The Fire has come Pt 15: The Unity of Love

Dear Beloved readers,

I really miss writing on the blog. It is one of the deep joys God has given me.He has asked me in a very humble way to express His heart concerning His relationship with us. We are preparing for our first national conference called, "God in our midst," in Virginia Beach, VA, and we want to invite all of our readers to come for this time of visitation with the Lord. The dates are July 24-27. For more information click back to the home page, and click on the pop up, and you will see links for all the information you need.

Those of you in the Washington DC area, we would like you to come as well. We will be having regional, national and international prayer every morning. So please come and join us and the cost is free, so you can't beat that. Stay a little while afterwards on beautiful Virginia Beach for a vacation or refreshing as well.

I am going to wrap up this series on The Fire has come with one more crack at what the fire of God must bring. Beloved, The fire of God is the only thing that can bring true and genuine unity to the Body of Christ. That Fire is God. That Fire is pure LOVE! Hebrews 12:29 states, "For our God is a consuming fire. John chapter 4:8 says, God is LOVE!

This is so important for us to understand, and why we must draw nearer and nearer in the presence of the Lord. This is the only place we can be changed. We can only be changed by standing in that Holy Flame of love to "become holy as He is holy." When my children were small they would watch a video by Salty the Song book. In this video the children and Salty would sing about 1st John 4;7-8. Let us read them together.

1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. 1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1Jn 4:9 Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. 1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1Jn 4:12 No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:

The verse I want to expound is one that seems the least of all them in this passage of scripture and that is verse 8. Most Christians know the other verses pretty well, but set in the beginning of this passage is a tremendous truth about the Flame of Love and the true unity of the Holy Spirit.

The verse says, HE THAT LOVETH NOT, KNOWETH NOT GOD! If there has been a reality check in my life lately it has been this verse of scripture. God's love is the glue to our existence. It is the very reason for our existence, and we are called to be the reflection of that love to a lost and dying world. The Lord did not tell us that it would be by the miracles, signs and wonders that the world would know we are His disciples, but by this verse, Joh 13:35, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. "

The world will know that we are His disciple by the love we have one to another. This is the very flame of true and lasting unity. Unity begins with the teaching of LOVE being put into practice every day of our life does it not? Don't we always try to be loving, caring, selfless? How ever if we would be honest with ourselves, here in America, we would have to say, where is this TRUE LOVE AND HOLY SPIRIT UNITY BEING SEEN. Where is the very flame of God manifesting as Holy love in our life that will bind us together with cords that can not be broken?

The reason we don't see true unity of the Holy Spirit is because of the lack of the flame of love truly being able to burn in our hearts. As I have written in this series, The fires must first burn everything up in us that is not like LOVE, and then replace those things with LOVE Himself abiding in us. 1st John 4:12 says,"No man has beheld God at any time, if we love one another, GOD ABIDES IN US, AND HIS LOVE IS PERFECTED IN US!" Remember Jesus said, "on the third day I will finish my course, After two days I cure and do miracles, but on the third day.... His love is perfected in us!

This is so "easy" to write about God's love and many have. But to live this life of love and demonstrate as Jesus has every day, every moment, not many have. Including me I am afraid to admit. However; I am pressing on toward the mark of the high calling of God.

Today in America, we will do everything but take the time to STOP and SPEND QUALITY TIME in the presence of the Lord. It is so easy to get caught up in the working of God and not God Himself. I am presently quite busy due to God opening many doors for us to walk through. Nations are now asking us to come and be with them, but if it means losing consciousness of God and His love and dwelling in it, I will stay home. I can't lose Him for anything, not ministry, not people, no one! He is all that I have!

I am in one of those seasons now where this battle rages in me, their is such a great need to the nations, but there is such a "GREAT NEED IN GOD!" Which one is the greater? For most of the American church the "needs" of men out weigh the "needs" of God. That is why we are so luke warm or cold, for we have deserted Him our First love as in Revelation chapter 2.

We in America seem to make the way to God so complicated and complex. Do this, read that, pray more, fast more, do something more to make you holy and acceptable to God. Yet in the heart of God is one desire.

HE DESIES TO BE WITH US AND IN US! HIS DESIRE IS FOR US TO BE AWARE OF HIS PRESENCE ALWAYS! HE WANTS TO WALK WITH US IN THE COOL OF THE EVENING CONTINUALLY ABIDING TOGETHER IN THE SWEETEST LOVE RELATIONSHIP EVER SEEN!

The 12th verse of 1 John says, "if we love one another, God abides in us!" Why is there so much competition, envy, jealousy in the Body of Christ? Why can't we really truly love one another as He love us? A verse burning in me as well is a simple verse you all know, 1Pe 4:8," above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covers a
multitude of sins."

Notice in verse 8 it says, "above all things...... being fervent in your love... amongst yourselves... for love covers a multitude of sins. Beloved, I have gone to Pastor's meeting after Pastor's meeting and conference after conference looking for this love, but have not yet found it. I think I am beginning to see the beginning of it's embers burning though! We work together, talk together, exchange pulpits, help each other, but FERVENT not something yet seen in the church.

The word fervent means: HOT, BURNING,GLOWING, SHOWING GREAT EMOTION OR PASSION! The word means ARDENT LOVE, IMPASSIONED APPEAL OR YEARNING FOR! It means literally to BUBBLE OVER, like out of your belly shall springs of livings water! This is the same root word James 5:16 writes, "that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much!"

Pastors and leaders in the Body, when have you seen this kind of love at your Pastor's meetings? How about our church services? The kind of love that produced a unity found in the Book of Acts chapter 2. Before we go there, let us look at Romans 5:5, "and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us." This love is shed abroad or diffused in the heart by the Holy Spirit. The very flame of God Himself the Holy Spirit is and has come to burn in our hearts.

