day everything will be under His Spirit, imbued with His presence and a creation will be filled with His glory. The prophet Isaiah speaks the Word of God and says, "I will make the place of my feet glorious." (Isa. 60:13). Later on, Isaiah describes the earth as God's footstool (Isa. 66: 1). The earth will be filled with His glory. Everything is to be put under our King's feet (Hebrews 1:13, 2: 8).
In the summer of 2016, I experienced God speaking. I heard Him say, "I have drawn the outline of Zion." Understood in the words was that He drew the outlines of Zion here on earth. Every now and then I did not know exactly what He meant. I had no major insight into what the Bible calls Zion.
The Bible mentions Zion. The name Zion is used in various contexts in God's word. To some extent, Zion is spoken of as a physical place, of a mountain, of the city of David (1 Kings 8: 1), of Jerusalem. The name is also used more broadly for the people of Israel, for the people of God. But the Bible also mentions the name Zion in the context of something we have not yet seen - "a coming Zion" - a place where God's feet rest (Isa. 60:13, Isa. 66: 1, Ezek. 43: 7, Matthew 5:34). There is talk and prophecy of an established Zion (Isa. 60) - a Zion that is no longer the name of just a specific city, an area, few people but of a kingdom of God that invades and takes over the earth. A Zion that touches all of God's people, that touches all of creation - promises that Israel had to carry and then through Christ also become promises to all nations and to all peoples (Ephesians 2: 12ff). A "Mount of Zion" as the place where God's order reigns, His Spirit being poured out on all flesh and all creation. The desert that becomes a garden, the dry that becomes a spring, where what has been dead comes to life. A "Mount of Zion" - a place where His glory dwells. A place where God's teaching, peace, joy, and righteousness flow from. A place where everything is subject to the King's feet. It says about the place that peace is its authority - everything is subordinate to His order (Isa. 60:17). "A city", "Zion", which is described in a similar way to the heavenly book of Revelation (Rev. 21-22), similar to the description of Ezekiel in his vision of the coming City of God (Ezek. 43, 47). It is the City of God that comes down from heaven (Rev. 21: 2, 21: 9) - the kingdom of God that takes over. It is God who builds his throne in our midst. A place where disease escapes. It is God who comes to live among his children forever. That's when His glory takes over. It is a restored People of God who radiate in glory. It is the hope of glory.
My conviction is that we live in a time where we will see the contours of this very thing, "the contours of Mount Zion." A time before the arrival of the King who will experience the kingdom of God invade the earth in greater force than any other generation has seen it happen before. A time that prepares for the King's arrival. An outpouring of the Spirit that is global. A time when places, even entire cities, get to taste what the Bible speaks of as promises to the people of God - see places to experience His glory. Places that become contours of "the coming Zion" - contours of heaven on earth. Places to taste Isaiah 33:24: "And none of the inhabitants of Zion shall say, 'I am sick.'" A time when God's people rise in full force and in His glory to testify and demonstrate to a world that "this is our God" (Isa. 60: 1-3). Our God will appear great in glory! He will let a world see who He is. He will triumph and He loves to do it through His children. My conviction is also that there is a time now where we will see the events of God's progress go fast. Isaiah prophesies: “Who has heard such a thing, who has seen anything like it? Can a land come to life in a single day, or can a people be born in an instant because Zion gives birth to her children already when the pains begin? ” (Isa 66: 8). A nation in a day. It is possible. The world will see the radiance of our God!
I am convinced that we will see a global revival that is not just like a breath that was then over or a wave that came to then leave. I believe that we will see how places and entire cities become resting places for His glory. Not just a brief visit, a brief touch, but our God who comes to stay. Let us believe God to see nations laid at His feet. My conviction is that Sweden is a nation that will experience this - see the "contours of Zion", experience His glory, experience what it is when His glory falls over a nation. We live in exciting days.
God comes to establish and restore - it is the heart of the Father (Isa. 58:12). We will see a creation and a humanity that will one day be completely free under its oppression (Romans 8: 18-21). The earth shall rejoice, the trees shall shout for joy - yes, everything that breathes, all creation, was created for and will again sing praises before the Lord. (Ps 69: 12-13, 150: 6). Ezekiel speaks of the source of the temple (Ezek. 47: 1-12) - a stream that will start from the sanctuary of God and give all life. A double stream that gives all life, does what has been turbidly healthy and which is the source of healing for the people. The source is similarly described in the Book of Revelation as a river with the waters of life (Rev. 22: 1). His water is His Spirit. God pours out of his presence, his Spirit over all flesh and "… and all things come to life where the current flows." (Ezek. 47: 9) And the desert will be like Eden. Everything comes to life. God loves what He has created and He will accomplish what He has begun.
