True Prophetic Vision

Proverbs 29:18 tells us: Without vision people perish. The E.S.V. versions says it this way,

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint…

This is the more accurate rendering of the word vision from the Hebrew language. When we try to live without prophetic revelation we tend to live in total blindness. We walk around lost and faithless, hope is fleeting and nothing compels us toward anything, life just happens, instead of us happening to life. In Jesus we live and move and have our being. It takes faith, to see prophetically just who Christ really is.

Helen Keller was asked what could be worse than being blind, her response was simply amazing: “To have sight without vision”. That speaks volumes to many today, stuck in a rut of complacency and unable to get out, caught in the daily grind trying to live the American dream. Prophetic Vision gives restraint to out of control lives!

In Marks gospel we have an account of one mans desperate need for sight, blind Bartimaeus. His story should bring hope to us all. In this passage we can see seven principles toward leading us to Christ.

1. He Positioned himself:

Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.

Notice in this verse he was sitting by the way side, beggars usually do, this isn’t strange unless it happens to be the road Jesus is on. This is key; we must position our selves where Christ is. We may say “this is the same Jericho road I have always set on” But know this: Jesus will go out of His way to travel down your familiar road. When that happens, the nowhere road will become a somewhere road. God loves to interrupt our daily routines, like Moses tending sheep when all of a sudden a bush catches ablaze! It is not the position of your body but rather the position of your heart. James 4:10 say’s, Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

2. He was Desperate:

Mark 10:47-48 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Desperate people do desperate things. We all get desperate at times, for different reasons. The question is are we desperate for Jesus? Blind Bartimaeus could not see in the natural but had enough prophetic revelation to cry out for Messianic help… “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" His cries were so loud and disruptive, people around him including “disciples” told him to shut up! Desperation will cause you to press through a crowd to touch His hem, climb a tree to catch a glimpse, sneak to Him in the middle of the night, have your friends lower you through a roof. Religious people will become intimidated by your desperation for it will expose their complacency. Nevertheless cry even louder. Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

3. He was Called:

Mark 10:49 And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."

“Take heart” rest and know He has called you. If you are His than nothing can separate you from the love of God. Standing on this ground no matter the circumstance brings comfort. Desperation should lead to repentance and repentance to faith, faith to believing and, believing to baptism. Which really means total emersion into God’s reality. Why am I saying all of this? Because if He has called you, we must take heart and get up and come to Him. You may not know were this will lead you, but I can assure you of one thing, it is a whole lot better than were you are at. It is one thing to be desperate it is entirely another to be called! So when the knock at the door comes and it will…answer it!

Eph. 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

4. He cast away His cloak:

Mark 10:50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

The beggars cloak had to go were he was going he wouldn’t need it anymore. Some of us need to cast away past identifications, which speak over our futures as if it where true. If Jesus is calling for you to come to Him we need to trust Him from then on out. Bartimaeus knew he wasn’t going to need that dirty garment when in the presence of Jesus. Know this: when Jesus calls us, He is calling our true self, not the blind beggar on the side of the road. We may indeed be that blind beggar on the side of the road in the natural, but Christ speaks to what He has preordained us to be, not the circumstance He finds us in. Hebrews 12:1-2 say’s this:

let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…

5. He knew what he needed:

Mark 10:51 And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight."

Solomon was asked what he wanted from God, and his answer was wisdom! Profound, you see; with wisdom he could acquire wealth and power, and rule well. Thus, the book of Proverbs from the wisest man who ever lived. If God where to ask most people what He could do for them, they would treat Him like a genie in the bottle. Not so with Bartimaeus, he wanted sight! When your blind, you stumble easy. He needed to see where he was going. You today need sight…Prophetic revelation. Christ can and will heal our spiritual cataracts. What do you want? What do you need? Christ is calling, and asking. Read Matt. 7:7 -8,

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

6. He had Faith:

Mark 10:52 “And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well."

Did Jesus heal him or did his faith? Your faith made you well, Jesus, say’s. The fact is it was Faith in Who he was coming to, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus was the long awaited messiah, He was the hope of Israel, and the world. Bartimaeus’ faith rested entirely upon this hope. What are you believing for, were is your faith and what is your faith in? Ask people what they believe in and you’ll get conflicted responses but, look at what they pursue and you will get closer to the answer. Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. The making well by faith is the result of absolute trust in Jesus. You must believe that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Vision is faith in action, prophetic insight to the kingdom. You may believe, but ask Jesus to help with your unbelief. Mark 11:22 And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.