In the second chapter of Acts, many Charismatics including me for a long time, focused on the wind, and the speaking in tongues as the focus of the day of Pentecost, but let us read it for a moment,

Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

I highlighted part of the 2nd verse for a reason. The Holy Spirit came and He did something. HE FILLED ALL THE HOUSE WHERE THEY WERE SITTING! He filled the WHOLE HOUSE! What did He fill the whole house with? Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Beloved, the Day of Pentecost began the day of FIRE! The Book of Revelation reveals the FINISHING FIRE OF MALACHI CHAPTER 3! This flame of God has one purpose and one purpose only, TO MAKE US ONE! Not one by believing the same, or agreeing the same, or even working the same, but LOVING THE SAME AS HE LOVES US! By living in the flame or the very Glory of the Lord. The same Glory that Jesus asked the Father to give us and show us before the foundation of the world.

Pastors, Leaders, we have tried everything else! Yet we still say, I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, like the Corinthians did. We still make heads of parties like they did. We still view the pesons of man greater than the presence of God who gives the increase as the third chapter teaches us. The Flame of God on Pentecost began the work of fulling two important scriptures. One in the new testament and one in the old testament does it testify to.

Psalm 133 says, 1 A Song of Ascents; of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! How good and pleasant it is for brethren to DWELL together in unity. 1 John 3 says, " no man has seen God at any time, but if we love one another, God abides in us! In the next blog I will share a personal testiomony of this abiding flame of unity called love. Beloved verse 2 says it is like the precious oil upon the head, that rand down even Aaron's beard, read it:

Psa 133:2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, That ran down upon the beard, Even Aaron's beard; That came down upon the skirt of his garments; We all have read the accounts of the book of Acts chapter 2 and how 3000 got added to the church in one preaching message. But the real story is not what the preaching produced alone, but what the FLAME PRODUCED in those who received the FIRE!

We have read in Romans 5:5, that the love of God is SHED ABROAD in our hearts by the HOLY SPIRIT. THIS HOLY LOVE PRODUCES HOLY UNITY! Beloved, here me! Only this flame in our hearts can truly unite us, for unity is not a man made thing. It is not something you or I can try to do, for every time we try to do it, we fail. Our failings in unity we call "agreeing to disagree!" If that is the best the Flame of God can produce of unity, WE ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE!

This flame of God does more than "agree to disagree." This flame of God burns up everything in us that is not love, leaving one thing left in us LOVE, GOD LOVE ABIDING IN US! In this abiding love we now can LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS HE LOVES US!

Only the Flame of God can unite us! Let us stop the non-sense of trying to be unified. We never will do it. Maybe this generation of leaders won't hear this message, but the next one will.

This next generation will be seeking this LOVE OF GOD and making it there great quest or aim. (1st Cor 14:1) This flame of Pentecost DID SOMETHING in them on the day of Pentecost!
Psalm 133:3 testifies of that something by saying,"Like the dew of Hermon, That cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: For there Jehovah commanded the blessing, Even life for evermore."

Oh beloved, how I want to continue writing this. I am burning in His presence as I do, but we will continue in another blog shortly. However we must not leave until we see this dew of Hermon manifested when the Flame of God produces true and lasting unity. Let us look atActs chapter 2.
Act 2:40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. Act 2:41 They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.

Act 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. Act 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

Act 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; Act 2:45 and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as any man had need.

Act 2:46 And day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

What would the dew of Harmon look like? What would the Holy Spirit shed abroad in a believer's heart look like? What would, Oh how good and pleasant it is, for brethren to DWELL together in unity look like? What would love covering a multitude of sins appear as? What would FERVENT, BUBBLING, HOT, GLOWING, ARDENT LOVE FILLED WITH PASSION LOOK LIKE?

HERE IS WHAT THE ALPHA WORK OF CHRIS DID IN THE CHURCH!!!! WHAT WILL THE OMEGA (FINISHING FLAME OF GOD DO?)

The flame of God produced these sevent qualities of love in their life. Let us look at them>

The seven qualities of fruit the flame of love produced unity!

1. They stayed steadfastly together in covenant love bonds.
2. The stayed together in the Apostles teaching, breaking bread and prayers.
3. All that believed were together.
4.They shared all they had with one another in common.
5.They sold their possessions to help each other and laid them at the Apostle's .
6.They stayed together in one accord at the temple, praising God.
7.Verse 47: praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to them day by day those that were saved.

Here is where we Pastor's and leaders need to be honest with God and one another. Does your life look like this? Does your church or ministry look like this? Does your village or city look like this? Do we see this happening in our nation? For most nations, the answer is NO!

There is little to none true UNITY OF THE SPIRIT! The unity that can only be produced by the Flame of God and abiding in that flame! So what do we do, keep doing the same thing? Should we have more of the same kind of Pastor's meetings? Do we do more conferences to try and teach more principles of unity or the lastest wind of doctrine?

Or does a revolution have to come within us where we begin here the Lord call to us "to come up here", (Rev. 4:1) where He is and dwell with Him in the flame? It is time for Malachi chapter 3 and Rev. chapters 2 and 3 to be finished in the church, for the Lord desires to come and sit as a purifier of silver and of gold in our hearts! When he does this in us then we will bring to the Lord offerings in righteousness. That is what the Book of Acts chapter 2 and 4 testify of. When these true love bonds are developed in two believers hearts first with God and themselves , and then with one another, we too shall see the real love of God manifested. We will see the Apostles work great signs and wonders and many will be saved, and many will be added to the House of Love forever.

Shalom!