The kingdoms of the world will not remain forever. His kingdom takes over. Everything should be shaken. Everything that is not His will perish. He plants and consolidates forever what is His kingdom. Dan 2:44: “But in the days of those kings the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never perish and whose power will not be handed over to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all the other kingdoms, but it itself will endure forever. ”
What happens in Israel in time, what we see is fulfilled there on the spot, in the land - it testifies to what God is doing globally. What we concretely see happening in Israel - testifies to greater spiritual events throughout our earth. An established Israel - an Israel prepared for the King's arrival - testifies to established nations, nations that are being prepared. Revival winds blowing in Israel speak of global revival winds. Jews who return to their homeland, to Israel, testify that the children of God are coming home, testify to a great great harvest that is being taken. The people of Israel and their land have always had a calling to testify. These are exciting times.
MARKED LOOKS
God prepares His bride, prepares His children, to rise in full power and to shine for the world to see (Isa. 60; Ps. 67: 2-3). We are called to be the light of the world, a light on a mountain that cannot be hidden. Zion, arise, shine! We are to shine like never before - we are the light of the world because He who is the head over his body is the light of the world (John 9: 5, Matthew 5:15). And everyone should see. See Him radiate clearly through his body, his church, through children who represent his Father very well, through a bride who rises in His power. See His glory shining through fully surrendered vessels.
It's time for a bride to get up. Revelation 14 tells of a crowd that seemed to stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion. The passage seems to be parallel to the previous chapter - the chapter on the beast and its mark. About the seriousness, about not receiving the mark of the beast, about not being misled, about being wise, about being awake. Chapter 14 speaks of another mark on the forehead: "… who had his name and his Father's name written on his foreheads." Chapter 13 talks about a person's speech, about the world's speech, about buying and selling. Chapter 14 speaks of a multitude marked by the Lamb and by his Father, a multitude redeemed from the earth and redeemed from men - who have their gaze on that which is above (Col 3: 1-2) and who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. And they are spotless. They sing a new song before the throne. In the last days, God raises his bride in full force in the middle of the time described in chapter 13 - a bride whose gaze is marked with chapter 14, marked with the vision of Himself. Same principle as: I set the table before your enemies (Psalm 23: 5). Our God loves to triumph. The darker it may seem, the brighter it will become. Isaiah 60: 1-3: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise above you, and his glory will be revealed over you. The heathen shall walk in thy light, and kings in the brightness that goeth up unto thee. (Isa. 30: 25-26; Isa. 59:19). When the world shouts that it seems as if the night is coming, then God lights the torches - the torches that light up the darkest of places. And they will shine, shine really bright! Our God will appear in triumph! His glory will dazzle a world. He raises his bride in glory. In the same way that God manifested who God was in the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18: 20-39), we will see an "Elijah generation", a bride, preparing the way for the King's arrival and looking again. how our God demonstrates who He is right before the eyes of the powers of darkness, before the enemy himself.
