Time to Rise and Shine, Church!

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. -Romans 13:11-14

About three weeks ago, God gave me another dream:

In that dream I set my cell phone alarm to wake up at 6:45am. The alarm went off at that time and I woke up in my dream. I began to walk around and saw people that I was close to spiritually before I became fully committed to LoveHOP. All these people had different times and swore they each had the right time. So much confusion was going on and I became confused myself. I began to think that I had the wrong time but I didn't know who to turn to because everyone had different times. I then yelled "It's 6:45 people! Change your times!!" After I did that, everyone began changing their watches and clocks. Then the dream ended.

I feel the dream represents many who profess to be part of the Body of Christ and the state they are in. They simply do not know the times and seasons right now. Many are currently blind and deaf to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. Many are building up their own religious institutions and promoting their own man-made agendas in the Name of Jesus rather than promoting the Kingdom agenda. Along with that comes a toleration of loose living, immorality, and unrepentance of willfull sin. Prayerlessness abounds and the worship of God is not a priority. Many need to simply wake up and discern the age!

We need to be like the men of Issachar "who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). Because the men of Issachar understood the age they were in, they knew what to do when they went to war. Beloved, NOW is the time to submit ourselves to what the Sovereign Spirit of God wants to do in this age. This is a cry to the Church- LAY DOWN YOUR AGENDAS FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM. Don't try to build up your own church name but surrender to what God wants to do.

But what kind of age are we in?

Luke 21:25-28 states:

"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

For the past few months we have experienced and increase of activity in the natural realm. Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods as well as fear around the world. All these signs point close to the coming return of Christ who will establish His kingdom here on earth. But as this world grows darker, the Light that we have MUST shine brighter and brighter. There is hope!

"Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the LORD will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you.
And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising." -Isaiah 60:1-3

Revival is here!!!

The beginning of the greatest awakening the world has ever seen is stirring up. Revival fires are being lit and it's about to rumble. Are we aware of what's going on right now or are we still caught up in the same ol' same ol'? Are we ready? Are we able to recognize the move of God when it hits our churches/communities?

What must we do now?

The answer is found in Matthew 25:1-12:

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

In this parable regarding the age in we are living right now, which are the End Times, there were ten brides waiting for the bridegroom. Half were described as wise and the other hald were considered foolish. The bride represents the type of people who profess to be believers. The bridegroom which represents Christ somehow "delayed" his coming. Then there was a cry at an hour they were asleep. The ones who were wise WOKE UP and lighted their lamps with the oil they had. The ones who were foolish ran out of oil and were ill-prepared for the bridegroom's coming. The ones who had the oil were ready to be with the Lord and the ones who didn't have the oil were shut out...

What does the oil represent and how do we buy our own?

The oil represents intimacy with God. Oil was what was used to light the lamp. If we are to be the "light of the world" we must prioritize intimacy with God through prayer and worship. Too often, we are going around being "busy" for God but achieving nothing. Now is the time to love Him and allow Him to love us. He wants to be with us. He wants our eyes fixed on Him during this time. He wants us to be awakened from our spiritual sleep and to focus our gaze upon Him. And as our hearts are fixed on Him, He will speak to us and direct us in what to do during this age.

"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." -Acts 13:2. As we set our minds and hearts to worship God, the Holy Spirit will speak and direct us. We, the Church must go back to the roots of adoration of Jesus!

Jesus, awaken Your Bride to see what Your Spirit is doing in this age. May we arise and shine for Your light has come upon us. Let us be ready for what You are beginning to do in this age!

Earthquakes, the Kingdom and why 4/18 is significant

I was talking to a friend of mine today and she mentioned that in the Bible, earthquakes always preceded a major event like Jesus' crucifixion, His resurrection, the Holy Spirit filling intercessors with boldness to further the Gospel, etc. And there's a reason why these local earthquaakes here in the LA area happened on 3/16/10 and on Easter Sunday 4/4/10. I feel that God is shaking this land and revival fire is being poured out at this moment.

About a week ago, I received a dream that I feel has a lot of spiritual significance. In my dream my brother and I were going to a guy named Jaeson Ma's apartment in LA. Jaeson is a pastor who has been used around the world to light revival fires in several countries- especially in Asia. Now God is using him to bring the Kingdom of God to the media and see Hollywood and LA shaken for the glory of God. He is also been named one of the up and coming leaders of this generation in Charisma magazine.

In that dream I felt we were on the 7th floor. As we were walking up, I felt led to tell my brother, "If anything happens, we need to plan an escape route out of the building." Then we entered into Jaeson's apartment and the apartment was packed with people- around 50ish or so. He began to teach and preach then a great shaking came. I then heard a guy yell "it's a 7.2!!" the building began to sway back and forth really violently. My brother and I ran out to the balcony to escape but there were lots of people there already. So we found a window and jumped out of it. The dream ended and the numbers 4/18 came to me when I woke up.

Now I had no idea what 4/18 meant. So I messaged Jaeson on Facebook and told him about the dream. He then told me that was the date of his "Kingdom Come II" training. Then I found out that was the date of the 1906 San Fransisco Earthquake. And the week of the earthquake was the start of the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles. I was tripped out!!! I had NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE of these dates, whatsoever!

