Flowers from Jesus

 

https://youtu.be/d66HMYqh3WA   (You Tube Audio Link for Chapter 1 of Kingdom Lessons Three)

 

I will now share a word-picture called “Flowers from Jesus” and then discuss the spiritual lessons in the story. See if you can figure out where I am going.  While the spiritually young may benefit from this teaching, it is actually geared towards those who are maturing in the Lord.

 Flowers from Jesus: The Parable 

Once there was a young man who had a vision. We will call him Zak. In the vision, the Lord appeared and said to him, “Zak, My son, hearken unto me, for I wish to prepare you for my service in a much deeper manner. I have been building your character and purifying you, so that you will become a more effective vessel in my service.  You have disappointed me at times, as I knew you would, but over-all, you have been doing well.

While you have been serving Me already, there is a special ministry that I am calling you to, Zak, that will take many years of preparation.  While you have a portion of unconditional love, discipline, wisdom and obedience in your character, at this time, there is a work that I am calling you into that will require greater levels of unconditional love, discipline, wisdom and obedience.  The testing for that special ministry, that I am calling you to, is such, that I put very few of My servants through such testing. Are you willing to allow Me to refine you further?”

“Yes, I am willing,” answered the young man.

Jesus continued, “In My hand, Zak, is a flower of My creation which, in your tongue, is called a Phlox, although many scholars in your land refer to it as a Phlox paniculata.  This one is especially beautiful and fragrant to you, like no other which grows in the woodlands of your country.  While this Phlox is only an illusion, I promise you, that one day in your journeys, you will find this exact one growing, alive and vibrant.  One more promise, Zak, do I make. If you pray, seek Me first, and praise Me when you are standing near the Phlox of Promise, I will sometimes visit you, just as I am now, and I will bless you with powerful anointings, great wisdom and amazing answers to prayer.  While you must sacrifice greatly and prioritize the finding of this Phlox, never forget, Zak, that I, your Lord and King, must always have first place in your life.

I will also provide you with many confirmations throughout your journey, so that you will be certain of the directions you must take and the promise I have made. When you find that particular flower and I place it in your possession, not only will you receive a clarity of vision concerning many spiritual lessons, but I will give you a powerful anointing, beyond anything you have experienced up to that time, to do a special ministry that I have called you to, which I desire for you to perform for Me.”

“I would very much like that, Jesus!” exclaimed Zak.

Jesus replied, “I must warn you Zak, the journey will not be easy and will take a great deal of time.”  He added, “Before I lead you to the promised land that contains this special Phlox, you will have many opportunities to forgive or withhold forgiveness of brothers and sisters who will try to defraud you, harness you for extended periods of time, to their service, endanger you, or misuse you.  If you do not forgive them with all of your heart, I will not continue your training. At times the emotional pain will run so deep that you must acknowledge that your spirit is willing, but your flesh is weak.  If you do that, Zak, I will help you to forgive.  As with My servant, Paul the Apostle, My grace will be sufficient for you.

“You must pray against the devils who will whisper in the ears of those brothers and sisters who defraud you, harness you to their service, endanger you, or misuse you.  You must not pray against, but only pray for, the brothers and sisters who have been influenced to defraud or thwart your service to Me.  You must also learn to trust Me and be patient.  More importantly, you must learn, Zak, that it is better to be defrauded than to intimidate or manipulate others in order to obtain your desires.  Whether those wants or needs are personal in nature or are tasks assigned to you that are the work of the Kingdom, you must not fall into the temptation of intimidating, manipulating, or throwing tantrums, to fulfill either your personal or ministry goals.  While I may allow My servants to use such means, there are always consequences.  In My Kingdom. Zak, ‘the end does not justify the means’, as the old saying goes.  Many brothers and sisters ‘lord it over’ each other and either deny it or truly do not understand the depth of their sin.”

Suddenly the vision ended.  While Jesus did not speak with such clarity again, the young man grew in wisdom and stature.  Many years passed. Jesus continued to use Zak to do the work of the Kingdom and hone his character.  The young man grew older, looking for the Phlox of Promise, but never seemed to find it.

