Part Two - Prepare for the Awakening – the
Tools are in Your Hand
Judy Bauman
Part Two: Preparing for the Awakening
In the first part of what I
believe Abba Father gave me for 2012-2015 (Rosh Hashanah 5773-5775), I heard
the Holy Spirit say, “PREPARE, PREPARE, PREPARE”. I asked Him a simple
question. “How do we prepare?” This is what I heard:
“First you need
to see and understand what you are preparing for, then you will have the vision
and the motivation for the work involved.
“Take for
example a couple who have gotten the news that they are going to have a baby.
They are excited and begin to prepare both together and separately. The woman
prepares physically and is mindful of her nutrition and general health. It
depends on the dynamics and personalities of each couple, but in general they
begin to provide a place for that baby to live and grow. They not only prepare
for the birth, but other financial needs are also considered for its education
from early childhood into adulthood. If these things are not planned out, then
a number of issues can arise that would limit the child’s health and its
ability to function as an adult in society. As an adult, that upbringing would
affect the person’s ability to provide for the next generation. Different
cultures have different methods, but if their babies are not fed and properly
cared for into adulthood, a cascade of troubling social issues will plague that
territory. So it is for My Body.
“What is coming
to the Church was shared years ago in a vision about a surfer catching a huge
wave. When the first wave came the surfer’s board was too short, and he was not
strong enough to ride the wave.* This is what happened in 2001 when the
churches were filled after the attacks on the U.S. and its leaders and
congregations were not ready – they were not prepared. Many in the Church did
not intimately know My lovingkindness and mercy, so they were unable to share
it with others in need. I Am slow to anger and long in suffering, yet My own
flocks have failed to be taught this simple truth.
“Another wave is
approaching My Body that the Church in no way is prepared to ride.
“The reason the
Church is not prepared to ride at this time is that they still, in large part,
have ‘pew’ mentality. Pews are long benches where people sit and are often seen
in traditional churches. Although many have replaced the pew with chairs, the
tradition of the ‘pew’ continues to live on in the hearts of the congregants.
They habitually come to sit and do their time, and then go home and have lunch.
They rarely remember the message or study to see if what they heard was
scripturally sound. They only pray, study their Bible’s, and worship to the
degree that they feel it will appease Me. That is the sum of their spiritual
life. They honor Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me. For this
reason, many are not prepared. Like babies, they want to be bottle and
spoon-fed. It is time to be weaned and eat the meat of My word.
“In many
countries, fairly new converts are willing to go teach and share with others at
the peril of life and limb. Even though they are new to the faith, they may
know more about Jesus than anyone in a 100 mile radius; they trust Me to be
with them as they go make new disciples! Yet those who had been in the church
for years continued to sit in the pew. They think it is someone else being
called to teach Sunday school or visit the sick. They think it is the pastor’s
job to do what I have called them to do. They have failed to understand. They
think they don’t qualify, yet they have been in Church their whole lives! They
look for their pastor to do the work of the ministry, but I Am looking to them
to exercise the gifts I gave them in every area of their lives.
There are many
who have served Me without knowing what they should do. They believe when I
show them what to do, and they do it. It is not complicated. It’s a matter of
trust. I promote those who go where I send them and do what I say. Many of
those will never be well-known, but they are famous in heaven and great is
their reward. I often send the less qualified because they are willing, yet the
ones I have worked with for years just sit in the pew – saved, but useless in
My hand. It is My desire for My Church to come up off the pew, out of the
chairs and be part of My plan.
Just then I saw people of all
ages, races, denominations and levels of social status rising up and taking
their position in the Body of Christ. As they came together, they formed a
human body. I saw this “Body” walking all over the world. There were no parts
of the body that were not in unity as they all were led by the Head – the mind
of Christ. Then the Lord continued to speak:
“In Ephesians
4:11-12, I made it clear how the church needs to operate to function properly. Jesus
Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some
pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ. In Ephesians 2:19-22 I shared the plan
for My Church, My temple. I made it clear that the Church needs to operate with
the apostolic and prophetic leaders to set the foundation. Then the
evangelists, pastors and teachers are to build on that foundation with Christ
being the Cornerstone. Though many have seen Christ as the Cornerstone, they
have failed to see the need for apostolic and prophetic counsel. Most have the
pastor running the whole church and that was not My intentions for that office
and why so many burn out early. Because the foundation is often overlooked as
being true in times past, the churches crumble and then wonder what happened.
My word is eternally true.
“Look at the
hand and picture the ministry. On the hand the thumb represents the apostolic.
The thumb sets mankind apart from all other animals just as the apostles set
the Church apart from the world. The thumb interacts with all the other fingers
to make them function at their fullest capability. The prophetic is like the
index finger pointing direction for the Body. May the spirit of the prophets be
subject to the prophets. If My prophets are saying different things, it could
be they have different perspectives of My will. If what they say is like a
clanging gong of judgment void of My love, compassion and mercy, it is likely
not Me speaking to them. If their words, even if difficult to bear, are filled
with hope, you will sense I Am in them.