The gaze of the world will be tempted to remain on what the enemy is doing, on what may seem to be darkness taking over. But that's not really what's true. For the truth is that our God triumphs. And He will be visible - so visible that everyone can see! God's people need to be marked with the vision of His glory, the progress of His kingdom, what God does, our victory, Revelation chapter 14 - not what the enemy does. To have his eye on "the Lamb wherever he goes" (Rev. 14: 4). In this way, we will "shut up the mouth of evil." For the kingdom of our God is superior. 2 Kings 6: 15-17: “When the servant of the man of God arose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army of horses and chariots surrounded the city. The servant said to the man of God, "O my lord, what shall we do?" He replied, "Do not be afraid! Those who are with us are more than those who are with them. ” And Elisha prayed, "Lord, open his eyes so he can see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha. "
And the people of God sing a new song before the throne. A new song, the bride's song, the wedding song. Because they know what time it is. Not a time when darkness triumphs but a time when night will be day, when the morning star appears at dawn, when it is set for the great feast, when the Bridegroom comes, when we do not hide in fear of darkness but shout: "He will come , He is coming". A time when we do not retreat but run forward with the palm leaves and welcome our King to ride in. It's already chess dull. Dad has already won. Jesus triumphed over the powers of darkness on the cross (Colossians 2:15). And in the time when it may seem that our focus is tempted to look at chapter 13, at what the enemy is doing, at how evil seems to increase - know that there is a parallel chapter. God's promises that speak of a rebuilt church, a church that radiates His glory as kings come to the radiance of (Isa. 60: 2), that speak of places that taste of Isaiah 31: “… and the inhabitants will say: I am not sick ”. Places that get to experience the taste of "the earth is full of His glory", that get answers to prayer based on Our Father - who get to experience what it is like with heaven on earth, experience when His kingdom takes over more and more. Promises that speak of children who emerge in such revelation of who they are and who their Father is and who demonstrate His kingdom and power in a way that is "and they shall do the same deeds as I and greater than these." He raises his bride, his congregation, his children. And the song they sing, the bride's song, the new song - is not a battle song in the way we might think. It is the most intimate song - a love song between a people and their God, a love song between a bride and her Groom. A song about a single love. If a love so great, so deep, so wide, so high that nothing else matters. A song between two. "I am His and He is mine" (Song of Solomon 6: 2). A song that calls for the wedding party. A song from mouths that see the new Jerusalem. It's a song that welcomes the Groom, a song that welcomes the King to ride in. The song that rises from fully surrendered life - that has given up everything to win everything. A song about the goodness of the Father. It's the Song of Songs. It is the battle song of the kingdom of God.
A bride who is awakened is a people of God who is awakened to a first love - to love Him with all her might. Who is awakened to follow a single voice (Rev 2: 4). His glory, His burning presence, follows lives that are left to One Love. Let's stand up, follow the transfer and radiate! It is a church that sees the devil's deed crushed under its feet.
HE IS GOOD
When a world is to see who our God is - yes, when nations are to see who He is - they will see that He is good. David writes in Psalm 27:13: "I am sure to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." God is good! God is good! God is good! When Moses talks to God in Exodus 33, he asks God to see His glory. God responds to his desire and in verse 19 God himself answers with the words: "I will let all my goodness pass before you and I will cry out the name" Lord "before you". The glory of God and all His goodness are one and the same. The glory, the fullness of God, is also fully His goodness. His glory is His goodness. His goodness is His glory. "The whole earth is full of His glory" - The whole earth will see His goodness. His goodness will dazzle us, will take us to a place of wonder before who our God is. And He does it right in front of the enemy. At 3: 5 (NKJV) says of the last days: "They shall fear the Lord and His goodness in the latter days." David writes, "One shall proclaim the name of your great goodness and rejoice in your righteousness." (Ps 145: 7). God calls us to be a people of joy. His people should be known for it. A people of joy because we know that our God is good and His grace lasts forever (Ps 118: 1)! Taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps 34: 9)!
The Bible says that mercy / grace triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13) It is the grace that marks us, that amazes us, that makes us fall on our knees in admiration - for He is good, so good. The Father has appointed the Son of Man to judge - and the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, is the one who redeemed us, through whom we can say "I am no longer under judgment". It is in Christ that the prophecy in Joel goes from describing in translations the day of the Lord as coming "great and frightening" (Joel 2:31) to now using the words "the great and glorious" (Acts 2:20). Jesus has paid the price - we are no longer outside, we are inside. God's judgment is judgment on darkness, judgment on sin and all that is not in line with His kingdom. God's judgments are sweet - they testify that He is good, that there is no change between darkness and light in Him. Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit as follows: "And when he comes, he will convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment… About them: the prince of this world is doomed." (John 16: 7-11). Verdict: The prince of this world is doomed. God's judgments testify that the prince of the world has been condemned once and for all to eternal judgment. God's judgment is a message of joy. God's judgments prove His love. We are redeemed by grace, while all darkness must be judged and no longer stand. 1 John 4:18 speaks of the perfect love that drives out fear. It says that when that love has reached its goal in us, we have boldness on the day of judgment. Boldness on the Day of Judgment. Later on, there is talk of the fear associated with punishment and that the one who is afraid is not perfect in love. In His love there is no fear of them. For grace triumphs over judgment. You are covered by Him, hidden in Christ, redeemed and from that place you live. No longer as a slave under law, fear and judgment, but as a bold son and daughter. This does not mean that there is no room for God's upbringing, God's consideration, shaping and correction in our lives. When we allow the Holy Spirit free space in our lives, He will care for, shape, shape us in the image of "His Son" (Romans 8:29). When we pray for God's fire, we pray that the Holy Spirit will consume everything in our lives that is in opposition to His way. It can be a painful process. But it is a fantastic process - because it takes us towards fullness. Into what Jesus paid the price for us to live in. It takes us to bear a greater measure of His glory - to bear rich fruit. John 15: 2: "And every branch that bringeth forth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." God's fire is God's passion for his children. His fire of love that leaves nothing that is not His perfect goodness and way. His passion for love that takes us to the place where we see a One. See him. Hear Him. His fire that judges darkness, sin and all that is in collision with His kingdom - this to bring us fully close to Him - where nothing is cloudy anymore in the way we see Him, where we get to know His voice so well that we can discern what is not His voice. God loves us. God loves us. God loves us. He is for us. It is His fire - the love of God that goes so far that it does not allow darkness to even whisper, not His insult and His displeasure. Let us know that the Father's gentle and good voice is the one who awakens his bride to follow Him with an undivided heart and not the voice of a stern, angry and dissatisfied father who makes us follow in fear - for that is the voice of the accuser.