One day while praying, Zak, who was no longer a young man, said, “I am happy to be in your service, Lord, but I am also sad because the Phlox of Promise never materialized.  You have always been with me, and I have been doing the work of the Kingdom.  You have made me stronger and wiser.  Many times I have asked for grace to continue, despite being misunderstood, delayed, endangered or defrauded. I am sorry that I have had to ask for Your help so often when I have found it difficult, on my own, to forgive.”

Shortly after that, Zak received an inheritance from a distant relative who had passed away.  The inheritance was a small cabin in the north woods.  The man felt the Lord telling him to move from where he was living and reside at the cabin.  He received words of blessing and encouragement from trusted brothers and sisters in Jesus.

Not long after moving into the cabin, Zak had a dream.  In the dream, Jesus appeared to him and said, “Take this key. It will open the locked storage room in the basement of an abandoned building, where I am sending you.  Inside the locked room, is something very important that you must see.”

Zak, still in the dream, materialized inside an abandoned warehouse and found the locked room.  When he entered the otherwise empty room, Zak saw only two items, a filing cabinet and a storage locker. Both were covered with layers of dust.  Brushing off the dust, from both objects, the man uncovered a silver glitter and turquoise filing cabinet, as well as, a two-door storage unit of dark metallic blue.  Curiosity welled up within Zak. He vacillated hither and yon, as he looked back and forth, between the two storage units. Finally, Zak reached forward eagerly and grabbed the handle of the metallic blue storage locker.

Jesus appeared again, in the dream, and exclaimed, “Wait!   Do you remember my warning that you must learn that it is better to be defrauded than to intimidate or manipulate others to obtain the desires of your heart, or even to do the work of the Kingdom?’”

“Yes, I remember Lord,” replied Zak, “but what does that have to do with the two storage cabinets?”

Jesus answered, “The cabinets symbolize the two promises I made to you when you were a young man.  After all of these long years, it is finally time.  You are ready.  But you must not forget my warning! Keep in mind, that while I am sovereign, free-will is very important to me.”

Zak awoke and thanked Jesus for the dream. After breakfast, he decided to go for a walk in the woods. Zak came to a game trail that meandered through the whispering pines to the very edge of his property, near an expanse of gray granite cliffs.  Three red squirrels chittered, as they dashed away from him, over needle-carpeted and sparsely tufted sprays of ferns and blue-grass.  Ahead, just over the boundary of his property line, he spied an opening into a small park that was surrounded by a tall rocky enclosure.  Inside, Zak viewed a small cedar gazebo that contained an ornate bench.  Around the gazebo were splashes of lavender Phloxes, swaying gently in the breeze. Delicious wafts of florally perfumed air graced him with their lovely scents.  Smiling broadly, Zac listened to the warbling serenade of a flitting, swooping flock of plump brown and tan chickadees.  In the distance, the rustling of a tiny brook complemented the beautiful ambiance of the woodland scene.

Instantly Zak recognized that this was indeed the Phlox of Promise!  He eagerly ran forward, but was arrested by an invisible hand.

“Why are you stopping me, Jesus!” exclaimed Zak. He added, “This is the place You promised me!”

Meanwhile, an intuition of momentary clarity came to him.  Zak was certain that the Phlox of Promise was just over the boundary of his property.  Zak wrestled with the impulse to quickly step across the imaginary boundary and soak in the bounty of his treasure.  With a long sigh, he decided to honor the Lord’s rules and sense of propriety.  Zak slowly walked back home, wondering what would happen next.

During the following days, Zak would often walk to the edge of his property and gaze longingly into the park.  When the next week came, he received a card in the mail.  It was an invitation to visit a nearby church.  After visiting, Zak discovered that the owner of the cliff-ensconced park, containing the Phloxes of Promise, a very old man named Monty Bask, attended the fellowship.  The sermon that day, from the book of First Samuel, was about when David refused to take the kingdom from King Saul by either trickery or force, but trusted the Lord to bring the promise in His way, in His time.

