This week in Elevate a man came to speak named Keith Wheeler. There was something about that guy. The way he loved Jesus was so genuine, I have never met anyone like it before. This man travels the world carrying a 10 ft by 6ft cross. He has been to around 139 countries! I wish I could tell you about all of the crazy stories like being put in prison, beaten and left for dead (twice), attacked by bears, lions, and crocs. But even more amazing are the stories where God touches the people that encounter this man and a cross. Some become like fire, others find freedom, while some fall to the ground. The power of God's love is something I will never be able to comprehend but it is something I believe in 100%. So after listening to the testimonies and stories from this guy, God was stirring something so deep inside me. All I wanted was to know my Savior better. Do you know Jesus favorite color? Have you even asked Him what His favorite color is? There was so much wisdom that was shared that I was a little overwhelmed. After hearing him talk, I decided I needed to get with God and let him speak and get some things settled in my mind. The revelation He gave me yesterday is just a seed of truth, but it is something that will change the way I live for the rest of my life. I really recommend reading it because I think that about 100% of Christians need to have this revelation. So many of us... the majority of us.. have been living for the wrong reasons.
MY PRAYER:
It is my desire to serve you to the ends of the earth. God I want men and women to truly know your love. God! For hardened hearts to melt away at the word of your truth! For people to finally find the savior they have been longing for! But my heart must first be untangled of all the mess from religion and false perceptions of who You are. God, the love I give away will only be out of the overflow from the depths of my understanding. Renew my mind and my ways to become like yours!
JESUS' RESPONSE:
If our response is not with love, it is wrong- than I am not there. If your gifts are used without love or used not out of love- I am not there. ((1Corinthians 13:1-3)) What I mean when I say "I am not there" is that it is not my heart. I am always with you, but my heart is always for love. Even concerning churches- if they do things not out of love- then it is not for my name. Things done on this earth that are not done out of love- count as rubbish. It will be burned up in the fire. Some dedicate their whole loves to "serving" me, but if it is done without my love, it was for nothing. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23). Yes, it is possible to do my works and not to know me. To serve me and not know me. For I must accomplish the works of my Father. Do I not even use the works of the devil to bring about my glory? I use nature, atheists, sinners, kings, the greatest and the least to bring about my glory. What makes "Christians" any different from them? In all you are all the same- So often you worry about "the call on your life" and how I am going to use you, but you have missed the GREATER call: to KNOW ME. to SEEK ME. to FIND ME. From there, everthying else will fall into place. Many of the things that once clouded your mind will fall away. You love the phrase "To know Him and to make Him known." You must know me first in order to make me known. Alyssa, don't you understand? You must know my love in order to give it away. If you don't know this than all works are rubbish. You must know my mercy in order to give it away. My grace and forgiveness. Apart from me you can do nothing. So often you worry about what to say, boldness, what is the right thing to do- Those worries will slip away by the power and revelation of my love.
MY REVELATION:
First off.. woah. Here is just a little of what I got from this:
--God is love..Jesus is love (1 John 4:8). When we do things that are not out of love, then that wasn't for God. (God may have used the situation for his glory) but concerning our heart and our motives.. it wasn't God. WOW. I felt heavily convicted after that one. So many times in my life.. even if I pray for someone, give them an encouraging word, even if i help unload the dishes without my mom asking, or help out a roommate.. if love isn't there then it wasn't for God.
--Matt 7:21-23 was always the verse that I never understood. I actually jokingly thought that it wasn't suppose to be in the Bible. haha. How could someone who can call Jesus 'Lord' and do things such as heal, prophesy, cast out demons not know Him? But in the verse, even though they were doing the things of God, they weren't doing the will of God. Which is to KNOW him!
--Many times we get wrapped up in the great calling of our lives. How are we going to achieve it? Carry the weight of it? What is it??? Some people spend their whole lives striving for their dreams and the dreams of God and they miss their TRUE calling and GREATER calling.. to know Jesus. If we know Jesus, the calling will come and our heart will be in the right place. If we don't know Jesus and still fulfill our calling.. it would all be for nothing.
http://www.kw.org/ is Keith's website! Check check check it out!