We need to reveal when the voice of the accuser, the voice of the enemy, has become a voice we listen to. We need to know that our God is good and so is His voice. The prosecutor's voice will bring up, but not as a Father. The prosecutor's voice will point to lack of freedom, but not to give you freedom but to just accuse you. The voice of the accuser will illuminate God's judgment, as His judgment of wrath, try to put God's people in a place of fear before God's wrath, action, fear if we do not… and so on. Fear of God's judgments instead of joy. Fear of God's action in the last days instead of rejoicing before the King returns. Fear before the Almighty instead of admiration and wonder. Fear that God would suddenly change in his way of speaking to us - from loving to close and angry. And the enemy is trying to make us believe that it is "the fear of God". It's a lie.
Romans 2: 4 says, “Or do you despise his rich kindness, gentleness and patience? Do you not understand that the goodness of God wants to bring you to repentance? ” God's goodness leads to repentance. God's goodness reveals sin and leads to repentance. God's love leads people close to Him. True God-fear draws us close - it knows that the only place we have true freedom is in the place near Him. True fear of God does not scare us away from Him, it makes us flee to Him. Ps 34: 9: “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is he who flees to him. ” He's good!
We read about when Peter is in the boat with Jesus and about the miracle that happens (Luke 5: 1-11). After not catching any fish, Peter now pulls up the boat full of fish after a word from Jesus. Peter and Jesus do not know each other well - this is how Jesus presents himself. Fish in this case is not just fish - that's what Peter lives on. Jesus floods Peter with his goodness - that is the character of God. The result is that Peter falls on his knees, convinced of his sin, convinced that he does not really deserve this, that he does not deserve to be in the presence of Jesus. The Gospel tells of a trembling and the fear of God that comes over Peter and those who were with him - God's miracle and goodness cause the knees to bow in trembling before who He is. Peter falls into sin. God's goodness leads to his conversion. And not just to repentance but to: "Then they pulled the boats ashore, left everything and followed." Peter even left what he had just received from God, his catch, to follow. The miracle itself was subordinate to knowing Him who works miracles. To know Him - that is for the purpose we are for.
True fear of God for God's people is to fall down when we see who He is, when we see that He is good, realize that I can not afford not to get everything from Him, realize that without Him we have nothing and with Him we have everything . It makes one tremble, to fear, to fall into admiration, to stand speechless before the Almighty, our good Father. Not in fear of Him. He's good!
Jeremiah describes the outpouring of God's goodness and the restoration of the city of God: "They shall tremble and tremble when they see all the good and all the prosperity I give it." (Jer 33: 9). Those who do not know our God will see His goodness and tremble and tremble and say, “He is truly God. They really are His people ”. All of the world's own pride will have to bow to Him (Isa. 2:12). Many, many, many will turn around and come to His light! God's goodness will manifest sin and lead many people to repentance. We will see a great, great, great harvest salvaged in the last days - the Father's voice calls his children home (John 6:65). It will be clear to a world - with Him we have everything, without Him we have nothing.
