What Are We Hearing?

Wow!  I'm not sure this has ever happened before.  As of last week, I've been in formal ordained ministry for 33 years.  And today, on Sunday morning - I'm sitting alone in my home.  Kay is in Guatemala with our daughter Amy.  We held our weekend worship with Prince of Peace Church on Friday night.  And here I sit.

I felt compelled to watch the recorded session of Dr. Peter Wagner from the Passover Gathering which was held in April in Denton. I had ordered it on Thursday and almost miraculously it arrived yesterday. The message was another in a series of confirming revelations the Lord has been setting into my heart. And now as I sit quietly with the Lord, He is reviewing what He has revealed to me. Over the last few months my journey has been defined by "God getting my attention."  Whether through travel, a hectic schedule, a full house of family, vivid dreams or yes, even a bout with "Montezuma's revenge," Jesus has been hard after me.  He has shown me several things.

Let me first share two thoughts:  This is not meant to be an extensive or elaborate blog but a summary of what the Lord is continuing to reveal to me and unravel in me. Second, these are not exclusively new to me.  They are revelations that the Lord is making to His body.  Others are seeing and hearing the same thing. The Lord is trying to get our attention! Regarding these thoughts, you might say, "Tom, these are basic. Everyone knows this."  My answer is, "Yes, they are and no they don't."

First and Most Important - Jesus is the true plumb line!  As the building as built, it is extremely important (essential) that everything be lined up and square. And Jesus is the ONLY plumb line! Everything is measured by and through Him!

Second, it is one thing to be lined up with Jesus, it is quite another to hear His voice and obey Him.  Some would say that "their" programs, lives and ministries are lined up with Jesus (they can show you proof via their numbers and success), but are we hearing His voice?  One of my most important purchases this last month was a tuning fork.  The sound (voice) of the tuning fork brings everything and everyone into perfect pitch.

 

Next, through a vivid dream in which I witnessed someone removing a cross from our worship center wall to paint a beautiful but inappropriate mural, the Lord exhorted me - it is always about Christ and Him crucified. The heart of His work in us is redemption through the power of His blood.  We will not pass into our future, our gifts, or our destiny except through His blood. The life is in His blood (Leviticus 17).

Fourth, we must understand our boundaries - the divine time and location that the Lord has appointed for you! Several years ago, through a vision, I saw a map.  It was a map of the United States.  It showed all the borders of the states.  As I was looking at the map, the Lord brought another map over it.  It was transparent – so I could see the first map – but this map showed different borders.  I could still see the other borders but it was obvious that the Lord was speaking to me regarding a kingdom mindset. Meditate on Acts 17:26-28. Listen to my message on Boundaries.

The importance of the threshing process.  Starting last fall via a message by Apostle Jay Swallow and confirmed by words in Oklahoma via Prophet Chuck Pierce, the Lord has placed us in a threshing floor. As wheat - our destiny is not complete until we have passed through the threshing floor.  The threshing floor is a place and process of revelation, judgment, worship, transition, separation and empowering by God's Spirit.

Finally, if we are not properly aligned - personally, family, church and kingdom - then we are scattered.  And proper Biblical alignment for our work in God's kingdom is apostolic. I can not express the importance, blessing, authority and joy of being in covenant alignment.  I personally align with Chuck Pierce and John Benefiel.  My covenant and apostolic alignment include Global Spheres, Heartland Apostolic Prayer Network, United States Reformation Network and my own apostolic oversight of Texas Apostolic Prayer Network and Prince of Peace Church.  As I just heard from Dr. Wagner, when you are apostolically aligned, the anointing starts flowing through you. A spiritual transaction takes place in the invisible world. Holy Spirit finds open doors for imparting wisdom and revelation into your life. The whole church or ministry benefit.  

Your whole life benefits as you line up with the true plumb line - Jesus Christ - the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.  Are you hearing Him?