During the weeks that followed, Mr. Bask took great favor with his new Christian brother, Zak. Summer quickly faded into fall.  By that time, Mr. Bask had learned how much his new neighbor, Zak, loved the little park with the lavender Phloxes.  Monty’s legs were so weak with age that he no longer visited the park.  His wife had passed on a few years previously.  Monty and his deceased wife, had one young daughter, born late in life, who visited him from time to time, and always, except during the harshness of winter, trekked the long trail from their house to the hidden park.  Monty told Zak that he could visit the little park any time he wanted.  He also promised to tell his daughter.  That very day, before Zak had time to go visit the park, Monty suffered a stroke and died in the hospital.

Later that evening at the church, Monty’s daughter asked to speak with Zac privately.  She said, “I know that Daddy liked you, Zak. I know you are a Christian.  I am a Christian, too, but I don’t always see things the same way as Daddy does…I mean…did.  Daddy said that he wanted you to have the gazebo park, which is just to the other side of where your property joins his – I mean mine. It is mine now.  That was something between you and Daddy.  As we speak, I am having a tall gate installed at the entrance to the park.  I will consider whether or not I am going to give you a copy of the key.  Daddy wanted me just to give the park to you.  I may give it to you or give you first chance to buy it.  I haven’t really decided yet.  Maybe I will decide in the spring.”

Our spiritual lesson today is about walking in unconditional love and refraining from the temptation of trying to get our personal or ministry needs met by manipulating, controlling, or throwing childish tantrums.

Pertinent scriptures:

1 Samuel 24:1 – 7

1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.

2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 

 3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 

 4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. 

5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.

6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. 

7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 

This is the end of the First Samuel material.

 

Other pertinent verses:

James 4:3

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 

 

Leviticus 25:17

Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:6

That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

 

Matthew 7:15

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

 

Romans 16:18

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.  

 

Romans 12:19

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

 

There are examples of cursing and correction by servants of God in both the Old and New Testaments. However, the preponderance of New Testament examples, such as Jesus on the cross in Luke twenty- three, and the stoning of Stephen, as found Acts seven, are illustrative of mercy.

Luke 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”  

Acts 7:60 “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

 

Whenever someone used the word “if”, my mother, when she was alive, , was fond of saying, “If – with a big mountain on top!” I’ll admit the saying is a bit strange.  In modern parlance it meant, “Like that is really going to happen!” But I thought of my mother’s old saying as I was about to write this sentence.

If vengeance is necessary, in any given situation between brothers and sisters, that is the Lord’s option, not ours.  For example, in Romans 9:15, Paul writes, “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”  Jesus may view any given situation from a perspective that we as individuals, or as groups, are not able to clearly see.  We, especially as individuals, often view actions of brothers and sisters through a clouded lens because of our natural human self-centeredness, because we are reacting according to feelings of hurt or anger or because we are simply unaware of all the pertinent factors concerning the issue.

Personally, I am of the opinion that, individually, we should lean towards mercy, rather than judgment.  Now as spiritual leaders, we can never forget mercy, but we may run into situations that require making judgments or corrections, which should never be done in a careless or cavalier manner.  Cavalier means being haughty or disdainful. Paul warns spiritual leaders, in first Corinthians 6:3, that we will one day be responsible to judge angels, and in like manner, we should be able to judge the issues of life within the church. However, if we do make such judgments, we need to do so very carefully and very prayerfully. “Love covers a multitude of sins” is another verse that really stresses our need to walk, as Christians, in both unconditional love and mercy, especially towards our brothers and sisters.  First Peter 4:8 says, “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

Back in the late eighties, not long after I had graduated from college, the Lord brought two mentors into my life to help me transition from being a religious church attendee into actually having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  When I had started meeting with them, I had noticed that they would have visions and “Words from the Lord.”