In God there is no switching between darkness and light (James 1:17). He is the same. God's voice is gentle. 1 Corinthians 13 - the chapter called "the law of love" - describes who He is. We often use the chapter to talk about the love between a man and a woman and we read it in connection with weddings. But the love that chapter 13 talks about is not the one between people, but the chapter talks about "agape" - God's love - from which love all love between people must start from in order for it to be true love. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a: “Love is steadfast and gentle. Love does not envy, it does not boast, it is not inflated. It does not behave badly, it does not seek its own, it does not erupt, it does not think of evil. It does not rejoice over iniquity but rejoices in the truth. Everything carries it, everything it believes, everything it hopes for, everything it endures. Love never ceases. ” This is how our God sounds, this is how His love is. We must get to know the voice of the good Shepherd. The enemy tries to make God's elect believe that God's voice accuses - for the enemy has just that name: the brothers' prosecutor (Rev 12:10), while the Shepherd's voice is described in 1 John 2: 1: "But if anyone sins, we have one who for our case before the Father: Jesus Christ the Righteous. He is the Atonement for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the whole world's. His voice is for us. The voice of the shepherd does not push or whip - His voice leads his sheep forward. The voice of the Father does not speak shame but leads to true freedom and truth. God's voice reveals sin but always to lead us to restoration. The enemy wants to make God's people believe that fear of God is true fear of God. It is time to fully reveal the voice of the enemy, the lies of the enemy. It is time to fully reveal the voice of the prosecutor, the voice of religion, the voice of a whip, the voice of what we sometimes mistaken for believing that it is God who shows his displeasure in a stern tone - it is not God's voice. The enemy speaks lies and opposes all that God has spoken - for that is exactly how he is, he is the father of lies (John 8:44). The prosecutor tries to silence God's children, doubting his freedom, silencing him - while the Father's voice leads us out on water, makes us fearless, who says: “You are my beloved son / daughter. I have my joy in you. ” For it is true that "he who can do far more than all we ask or think through the power that works in us" (Ephesians 3:20).
The Father's voice educates. The Holy Spirit reveals sin. God is holy and everything that is not good in our lives is consumed in His presence when we let Him have area after area, when we give Him everything. That's lovely. Jesus is truth - this means that in His view there is no compromise with what is true and pure. But the tone is still mild and what sounds is that "grace triumphs over them" and leads us fearless and bold through upbringing, shaping, trials and fire. Because we know that He is good and that His perfect love drives out the fear, the fear of them. His voice gives us vision and His voice makes me fall into tears over "how can you even be this good?". His voice educates me because there is more to experience, deep in Him that He wants to show me, a greater calling than I imagined, a certainty that God entrusts me with more, a certainty that fire is His path of love and that takes me close, close, close - ready for more of Him, He who only gives good gifts to His children. His fire of love that takes me out into a life of purity - because that is where I have my full freedom. Jesus, the lion of Judah, who returns to roar in the dark (Rev 19:15) speaks in the same voice as Jesus, the Lamb, who came and was slaughtered so that you, yes we, would have life in abundance. There is no switching between light and darkness in Him. He loves us and His voice is good, so good, just good.
We live in a time where God equips His children to reveal the voice of the enemy. The enemy should have no action. We live in a time where we must know that God is good. Let us draw near to Him - we must get to know His voice.
The people will see His goodness!
GLORY FALLS - WORSHIP IN SPIRIT & TRUTH
In April 2016, God showed me a vision, a vision of our country. I saw our elongated land from above, like a map. In the middle of the country, a battle was going on between people. The vision continued and I saw one by one leave the battle to go out towards the borders of the country. They left with their backs to the battle and positioned themselves one by one around the country, at the country's borders. They looked out of the country. All those who left had their hands raised, both arms raised to the sky. On the arms of everyone who stood at the borders, I saw that something was written. On one arm was the word "Spirit" and on the other arm "truth". One by one he continued to leave the battle and took his place at the borders. In the end, the contour of the country was filled with people stretching their arms toward the sky. They became a united chain, they took hands, while their arms were raised. When the chain of hands was closed, an orange-like blanket fell over the land. It was the glory of God. The fight ended. The glory of God had fallen.
The glory of God will fall on our land, our nation. Sweden will experience a Spirit Pouring we have not previously experienced. Sweden will experience His burning presence. In May 2016, I again experienced God speaking over our country. The Holy Spirit once again showed me our elongated land as on a map. I experienced Him speak and say that it is not a coincidence that our country looks like a footprint. Our nation will be known as a nation where God put his foot, his feet. My conviction is that it is a time of revival in our country now, that it is a new time. That Sweden should see God's wave of glory sweep over our country in a powerful way. He has prepared the water over Sweden to walk on. Our country will become a holy ground. It will burn under our feet.