I then read his blog about it and felt it was confirmation from God about what's taking place in the spiritual realm right now. He explained the significance of the earthquakes on 3/16/10 and Easter Sunday. To read his blog click here.

I wasn't able to go the the "Kingdom Come II" event but I was in another meeting that The Light Christian Fellowship hosted and LoveHOP was invited to. But I heard from a few people that the event was very powerful as many were touched by the Spirit of God. I believe that it was a catalyst for what is going to happen in our college campuses and cities. To read about what happened, read Jaeson's blog by clicking here

But at the meeting I was at, they were talking about Asuza Street as well and the defeat of the evil principalities over Long Beach and Signal Hill. And again, I was tripped out!!

The shaking that has been going on around the world recently signifies what is taking place in the spiritual world. Hebrews 12:26-29 states:

At that time His voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Look carefully at the passaage. The shaking indicates the removal of certain things (the kingdom of darkness) in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain (the kingdom of God). And we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. His kingdom has come and His will is done ON earth AS IT IS in heaven!

In 1909, William Seymour who was one of the key figures in the Asuza street revival prophesied that in about 100 years a revival will take place again greater than Asuza Street. The fires are being lit right now! The revival many have been praying for is here! I feel in this season, God will call many to radical obedience to live pure and righteous lives, signs and wonders will increase to counter false signs and wonders as in Moses' time, and the Gospel of the Kingdom will be taken to the hard places around the world and also in this nation and will result in multitudes being swept into the Kingdom of God. Revival has been hitting college campuses already. And from what I hear, stuff has been going on in Cal State Long Beach, UCI, and Vanguard University.

I don't have time to type in everything that has been happening and what God has been telling us at the Love House of Prayer here in Signal Hill/Long Beach but everything seems to be coming into alignment. We need to align ourselves in this moment. I am grateful for such a time as this and that I am born to see the greatest move of God since the Book of Acts. I just don't want to see it. I want to take part in this.

God's about to shake this land!!!!

God, we align ourselves to what You want to do in these coming days. Fill us and give is the grace to obey what You call us to do. Holy Spirit, do Your work and finish the Great Comission through us!!!

Expecting the Glory

And when the priests came out of the Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves, without regard to their divisions, and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD,

"For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever,"
the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God. -2 Chronicles 5:11-14

I noticed this passage earlier today. This was a dedication of the temple built by King Solomon in Israel. Up until this point God gave them instructions on the orders and rules of how worship should go. After all, God is a God of order right? But something quite unexpected happened. While they celebrated extravagantly the goodness and his enduring love for them, the whole temple was so filled by a cloud that the priests could NOT perform the duties because they were so overwhelmed by the glory of God. The Bible says that they "could not stand to minister". So in other words, they fell down.

I can make this a case for being "slain in the Spirit" although I really don't like the term. I'd rather call it "gettin' rocked by the glory of God." But anyways, that's beside my point...

A glory encounter with God was what these worshippers had. I'm pretty sure these Israelites knew how to do their sacrifices. The rules for worship was already given to them hundreds of years in the Book Of Exodus. But all these rituals and sacrifices mean nothing unless God shows up.

We can go week after week, Sunday after Sunday, doing the same things. We can go to church, sing songs, listen to a message, and go home. But somewhere lost amidst all this is a genuine encounter with God. We have replaced His manifest presence with a mere program. We can pretty much predict what happens in our services. The result? We leave our places of worship the same way we came in- unchanged, unmoved, and still unbelieving in the power of God.

Consider these words from the famous scholar/Bible expositor, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones:

Possibly one of the most devastating things that can happen to us as Christians
is that we cease to expect anything to happen. I am not sure but that this is
not one of our greatest troubles today. We come to our services and they are
orderly, they are nice ‒ we come, we go ‒ and sometimes they are timed almost to
the minute, and there it is. But that is not Christianity, my friend. Where is
the Lord of glory? Where is the one sitting by the well? Are we expecting him?
Do we anticipate this? Are we open to it? Are we aware that we are ever facing
this glorious possibility of having the greatest surprise of our life?

Now, my friend, you must get rid of that attitude; you must get rid of
it once and for ever. That is ‘religion’, it is not Christianity. This is
Christianity: the Lord appears! Suddenly, in the midst of the drudgery and the
routine and the sameness and the dullness and the drabness, unexpectedly,
surprisingly, he meets with you and he says something to you that changes the
whole of your life and your outlook and lifts you to a level that you had never
conceived could be possible for you.

May we truly come with expectant hearts for God to move in our worship services and corporate gatherings. The manifest presence of God is not only meant for private devotions but together as the Body of Christ. Don't settle for anything less than what God has to offer you. Yes, we seek God and not the manifestations but as we truly seek God, He will make Himself manifest. Let's allow the King of Glory and welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our churches! LISTEN and OBEY the Spirit's prompting. May we all have a genuine encounter with the Lord of glory in our lives. Amen.

Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory! -Psalm 24:7-10 (emphasis mine)