One Sunday afternoon, feeling very frustrated, I had cried out to Jesus silently. I asked Him, “Why don’t You ever give me words of knowledge or talk to me in visions?” He had, though, given me many special dreams, even at a young age.

Very clearly, I had heard the following, “Soon, I am going to put you through a test that I put very few of my servants through. It is called an Ezekiel-Moriah test.”  Meanwhile, Jerry had a vision of me climbing a mountain with a large throng of Christians.  He said, after describing the vision, that most of the Christians who started out at the base of the mountain would not make it to the top.  Those who did, would, in the process of the journey, get rid of excess religious baggage, become sensitive to the Lord’s voice, and have a clarity of vision concerning many spiritual topics.  Jerry added that he thought I would be part of a remnant who would make it to the summit of the mountain but that it would take many years and that I would undergo both “Death of a Vision” and “Joseph in Prison” experiences.

Death of a Vision is where the Lord promises you something and you wear yourself out trying to make it happen. Eventually, the Lord resurrects the promise and makes it happen in His way and in His time. He may also provide a substitute, as He did when He provided a ram in the thicket for Abraham to sacrifice instead of Isaac.

Joseph in Prison experiences happen when you are betrayed, and you lose your freedom.  (Or, indirectly, when you have to obey Jesus but know that in doing so you will lose something of great value.  See Moriah Test below.) Eventually, you understand that it was all a Romans 8:28 miracle being worked into your life in order to bring character refinement and spiritual wisdom.

I had only met Jerry a few times but had known his friend, Ernie, for several months.  When Jerry left the meeting, I told Ernie, about the word the Lord had given me, prior to Jerry sharing his vision. Ernie recognized the word Ezekiel, but had no idea what defined an “Ezekiel-Moriah” test. He said we would have to wait to ask Jerry until we came together again.

Maybe a week or so later, we had another meeting with Jerry.  Jerry said that he had never heard of an “Ezekiel-Moriah” test, but that he had heard of an Ezekiel test and a Moriah test. Jerry explained that an Ezekiel test was where you would be given a hard word and have the choice of giving it or disobeying the Lord. He said that a Moriah test was where you had to sacrifice something of great value, like Abraham had been asked to do on Mount Moriah.  Jerry opined that the test would be a combination of both tests, meaning that I would probably have to give a hard word, knowing that if I was obedient, I would lose something of great value and suffer immensely.

The test ended up being a series of pop quizzes that lasted for decades.  Several months later, following Jerry’s “Mountain” word, I went through the first quiz.  I saw the Lord standing in front of me, looking like His description in Revelation.

Revelation 1:14-15

(Rev 1:14) His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

(Rev 1:15) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 

Jesus was so bright that I could not look directly at Him. My knees began to buckle.  I felt two angels — one on each side of me — holding me upright.  One of the angels said, “Son of Man, stand on your feet; your Lord would speak with you!” Jesus asked me to give a word to a certain person.  He asked me three times.  Finally, I gave the word.

After I had given the word to the person who was to hear it, I heard Jesus say something concerning me, which seemed to be what that person was thinking about me after hearing the word. He groaned and said, “Do not call unclean what the Lord has cleansed!” When the person heard the word applied to them that it was not from Jesus and that I was “unclean”. At the time that I gave the word, I didn’t comprehend it and had to be told later what it had been. To me it did not seem harsh at all, and it did come to pass, but that person stopped coming to fellowship. I was forbidden to contact the family.

Early in the spring of 1989, I had a vision.  Not long after that, I awoke one morning and felt I was to visit a church that had services in the basement of a bank in Bloomer, Wisconsin.  Barbara Ewing, a visiting prophetess, pointed at me when I entered and gave me a word.

Barbara confirmed several things that the Lord had already shared with me.  Very specifically she had said that I was going to go through very difficult testing that would take many years.  Barbara said, as a part of that testing, I would be hurt and betrayed, in a general way by many Christians, and learn to walk in forgiveness and unconditional love.