“Remember
Nehemiah was called by Me to rebuild the broken walls and gates of Jerusalem,
but he still had to fight to perform My will. Do not think because I have
spoken to you to accomplish a feat, it will be without a battle. The Bible
gives many testimonies of this truth. Many in My Church have failed to prepare.
Some believe they will be taken out before it gets bad. Others have failed
because when things have gotten difficult they blame the devil and give up.
Many blame Me for not defending them. I have given spiritual armament; however,
My Body has wear and learn to use it!
“The prophetic
promises I give will carry and strengthen you in difficult times IF you
remember them and call them to mind. Proclaim My truth over what you see going
on around you in the natural. There is still much to do! The just shall live by
faith and without faith it is impossible to please God.
“Getting back to
the hand, the middle finger is the longest and stretches out the furthest as is
the calling of the evangelist. The evangelists are to go out and preach the
Good News. But it can’t end there.
“The ring finger
is reflective of the pastoral calling. Pastors are to have the heart of the
Father for their flock – no matter how small or large their flock may be. It is
said that the blood vein from the left ring finger runs directly to the heart.
It has been commissioned to wear the wedding ring. This is also the weakest and
most sensitive finger – test it for yourself and see. Press your thumb as hard
as you can against each finger and you can feel the ring finger’s weakness.
This is why the Church fails so many times. The flock looks solely at the
pastor to care for their needs when the whole hand is needed.
“Finally we
reach the little finger. This one represents the teacher and is by no means
insignificant because it is small. If you have ever shut this finger in a door,
cut or smashed it, you know how important it is! It balances out the work of
the hand. Of course there would be no polite way to drink tea without it being
properly extended!
“Now that you
see the hand and see how its appendages work together, I ask, does the hand
exist on its own?”
“No, it is attached to the
Body.”
“And what does
the hand do for the body?”
“It feeds it, grooms and cares
for it. The hand provides what the body needs.”
“Exactly! If the
Church will read and understand and walk in what Paul taught in Ephesians
4:11-16, they would be ready for the wave that is about to come into the
Church.
“Let Me ask you
another question. If you put your hand in front of your face and look in the
mirror, what do you see?
“I see my hand obscuring my
face.”
“This is what
the five-fold ministry has done for centuries. They have forced the Body of
Christ to look to the HAND and not the FACE. I have said to seek My face, yet
many have been kept from this directive to seek My face by the very ones that
should be pointing to it. The Pharisees received a sharp rebuke for doing this
as will those in My house doing it to their flocks today.
“So let me see if I
understand. Are You saying that the church has been looking at the five-fold
ministry instead of to You because Your face has been obscured from Your
Church?
“Yes. Matthew
23:13 explains this clearly for all to see. This verse also reveals that when
you seek My face, you will find My kingdom.”
“So the HAND is to groom, feed
and care for the Body of Christ so that we are equipped to do the work of the
ministry and as we do this we also enter into Your kingdom. Is that right?”
“Yes. I Am
building My household and every believer is being fit together and joined to be
a growing, living Temple for My Spirit to dwell. I have put tools in the hands
of every believer and I have and will teach you to use them. You have heard I
will break out of the four walls of the church, as My Church cannot be
contained.
“This AWAKENING
will begin in homes and move through family relationships. It will move on
Capital Hill and on Wall Street. It will move on academics in a profound way as
My glory is seen in the largest to the smallest details. College campuses all
the way down to preschools will learn My ways. Hollywood will be shaken to its
core and the indecency that has become the norm will soon be scorned and
ridiculed. Holiness will settle in the arts as people will detest the
detestable and look to heaven to be inspired. The Arts will reveal My kingdom
through paint, statues and myriads of creative works will come riding into
earth on this wave. Your media will be found in contempt for their lack of
integrity and those never heard of before will rise to the top of that field.
They will bring honesty and justice back into their ranks. Righteous thoughts
will be shared and given proper format.
“Those who lead
in My church will lead with My love and My thoughts. The judgments held by the
Church will be revealed as true or false. Even if the words are true, but
shared in a manner that does not reflect My heart of love, will be exposed as
false. My leaders must see they are to serve others, not to be served. They
must follow My lead by serving, grooming and honoring My flock in all sectors
of society. The hand is not greater than the Body and if it cares only for
itself and causes the body to stumble and sin, then the body is better off
without it. Cut it off! It is better to enter heaven maimed than for the whole
body to be cast into hell. Yes beloved, it is that serious.”
Suddenly I have a sense of awe
and the fear of the Lord hits me. “Father,” I say in such a hushed tone I can
hardly hear myself. “This is not at all what I expected, but I will share this
with whoever has ears to hear. I know You gave me something else the other day
about preparing. What do I do with that information?”
“That will be
part three, “Prepare to exercise your faith.”
“Part three it is! Thank You,
Father. I bless You and give You all glory and honor and praise. Selah –
Amen!
Scriptures to ponder: Link2Scriptures
Exodus 34:6; Psalm 103:8;
86:5, 15; Ephesians 4:11-16, 2:19-22; 5:14; 6:10-18; 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Psalm
27:8; Matthew 23:13; 5:30; Nehemiah 4; Isaiah 48:17-19
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