7. He Followed Jesus:

Mark 10:52 …." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Jesus looked Peter in the eyes and said, “Follow me and I’ll make you become a fisher of men.” Peter forsook all and followed. You may say that was a chosen disciple who later became an Apostle, but what about me? Jesus commands men everywhere to take up crosses and follow Him. What about you! What position where you in when Jesus passed by, weren’t you desperate for change, aren’t you called, didn’t you lay aside the old beggars cloak, did you not know just what you needed, don’t you have faith? Then you need to follow. How do you know if you have prophetic vision and revelation? The recovery of sight follows faith, if you believe than receive, for following Jesus comes when there has been a recovery of sight. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is all of these and for us to enjoy the abundant life He provides, we must follow. The chief end of man is to worship God and enjoy Him forever! What are your pleasures and what is the source of your joy? If you can answer anything other than Christ your not following Him in the way. Bartimaeus knew there was no going anywhere other than with the one who gave him prophetic vision!

Matt 7:13-14

"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

-Pastor Rob

Arouse the Sleepers

2Tim. 4:2

Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.

Psalm 68:11

The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.

Preachers of the Word often times feel as if they are the only ones, lonely, rejected and outcast. They are in the company of Elijah the prophet. Like John the Baptist, preaching alone in the desert place for six months before he beheld the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. Yes, crowds were drawn to him, but he was standing alone without many friends. Prophets of the Lord often walk alone because they walk with God, were few seem to be. As one proclaims the Word of the Lord you automatically distance your self from the status quo. The gulf between you and the ears to hear seems to be a great distance away. What is ever pressing down on your soul with severity, seems to be taken so lightly by others. This is the great frustration of preachers. What others don’t understand you see so clearly. The burden of the Lord is a great thing to unload when it seems as if you’re the only one carrying it. Jesus felt the same way as He was dispensing truths of the Kingdom to those who had so little faith.

The reality is, you are not alone. Yes, friends may be few in the immediate sense, but you are in the eternal presence of a great company of preachers. Hebrews 12:1 say’s

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

The great sin of many preachers of the Word is a lack of Faith. It clings closely to us and becomes a weight to keep us down. Listen to the Words Paul gave young timothy…

For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love, and self-control.

God’s Spirit was given to empower us to be witnesses of the glorious gospel. He is with us even to the end of the age. We are preaching with a heavenly host of cheers, cheering us on to victory. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, The Apostle Peter, The Apostle Paul and the list goes on throughout the Church age, with the likes of A.W. Tozer and Leonard Ravenhill and a army of fellow preachers who have not died, but passed on to glory. They are our Brothers and Sisters and our eternal companions in this great occupation known as Preaching the Word. We must be instant in season and out of season…ready to deliver the word to all who sleep. Like the handmaidens of Psalm 68, running from tent to tent shouting the Word of the Lord, arise to battle!

City Missionaries

By planting a church that thinks missionaly means it will be a city within the city. What does that mean?

Every society consist of these basic infrastructures: Governance, Family, Economics, Agriculture, Education, Medicine, Justice, and Art.

So we must begin with, were do I fit-in in all of this?
The Kingdom should be at work within all of these, I believe.
The Church should operate within the center of the city, and flow though out all of these areas. Chances are you already work in one of these capacities. So are you a missionary there? You should be!

The Church should be fully engaged and active within the cities infrastructure. A community That, loves, serves, and gives in such a dramatic way that we offer what a city without God cannot possibly give. The Church should contribute to the community not take from the community.
After all churches are communities of the Kingdom of God. This community must be a habitation of the Spirit, by preaching consistently the word by the Spirit. The living an abiding Word must be ever present. The very word for community is to have a common unity with Christ. The more we are joined to Christ the more we are joined together. You take Christ out of it and the whole thing falls apart. We start out as individuals that move into fellowship with other believers and from there we assemble as the Church that becomes a community of the Kingdom. Really it is pretty simple.

Get your Spiritual Check-up today!

Gal 2:1,2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with
Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.
I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though
privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I
proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running
or had not run in vain.