We will see a movement of true worship among His people. A movement of worship in the Spirit and truth - life fully surrendered to Him. A people of God who sees the One, who leaves the battle to worship the One. We will see a people of God standing in unity - united to see a country experience the glory of God.
John 4: 23-24: “But the time cometh, and is already here, when true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father wants such worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. ” Everyone is called to be a worshiper - to lay down all his own to let his life rise in worship of Him. The Aramaic word for "to worship" is to bow down, to leave everything. Worship is to lift one's voice, one's life, one's song to a One who is worthy. Music, song and dance are not necessarily worship in themselves but it is an expression of it - an expression that heaven has put down, a given response to who He is. The whole sky sings His law. Rev 4: 8-10: "Day and night they say without ceasing, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.' And when the creatures praise and glorify and thank him who sits on the throne and who lives in eternity, then the twenty-four elders fall down before him who lives in eternity. They lay down their crowns before the throne… ”. Worship is to fall into admiration. Worship surrounds His throne. True worship is to lay down his crown before the throne, at His feet - all my own fully entrusted to Him. All that might seem to be my own glory laid before Him. The song that rises from a people who rise up and lay down their lives - their mantles - to welcome their King to ride in - it is a song in Spirit and truth.
Worship in truth is an worship that takes place through the Holy Spirit - the one who leads us into the whole truth. An adoration centered around Him and in Him - Jesus - which is the truth. A worship in truth where no worship takes place outside of Him, nothing else is worshiped and set higher than Him. It is a life that does not compromise, a life that says yes to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…". Worship in truth where the words "the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32) sound and where every area of our lives is left to be lit up by His light. Where everything the world would call freedom is replaced by His freedom - the only freedom that makes us truly free. It is an adoration so transparent - where nothing is kept away from His light. It is an adoration without a facade, a fully genuine adoration. Where nothing happens for the eyes of men and the praise of men, but where everything happens before Him, where everything is dedicated to Him - where He is our only audience.
An adoration in the Spirit. An adoration in the Spirit where our Spirit, together with the Holy Spirit, testifies of who we are and who He is. Where everything happens is filled with His Spirit. Where spiritual song rises, where He Himself leads our worship. Where we worship on the basis that we are new creations, born again, already set in the heavenly world (Ephesians 2: 6), that the way is fully open between us and the Father (Hebrews 6: 19-20, 10: 19-20 ). Where we know that He is not far away, but He is closer than my own breath. A worship and a life lived face to face with the Father himself. Where we see and worship from what the Spirit shows, what the Spirit speaks, what the Spirit says is possible for the believer. Where we here and now tune into the heavenly hymn and know that our worship draws down heaven to earth. The Holy Spirit is a guarantor of just that - that the kingdom of heaven is now available. An adoration in the Spirit that takes place in the unity of the Spirit. A worship that rises from a united people of God.
High Song 2: 10-12: “My friend begins to speak, he says to me: Arise, my beloved, my beautiful one, and come! See, winter is over, the rainy season is over and over. The flowers appear on the ground, the time for singing has come and the voice of the turtle dove is heard in our country. ”
A new song rises. God raises his people in power, to sing a new song, a bride's song. It is the whole creation that cries out. It's time.
The glory of God falls upon true worship. Some years ago I heard the whisper of the Holy Ghost that worship in the Spirit and truth touches the double stream. Worship in the Spirit and truth proceeds with just this, proceeds with His water, His own presence. Ezekiel speaks of the water flowing from the temple in the new City of God, from the throne of God, the water of life (Rev. 22: 1). Ezekiel 47: 5,9: “nu and now there was a stream that I could not wade across. The water went so high that you had to swim. It was a stream that could not be crossed… Everywhere the double stream will enliven all living beings moving in shoals. And the fish there are very numerous, because when this water gets there, the water becomes healthy, and everything comes to life where the current flows. ”. The double current - there will be life where it goes. A people of God who worship in the Spirit and truth will redeem resurrection life wherever they go. Everything must come to life. The desert becomes like Eden in its tracks. For it is His kingdom that is redeemed in its tracks, His glory that comes and notices, His presence that makes all things new. A church that gathers with the first priority around this one thing - to worship Him - will see His life, power and presence follow in its footsteps. It's so simple. Our task is to seek Him - His work is then what follows in our footsteps. Isaiah 58: 8: "Thy righteousness shall go before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall follow in thy footsteps."
