Today’s Readings:
1 Peter 1
18 For you know that your lives were ransomed once and for all from the empty and futile way of life handed down from generation to generation. It was not a ransom payment of silver and gold, which eventually perishes, 19 but the precious blood of Christ—who like a spotless, unblemished lamb was sacrificed for us.
1 Peter 1:18-19
The Lord says,
He is risen. He is risen indeed. This is resurrection season, and Jesus’s feat over darkness, wickedness and death, His triumph over the forces of evil will take a new place of prominence in the social consciousness. It will take on a whole new weight and place of honor amongst the people. It will be revered as the cornerstone from which all things in society gain authority, have life and from which they are built. He will indeed again be the rock and firm foundation.
14 As God’s obedient children, never again shape your lives by the desires that you followed when you didn’t know better. 15 Instead, shape your lives to become like the Holy One who called you. 16 For Scripture says:
1 Peter 1:14-15
“You are to be holy, because I am holy.”
My Church will be greatly sifted and purified. It will look very different. It will be vibrant and full of life. I Am shaking the religion out of it. I Am shaking the man made rules and systems and institutionalization out of it. I Am radicalizing the church with a fiery heart of passion for Jesus. I Am filling their hearts with love abounding for the people. Radical, passionate and bursting with energy will be the new ways people describe Christians. They will be known as problem solvers, lovers of the people, brimming with wisdom, and with hands outstretched and ready to help those in need.
I Am shaking My Church, and she will be transformed, reconstituted and reborn. She will be beautiful, radiant, shining and a city on a hill. My Spirit upon her will cause many to come from near and far. Many will be drawn to her. Like the Queen of Sheba came to gain wisdom from Solomon, so will many be drawn — nations and neighbors alike. They will be drawn to the radiance and the wisdom, the Glory that rests upon My Church. They are looking for Me. They are looking for Jesus. They are seeking My Glory that will rest upon My purified and shaken Church.
2 You are not forgotten, for you have been chosen and destined by Father God. The Holy Spirit has set you apart to be God’s holy ones, obedient followers of Jesus Christ who have been gloriously sprinkled with his blood. May God’s delightful grace and peace cascade over you many times over!
1 Peter 1:2-4
3 Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life—we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.4 We are reborn into a perfect inheritance that can never perish, never be defiled, and never diminish. It is promised and preserved forever in the heavenly realm for you!
When you think about the purified, you may think — more quiet, more stuffy, more out of touch. But I say no, My Church will be made up of wild ones, John the Baptists, Elijahs, Elishas and Peters. It will be made up of radical followers of Me. It will be made up of laid down lovers of Jesus who cannot and will not be tamed. Christianity is not going to look like it belongs in a library any longer. It is not going to look like a stage production any longer either. It is going to look like ones who have passionate, wild, unbridled love and affection for Jesus. It will look like ones to whom discipline means something far different than we have been taught to understand. It will look like ones whose only desire is to be obedient to My voice, My leading and My calling. The fear of man will have a grip no longer. Propriety and shoulds will mean nothing to these wild ones.
8 You love him passionately although you have not seen him, but through believing in him you are saturated with an ecstatic joy, indescribably sublime and immersed in glory. 9 For you are reaping the harvest of your faith—the full salvation promised you—your souls’ victory!
1 Peter 1:8-9
These are transformed ones, who know first-hand the power of the touch of the love of Jesus. Mocking and ridicule cannot mean anything to one whose life was ripped from the grip of death, destruction and torment. No, these are a different breed. They are like wild horses out on the open plains. They are pioneers. They have ears to hear My voice like few have done before them. These are warriors, zealots, healers and ferocious ones who stand for what is right, what is true, what is worthy, what is lovely. They value, prioritize and know how to have fun. A life in Jesus is one that prioritizes enjoyment of creation, community, miracles and the wonder of life itself.
5 Through our faith, the mighty power of God constantly guards us until our full salvation is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 May the thought of this cause you to jump for joy, even though lately you’ve had to put up with the grief of many trials. 7 But these only reveal the sterling core of your faith, which is far more valuable than gold that perishes, for even gold is refined by fire. Your authentic faith will result in even more praise, glory, and honor when Jesus the Anointed One is revealed.
1 Peter 1:5-7
This new purified Church is one upon whom My Glory rests. This new purified Church is a radical departure from the churches and the “Christians” you have known. These are the ones who are walking wildly in the Spirit, by the Spirit, through the power of the Spirit and for the Spirit. These are lovers of Jesus. These are ones who have experienced His resurrection power in their own lives and who refuse to ever return to former life, to the void of a life without Him.
13 So then, prepare your hearts and minds for action! Stay alert and fix your hope firmly on the marvelous grace that is coming to you. For when Jesus Christ is unveiled, a greater measure of grace will be released to you.
1 Peter 1:13
When I say I Am shaking My Church, I mean all that can be shaken will be shaken, and only what is true will remain. It will be like panning for gold. Those who have masqueraded as fools’ gold will be revealed and removed. Transformation is available to all. The healing and resurrection power of Jesus is available to all. But what I Am doing will offend. It will stun. And they will say, this is not for everyone. I SAY, YES IT IS FOR EVERYONE. All are called. All are welcome. In the former season, few chose to reach out to My outstretched Hand. In this season, MANY will choose Me. Many will have My Glory rest on their lives. But it may not be the ones you expect. This is a season of change, of new, of shaking, purification, sifting and revelation. This is not a time to hold on to old traditions, rules or ways of thinking. They are no good here. They are worthless here.
How to Respond
- Pursue Jesus.
- Choose Jesus.
- Forsake traditions and rules and mindsets that do not have their foundation in Christ alone.
- Pray for wisdom and discernment to see things from the Lord’s perspective in the shaking.
- Determine to suspend judgement and knee jerk reactions about the ones the Lord raises up in this time. He said it will be radical. Don’t allow your heart to reject or despise the Lord’s methods or chosen vessels.
- Ask the Lord to highlight and help you remove religion, bad theology and empty traditions from your life.
- Declare, the Lord is moving in resurrection power.
- Declare, Jesus will touch and transform many – including many unlikely ones – with His love and resurrection power.
- Declare, the Glory of the Lord will rest on many in this resurrection season. Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. You are welcome to rest on me and on every member of my family.
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