Paul was a preacher who received some of the greatest mysteries
concerning the Gospel the world has ever seen. These revelations would
eventually be followed by a series of thorns in his side, in which he
prayed three times to go away without any resolve. Yet, he submits
himself to the Apostles for a spiritual check up. He wanted to put
checks and balances on these revelations and to put them to the test.
He was deeply concerned with running off course and we all know at the
end of his life he tells us that he had finished his course. Why,
because he humbled himself to authority and submitted to the Lord. He
refused to submit to those pretending to be brothers and at the same
time recognized who were the pillars. To these he entrusted his
revelation of the gospel and received the right hand of fellowship.
How many today receive “revelations” and refuse to be made accountable
to them. They tout about these special insights into the spiritual
realm and still haven’t got a clue about the basics of true
Christianity. When anybody refutes or questions them about these
“revelations” the immediately go on the defensive. Paul gives us some
great lessons about how to give ourselves spiritual check ups now and
again.


What can we learn from this and apply it to our everyday lives?
1. We do not live in a bubble; we are accountable to one another.
2. We do not receive anything from the Lord that can not stand up to a
critical investigation by our brothers.
3. We must know who to trust when speaking about spiritual insights,
not everybody in the church is a true brother or sister.

Father, may we be humble the way your servant Paul was. May we never
try to think ourselves to important to receive correction or testing
concerning your word, and truth.
In Jesus’ matchless name, Amen.

The Perfect Balance

The Perfect Balance

Acts 9:31

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.

A perfectly balanced church is found in this passage and serves as an example for all to see. There are many assemblies of believers who never multiply because they walk perpetually off balance. Living in community this way is not only awkward and clumsy but never stands sure footed. The Holy Trinity functions as our balance, the tripod effect that stabilizes the church.

Christ is our peace in a tumultuous world and has reconciled us with the Father. Out of the ashes of decaying man He not only redeems us but resurrects us to newness of life. It is with this life He is edifying and building His church.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and every healthy church must walk in wisdom. But, true biblical wisdom is always accompanied with a holy reverence for God the Father. God stands as our righteous judge, judging all things according to His unfailing Holy standard, His Glory! Therefore a balanced church treads reverently with sandals off before an all consuming fire.

But wait, we must never be afraid to approach the mountain of God. For we are not alone, we have been given the Holy Spirit. Our comforter will warmly and gently lead us to the top of the mountain were we will not only catch a glimpse of His hinder parts, but will see Him face to face. Like Job we will be able to say: I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. Job 42:5

A truly balanced church then will not only walk in the fear of the Lord but also with the comfort of the Holy Spirit, through Christ our mediator.

We serve an awesome, frightening, just, and Holy God, no doubt. Nevertheless, Christ sent His Holy Spirit to lead us to that terrifying glory, through gentleness, love, and correction. We must then ascend the mountain and never cower away or draw back. God will be our God and we will be His people.

Reviving revival

Lam. 3:22-26

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him. "The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

Many of us want Revival our way. But, revival Gods way means many times there will be a tearing down of the old in order to bring to life again the things that have died.

The Prophets anguish becomes his hope.

When we recognize our lives seem to be spinning out of control, it is because we are on the potter’s wheel. It is there our lives are being formed in the image of God.

We picture many times revival as a time of refreshing and of course there are those times. But, I believe that a true sign that revival is on its way is when all we can see is a barren waste land peppered with a lot of crosses. It looks as all hope is lost and in the natural it is. This side of Calvary gives us a totally different perspective, for we Know there is an empty tomb and resurrection has come.

Waiting for the Salvation of the Lord can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. The saving of a marriage, the saving of a lost spouse, to the saving of a sick child. The list is endless as long as we are really waiting on our salvation to be actualized by the return of our savior. But in the mean time, we need revival.

The work of the Lord must be free to run its course, for we are in desperate situations all around. The Church is indeed sick and in need of its elders to lay hands and pray.

Poured out…

1Sam. 7:6 (the message)

So everyone assembled at Mizpah. They drew water from the wells and poured it out before GOD in a ritual of cleansing. They fasted all day and prayed, "We have sinned against GOD." So Samuel prepared the Israelites for holy war there at Mizpah.

It was a day of returning to the Lord. Samuel the prophet had gathered the people of Israel for corporate prayer and fasting. The man of God made the sacrifices required and the people of God drew water and poured it out as a symbol of a heart felt quest for God. It was a pouring out of one’s will and life before the Lord. For it is when we are empty God then has the room to fill us with His all sufficient strength and power. It is after all, in our weakness that His strength is made perfect.