David writes that God believes in the song of Israel (Psalm 22: 4). God reigns in our praise. The word "throne" can also be translated "to inhabit". God inhabits our worship. God's presence comes and fills our praise, our worship. Where the worship of God goes up, the glory of God falls down. Worship paves the way for His glory. He believes in our praise. Thus His throne, His kingdom and dominion become apparent in the place where worship and praise rise. His order begins to take place in places where true worship takes place. Bodies become whole in worship - for it is His will that the sick should be healed. Demons flee and lose their grip - because when the realm of light takes place, darkness must pass. Freedom takes place in worship - because where the truth is proclaimed and enthroned, lies must bow. We are formed into those we were meant to be in worship - for we are created for that place before His face. Psalm 100 writes, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise." Isaiah prophesies of an established Zion, of the coming City of God, the place where His glory rests, the place where the order of His kingdom takes place. Isaiah 60:18: "There shall be no more hearing of violence in thy land, or of destruction and desolation within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls for salvation, and thy gates for praise." The gate into His city, into His courtyards, into His close presence is praise. The kingdom of God, heaven on earth, the foretaste of "the earth is filled with His glory" breaks forth in the place where true worship rises - for the gate, the way, into His city is just that. True worship prepares and makes room for the King's arrival, for the King's kingdom, and cries out, "Make a way for the Lord, make the paths straight for him." His kingdom is built on the praise of His people. of heaven on earth will be visible in places where God's people have laid their crowns at His feet, where His people build church based on the fact that it revolves around Him only, where true worship rises. King David demonstrates what it is to rule. He worships, he praises, he says, "I have asked for one." Peter speaks of us as a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2: 9) We rule from the place before Him to worship, to “see Him in the sanctuary.” From that place it is since the people of God reign and ascend into authority.
The glory of God falls upon unity. We read through God's word about how God's glory falls over unity. 2 Chronicles 5: 13-14: “When the trumpets and the singers sang aloud and praised the Lord, and the trumpets, the cymbals, and other instruments were sung, and praised the Lord, that he is good, and that his mercy endureth for ever. then the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests, for the sake of the cloud, could not stand and serve, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. ” The English translation says that the trumpets and singers "were as one, to make one sound to be heard". On Pentecost it says about how they had all gathered. "Then suddenly there came from heaven a thunderous sound like a violent storm, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting." (Acts 2: 1). The English translation says: "When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." (NKJV). There is a "one accord" to which God himself responds, to which the glory of God, the Spirit of God, falls. Jesus prays to His Father that we, who believe in Him, should be one as He and the Father are one. Jesus speaks of the glory that He Himself has been given and that has been given to us so that we may be one (John 17: 20-24). The glory and the unity go hand in hand. We will be fully united into one. Jesus even says that then, when we are fully united into one, then the world will understand who Jesus is - then we will fully represent Him for the world to see. And the demonstration will be of His Father's love - for "… you have loved them as you have loved me." (John 17:23).
Unity is not that everyone becomes the same - it is that everyone becomes fully who they were created to be. We are talking about the unity of the Spirit - a unity that occurs when the Spirit is fully allowed to do his work with us, with the church. Where the bonds of love for our siblings in Christ are supernatural - because it is in Him and through Him we become one, become one family. To stand in full unity is to let every part, every limb, step fully into the gifts and callings that the Father has placed on each one. We are His images. We must not believe that we become equal to one another in the process of discipleship - we become equal to Jesus. When I want to be as similar to Him as possible, I must understand that I will be more myself than ever. He loves me, He created me perfectly, I am chosen because He loves my person. In 2016, the Holy Spirit showed me something. I saw Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a puzzle of mantles in different colors. It was coats, a puzzle of coats, that fit perfectly with each other. He rides into abandoned lives, into callings that have blossomed, into a unity in his body where one does not step into the other's path. Where His children do not compete for each other's place but know that each one has been chosen to carry his unique part to the work that God predetermined before the creation of the world.