Barbara also added that I would be hurt many times in a more specific way.  For the more specific testing, I would be maligned, mistreated, or defrauded in a very particular way by a specific type of Christian or multiple Christians, and then, learn even more lessons in walking in forgiveness and unconditional love. The specific testings, would be a combination of being hurt and defrauded, coupled with a poignant sense of loss as certain promises or expectations were not met. Barbara said that each time I was hurt, I would have the choice of walking in forgiveness or hating the people who had maligned and defrauded me, both for the general and specific tests.   She also said that if I trusted Jesus, He would help me through each testing.

Barbara added that with the specific tests, I would be hurt emotionally in such a way that, over the years, I would develop layers and layers of emotional scar tissue that would be added to layers of scar tissue already in place, even before I had become an adult. She said that Jesus would give me grace to overcome the shackles of that emotional scar tissue as I grew closer to Him.  Barbara said that if people prayed for me to be healed, I would receive more grace, but that God would only heal me through one servant, in the fullness of time, if that servant allowed Him to use them as an instrument.

She concluded by talking about the woman who broke the alabaster flask and poured the oil over Jesus. (See Mark 14:3.) Barbara opined that many Christians have to go through one or two severe tests during their lifetime in order to break them for the Lord’s service. Either the flesh and soul will win or the spirit will win. If the spirit wins, that person spiritually takes on an anointing of Jesus that is as poignant as the scent of expensive perfume, or cologne, being released if the bottle is shattered. If the person fights the breaking, they become hard and bitter, or they become so traumatized that they need to consume great quantities of psychotropic meds to the point that they become walking zombies or become institutionalized.

Barbara said that I would not be broken once or twice, but many, many times.  She promised that if I continued to trust Jesus, even though there would be seasons of emotional pain and sadness, I would not become hard and bitter, or traumatized to the point of needing medications or institutionalization.  Barbara also said that, more importantly, because of Jesus’ presence and anointing in my life, many people would become drawn to me, but that I would need to be careful to always point them to Jesus.

There was a time, early on after the testing began, that I walked around in a dark fog.  If someone would ask me for help, or even ask me to share about Jesus, I could come out of it temporarily.  Over time, the Lord gave me more grace and strengthened me to the point that, unless you knew what to look for, I seemed happy and well-adjusted.  These days, while I may be bold and confident, for example, in presenting a Christian teaching or singing one of the songs Jesus has given me in dreams, in other social situations, I am often shy, withdrawn and awkward.

What I have also discovered recently is that it seems when Jesus wants me to share teachings, He doesn’t just want me to present a well-crafted intellectual observation from scripture.  After He gives me an insight, He wants me not only to experience it, but to learn to feel how He feels, about an issue.  I may learn a lesson, but before I teach it, I may experience it a few times, often over the space of several months or years, before I am really ready to teach on the subject.  More than that, one of my major tasks, pertains to a gifting that I don’t see outlined directly in scripture.  I asked the Lord about this issue.  He showed me a verse of scripture.  I forgot about it. Years later, I asked Him again.  He showed me the same scripture. I heard Him clearly. The first time was more of an impression.  The second time was crystal clear.  I believe I heard Him audibly the second time. Both times Jesus said, “You are a Waymark. Read Joshua 24:15.”

 

Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 

 

If I understand the impressions that came with the revelation, when I am around a group of Christians for more than a short time, one of two things will happen. I also believe there is a minor secondary application of that verse which also applies, but it has very little to do with the topic of this paper.

One thing that happens is that giftings are stirred within the group.  If someone has the gift of helps, for example, opportunities to help brothers and sisters in their midst will present themselves, and the person will feel drawn to help, but will also have the option to resist. If a person has a call, for example, to evangelize, more opportunities will present themselves, and that person will either feel drawn to operate within that gift or have the option to resist that call.

Another thing that happens is that strongholds within people in the group may come to the surface, even if they have been doing a great job of camouflaging that issue.  Unless I am certain that I am to speak to the person about that issue, I am only supposed to pray that others begin interceding or intervening concerning the situation.