We must set ourselves apart to once again become a praying, fasting church. The enemy will plan an offensive maneuver but, we need not fear for the Lord has prayed for us. Jesus has given us Himself on a cross and He is still giving us Himself on a throne. He is forever making intersession for us. Shouldn’t we emulate our savior’s ministry in heaven as well as His earthly one?

Prayer recovers the Lost and finds the Found

Luke 15:24 (CEV)

This son of mine was dead, but has now come back to life. He was lost and has now been found." And they began to celebrate.

In these powerful verses we have Jesus giving three parables about being lost. Interestingly we find the sheep and the coin don’t recognize they are lost, only the son does. In all three accounts there is rejoicing over the rescue. Sheep need guidance, the coins are only kept by the keeper, but sons recognize three things:

1. They have an inheritance

2. They are deeply loved

3. They must decide to return home

The sheep the Shepherd finds, the coin the woman finds, but, the son comes to his senses and recognizes that even servants are better off than being lost. Son-ship is returning to the Fathers house.

To have true revival, there must be true repentance, to have true repentance there must be a coming to our senses. Returning home may provoke some to jealousy, but the Father to rejoicing.

We are the prodigal Church by the way, the American church that is. We have begged for our inheritance prematurely (the health and wealth gospel) and have squandered it on a consumer addicting lifestyle that gives very little if any in return. Our Churches are big and expensive and our people are small and selfish. It is all about what Jesus can do for me in this life, with very little regard to the next life. Jesus needs to be everything, our treasure and our joy! We owe Him our very lives!

It is this “I want it all, and I want it now” mentality that finds itself in a pig pen. Sadly, we are already there as a whole.

Eating with the pigs instead of feasting with our God.

Today we can’t stand with Peter and say “silver and gold I don’t have, but, what I do have, I will give to you, rise up and walk!” We have plenty of silver and gold but lack considerably the power to say “rise and walk!”

We have traded our power as a church for wealth and prestige.

Holy undone

Isaiah 6:5 (ESV)

And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

When Gods presence invades ours the first thing we will realize is just how undone we really are. Like Peter when Jesus entered his boat. Peters comfort zone. A place he was most familiar with and all he could say was I am a sinner! Even the greatest of prophets like John the Baptist said he wasn’t worthy to tie His shoe. The overwhelming inadequate feeling and the knocking of our knees followed by the filthiness of our mouths reveals to us just how glorious and majestic and powerful is our God.

You will know you have seen the King!

We need as a church a refresher course on kingdom educate. We have lost our sense of awe for Christ. Repentance reminds us of that. We need to repent and plead for mercy. Our petitions need to be for holy coals to touch our unclean lips and cleanse our speech.

You want revival…That’s revival!

Psalm 116:15 says Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

God looking over heavens banister catches a glimpse of a dying saint and with a holy grin say’s welcome home. It is a holy thing when a saint finally goes home. However, it is equally glorious when a believing Christian finally concedes to the will of the Spirit and dies to self preservation. Remember it is those who are led by the Spirit that are given power to become the Son’s of God. Dying Christians are truly on their way to becoming godly saints. A.W. Tozer said, “When you see a man with a cross on his shoulder you know one thing is for certain, he isn’t coming back.” Believers walking and living in the power of the resurrection will surely bring pleasure to the Lord.

Men seem to lose their dignity when standing behind the shadow of the cross. We must draw near to God’s holy flame, for no man has seen the Lord and lived. In order to die to the flesh we must stand in the illuminating gaze of God’s holy intent for our lives.

There must be an agreement for revival

Rev. 22:17

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Looking prophetically at this verse we can see the agreement of the Spirit of God with the bride of Christ saying harmoniously and unanimously “Come!” The anxious anticipation of the grand finally of all that is God working itself into completion with creation. The intense groaning of the earth and the deep yearning for the bridegroom to see the full manifestations of the sons of God. It will be a beautiful day!

Those with ears to hear chime in and join the jubilant cry, “Come!”

Notice it is the thirsty who are invited to come. Come where? Where the river of life and the Spirit and Bride collide in agreement. True revival takes place in the flow of this river, and all we do stems from the life of this river. This river of revival is free by the way, not something we can manufacture or produce or reproduce for that matter. It can’t be sold or packaged neatly in slick advertising slogans. It is not conjured or coerced, forced and manipulated. It can’t be controlled, filmed and touted as the biggest in history. It is not man made nor man led, but flows freely from the throne of God’s rich Grace. It isn’t for the curious inquisitor but for the desperately thirsty. How thirty are we?

Come Lord Quickly. Amen!