The bride who rises will be a people of God standing united together. We are His body - we are a body. A bride who is prepared is a people who say: a heart and a soul (Acts 4:32). Paul writes in Ephesians about the unity of the body of Christ. He talks about how we, together with all the saints, should understand the height, the breadth, the length and the depth and be filled with fullness (Ephesians 3: 18-19). He goes on to write about how we are called to the unity of the Spirit; a body, a Spirit, a hope, a Lord, a faith, a baptism and a God (Eph 4: 3-5). Furthermore, he talks about the purpose of ministry - the purpose of building the body of Christ that will reach unity in the faith - a maturity that corresponds to the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4: 11-13). In fullness, full unity prevails. His body that is to be glorified - His bride who is to appear in glory with Him (Col. 3: 4) - is a united body. A united people of God who bear His glory. Unity, being one, is not an option - it is what we were grafted into when we became part of God's family. Sons and daughters of one and the same Father. Unity is to say "yes" to standing together, yes to coming before your Father's face together as a family.
My conviction is that it is entirely possible to stand united, regardless of community and tradition. I am convinced that God unites his church in this time. It is possible, for the device is supernatural - it is a device of the Spirit. There is no division in Christ (Ephesians 2: 14-18). Let us humble ourselves as Jesus Himself asks His Father — a church, a church, to be one (John 17:21). When God has a group in full unity, a lot can happen - when we say yes to a "one accord".
Ps 133: 1-3: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity! It's like when the fine oil on his head flows down over his beard, over Aaron's beard, and down over the collar of his suit. It's like when Hermon's dew comes down over Mount Zion. There the Lord gives the blessing, life forever. ”
A united people of God who become preoccupied with worshiping an One, who have their gaze and their love directed towards an One, will see the glory of God fall over a nation. A united people of God will see His glory fall over lands. Unified true worship splits the heavens open.
RADICAL LOVERS OF GOD
Ps 24: 1-10: “The earth is the Lord's with all that he hath, the world with them that dwell therein: for he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who can go up on the mountain of the Lord? Who is allowed to enter his sanctuary? He who has innocent hands and a pure heart, who does not turn his soul to lies and who does not swear falsely. He receives blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the family that asks for him, those who seek your face are the children of Jacob. Lift up your heads, ye gates, lift up yourselves, ye everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is he, the king of glory? It is the Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord very in battle. Lift up your heads, ye gates, lift up yourselves, ye everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in! Who is he, the king of glory? It is the Lord of hosts, the King of glory. ”
God awakens His people to be a family that asks for Him, a family that seeks His face - a family like Jacob. Jacob who said "I will not let you go until you bless me" and who in the encounter with God was noticed and went from an identity of deceiver (Jacob) to one who rules with God (Israel). God raises a bride in the last days to welcome the King to ride in - a bride of radical God-lovers. Who has fixed his gaze on a Single. They must "go up on the mountain of the Lord" and they must see the King of glory ride in. It is an awakened church that knows His voice and does not allow itself to be deceived because we know Him. A bride who knows her Groom's voice so well that every false voice sounds wrong. Matthew 24: 23-27: “If any man say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. False messianic figures and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect. I have now told you this in advance. If they say unto you, He is in the wilderness, do not go there, or: He is in the inner rooms, do not believe it. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall it be when the Son of man cometh. 1 Thessalonians 5: 2-6: “You yourselves know that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. but keep us awake and sober. ”
I believe that the High Song and the Book of Revelation go hand in hand. God takes His church into an intimate love with Him, where all we live for is His voice (High Song 2: 8). In the last days, that is what should be significant to His church - the gaze of a One, the commitment to follow Him wherever He goes and calls.
The book of Revelation tells of seven letters to seven churches. Seven is the number for perfection. It's a letter to a perfect bride, His bride, His church. All letters concern faithfulness and the gaze on Him. They concern the invitation to let His love fire clear away the world's mindset and way of life in exchange for the mind of Christ and the life of His kingdom (Romans 12: 1-2). Purity comes from the intimacy of the relationship with Him. All our riches we have only in Him (Rev 3: 17-18). A remnant bride is such a congregation.
A united worship - from all generations and nations - will rise from such a bride, such a people - it is a bride's song: the intimate song of praise that calls for the Bridegroom and calls for the new Jerusalem.
It is a people who love their God more than anything else and who seek His kingdom and His righteousness first. It is a bride, a congregation, who follows the Lamb wherever He goes. It is a people of God who lay down their crowns before the throne, who lay down everything of their own career, wealth and pride for Him who is our only Prize. It is the crowds of God that rise up that are new temple and who welcomes His glory, welcomes Him to dwell in our midst. It is sons and daughters who know that they are unconditionally loved by their Father. It's a recent army.
He loves us. And everything will testify to the great love of the Father.
Cornelia Forsberg