Once I was visiting a retired missionary. David started to describe what would happen to him.  David began by saying that he had never met anyone who had a certain “gift or curse” that he knew he possessed. David added that he could not find in the scripture any verses that proved the existence of that “gift or curse”. When David finished his story, he was shocked that I understood the nature of that “gift” and why he felt it was a “curse”.  I knew exactly what that retired missionary meant because I have lived it!

I have been asked to leave groups or churches before because certain people did not know “how I did it,” but their secret sins would start being revealed.  It is nothing that I am doing.  I am like a quality assurance guinea pig for Jesus.  I don’t have much choice in the matter.  People will begin feeling drawn to get busy doing the work of the Kingdom or feel pressure to submit their lives, increasingly, to Jesus.  There is often a grace period, but if the person resists the Lord concerning their callings or in surrendering their strongholds, consequences often begin happening in their lives.  There have been times where I have been required to give hard words, either in personal prophecy or in the form of teachings, but for the most part, I am a very diplomatic and mild-mannered servant of Jesus in most of my interactions within the body of Christ.

Talking about unrequited promises, once when I was feeling down, I wrote the following free verse prose piece.

Isaac Dug Wells

 

Isaac dug wells.

Others blocked his wells.

 

One day the well was not blocked.

My wells have always been blocked.

 

Recently I thought I would finally have my well.

It too was blocked,

by one

who once had railed

against another

whom had blocked my well

long ago.

 

Perhaps a few times in my life

I have felt an angel’s hand

gently hold me in place.

 

To my surprise,

as one brother blocked the well,

during this most recent late afternoon,

on an incredibly hot day this summer,

the angel with a touch of his hand,

as I sat behind the wheel of my Caddy,

also warned me to stand down.

 

I felt the emotional pain

as if it had been my own.

 

 

Bent over.

Holding back tears.

 

I watched feeling the other’s pain.

That was not me this time.

Sad, but calm, my tears had run dry decades ago.

 

There was a fork in the road.

I drove away taking the left fork.

 

Was it the wrong well

or the wrong time?

 

That is not the first time I have asked that question.

I have asked the Lord that question

for thirty years.

 

As Job said,

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust in him…”

Life goes on.

8.15.2012/ excerpted from my book BRUSHPILES.

One of the life lessons that I am required to impart is not intended so much for young Christians, but for those who want to become more mature Christians.  The lesson pertains to not only with unconditional love training and forgiveness, but also with continuing to steadfastly serve the Lord, even when life is full of trials and minimal earthly reward.

When I had the “Three-Dimensional Vision” in 1989, there was a phrase, “in like manner”, that Jesus often used.  Several times He read a scripture to me, and then said, “This will not be the direct teaching of this passage, but I want you to see the parallel to what I am showing you.”

Another lesson Jesus has taught me to share, with those who wish to mature, is related to when Paul said that it is better to be defrauded than to take a brother or sister to court, over a grievance.  I know Jesus mentioned something about this during the vision in 1989, but until I had experienced certain events in my life and completed my book, Kingdom Lessons Two, the memory was hazy.  Suddenly, looking back, where it was indistinct before, now the teaching seemed crystal clear. Now I not only understand the details better, but I think I understand what Jesus shared with me.

Jesus referenced this verse about being defrauded and said, “in like manner,” it is better to be defrauded than to walk in conditional love or use manipulation and control on other Christians.  This principle applies to young Christians as well as seasoned Christians. If I understand what Jesus was saying, He was showing me that this should not be a problem for mature Christians, only for immature Christians.

More pointedly, many Christians, as “toddlers” in Christ, start out being more interested in worldly pursuits and getting their fleshly needs met than in doing the work of the Kingdom.  Spiritual “teenagers” may finally come to the point that they wish to rise above childish pursuits and start doing the work of the Kingdom.  Spiritual “adults” are more eager to actually do more and better work for the Kingdom. What often happens is that less mature saints do the work of the Kingdom, in such a manner that it is obvious they are captaining the ship of their lives, rather than Jesus.  While we may have wrinkles, rolls, and gray hair, that does not mean that we are spiritually mature.  If there are problematic areas in one’s Christian life, one may not be as mature as he or she assumes.

To illustrate this issue, I will share testimonies about three Christian workers from Africa.

1

We will call the first worker Brother Orunda. That is not his name. Orunda was very excited.  He had every right to be excited. Orunda, in addition to being a pastor, had a music ministry.  A local church invited him to visit their sound-man, one Thursday afternoon to receive assistance in recording a music CD that Orunda could use to bring in funding for his ministry.

The family he was staying with, while he was traveling in the United States to obtain funding for his church in Africa, suddenly had issues arise, and they were unable to take Orunda to the church for the recording session.  It was suggested that he might be able to call me, and that I would pick him up, and then, bring him back home. At the time, my gas tank was empty and I was looking at possibly two hours, round trip, to pick him up.

I offered to pray with him that the Lord would either provide me with money for gas or arrange for another brother and sister, who had the means, to go get him.  What was this brother’s animated response? “This is work of God!  You must come!  You cannot say no!  This is work of God!!!!”

God did make a way.  One of the family members had a cancelled meeting. He was no longer required to go to work earlyand was able to drop Orunda off at the church.  I picked him up at the church, and he stayed where I was staying, a day or so, until the host family came to take him back to their home.

 

 

2

Another case in point, concerns a Kenyan evangelist, whom we will call Nigel. (Nigel is not his name.)  I had met Nigel through the Dyer family, a year or so prior to meeting Orunda.  I ship about eighty boxes, give or take, of David Dyer’s discipleship training books around the world on a monthly basis. Once, when I was living in Eau Claire, Nigel had asked me for seventy dollars.   David’s ministry has a policy that we are to only send books and never money — either personal money or A Grain of Wheat ministry funds — to the people who request the Dyer’s materials.

Nigel continued to e-mail me asking for the seventy dollars.  I told him several times that I was very poor and lived in the corner of someone’s garage.  Finally, I offered to pray with him that if the Lord put it on someone’s heart to give me the money in the next three days, I would wire him the funds.  But I would only pray; I would not ask anyone for the money.  I explained to Nigel that I never beg for money.  I just pray and Jesus either provides it or He doesn’t.

Nigel reluctantly agreed to pray with me under that stipulation.  Lo’ and behold, the next day, a Christian brother, who owed me payment for a debt which I thought I’d never receive, stopped by the garage where I resided and handed me the money.  I was short of cash at the time, but I had given my word to the Lord and to Nigel.  I shared the testimony with Nigel and promised him that I would wire the seventy dollars that day.  Nigel was over-joyed and thanked me profusely, via e-mail, in his limited broken English.  It cost me ten dollars, which I really could not afford to spend, but I wired him the cash.  About a month later, he asked me for $500.00. I refused.

Nigel then e-mailed me James 2:14 – 17,

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”

He also sent Matthew 5:42, “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”

I explained to Nigel, that even if I had five hundred dollars sitting in the bank, I would be responsible to pay my debts with it before even considering sending him money.  He resent the two verses.  I told Nigel that the verses did not apply to me, and that a lack of faith on my part was not the problem.

Nigel continued to send e-mail requests for the money.  I asked him if he was willing to pray the same prayer with me, as when the Lord had provided the seventy dollars.  Nigel’s response was, “You pray!  Then you ask family! Then you ask friends! Then you ask church! Then send $500.00!” I told him that I would only pray, and not ask anyone for the $500.00.  Three days in a row, Nigel sent me the same verses, along with the same demands, “You pray!  Then you ask family! Then you ask friends! Then you ask church! Then send $500.00!” After that, he stopped communicating with me.  From that point on, if he wanted books, he contacted the Dyers, and they would e-mail me a request on his behalf.

 

3

Sister Okidawa, (that is not her name) from the Eldoret, Africa area, became upset with me because I would never send her the enormous quantities of books that she often demanded.  Finally, she sent an e-mail to the Dyer’s which stated, “I am sorry to hear that your servant, Wayne O’Conner, no longer serves the Lord!”  David and Nina sent me an e-mail and asked, “What is this all about?”

 

What did the African pastors and evangelists, in the three examples, do wrong?  They used control, manipulation and intimidation in an attempt to meet their personal desires or to accomplish the work of the Kingdom. Brothers Orunda and Nigel, and Sister Okidawa, each from different African provinces, are not the only examples of such behavior.  Over the years, I have known several professional American ministers or lay ministers, male or female, here in America, who have exhibited such blatantly immature behavior. They seem to have this feeling, that they are God’s anointed and that you cannot disagree with them, or you must stop doing your ministry, right now, and help them for free, or you are in rebellion against God. They are not afraid to dramatically point the finger at you and exclaim, “’It is written, do not lift your hand against the Lord’s anointed!’ Do not rebel against me! I am the Lord’s anointed!”

Whether we manipulate, intimidate, or throw a tantrum, and basically say, “I want what I want and I want it now!” we are being immature. Whether we merely want to get our needs met or to do a task for Jesus, if we use control, manipulation, and intimidation to meet our goals, we are sinning.  “Do it my way, right now, or else!” is not the right way. At best, it is the baby Christian way! Jesus seems to put up with this in His baby Christians, but if you have enough maturity to know better, there will be consequences. Many of us have done just that in our homes, in our fellowships or in our churches, and when confronted by God or brothers and sisters, we just set our chins, deny the fact, and “power on.”

Granted, we may have occasions where we are under spiritual attack, or we are burdened through our circumstances, by no fault of our own.  At other times, we may need to suffer, and it never feels good, but the reason is because we are being prepared and perfected. Or we may be at fault in a very minor way, but it is enough, when combined with other circumstances, to maneuver us over the line and into walking outside of the Lord’s protection and everything suddenly snowballs, like an avalanche thundering down a steep mountain pass!  Many times, however, we suffer consequences because of our spiritual immaturity. And the more spiritually immature we are, the more likely we will deny the charge and justify our poor attitudes and behaviors.

God will still love us, and while He may allow toddler Christians to act this way and do the work of the Kingdom, there will be consequences.  For those who should know better, the punishment will be greater. Luke chapter 12 is another, “in like manner” section of scripture.  While it has a more prominent meaning within context, it also serves as a reminder of this principle, that the closer you are to Jesus, the more responsible you are “to act your age” spiritually.

 

Luke 12:47-48

47 “And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

 

Many of us have resisted the character development and breaking by God in our lives for extended seasons, and then wonder why things don’t go right.  God loves His children very dearly.  Even when He forgives us, sometimes there are consequences, when we act without thinking things through. If we decide that sinning feels better for the moment, and we promise ourselves that we can always apologize later, we should not be surprised when prayers for protection, wisdom or deliverance seem to bring poor results.  If we don’t know better, Jesus takes that into account, but if we truly know that we are sinning or resisting, He also takes that into account. Unfortunately, many Christians know about Jesus, but don’t have a close relationship with Him, and because of their lack of knowledge and maturity, they are poor examples to a watching world.

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Coming Soon!

Kingdom Lessons Three: Flowers from Jesus

Chapters

1         Flowers from Jesus

2          Adventures with Jesus in the Mall of America

3          Historical Reenactment

4          Tennessee Safari

5          TWO MISSIONARIES DREAM sent 1/7/2017

6          The Haunted Place

7          Spiritual Turf Wars

8          Dream Songs 2016

-Just Woke Up Singing to You, Jesus (Nov. 2016 song in a dream)

-Return of the Honky Tonk Prodigal (Dec. 2016 song in a dream)

9          Repub-lycans and Demon-cats (Demon-crats)

10       The Friendship Tower Chronicles