A Call to Consecration - Time to Go HIGHER, LOWER, DEEPER

CHUCK D. PIERCE: "Receiving Grace to ADVANCE Forward!"

New ways are now forming and new gates are now opening! Blockades are being removed. This Passover month is a time to CROSSOVER into the inheritance that has been promised you.

Joshua 3:15-17 says, "And those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the time of harvest)...and the people crossed over completely to the other side of the Jordan."

I believe we are moving in God's perfect time. Timing is so important. In Him, we move and have our being (Acts 17:24-26, Colossians 1:19, 2:9). I am praying for you to be in God's perfect timing. Honor HIS BLOOD, let Him lead you out into your New Beginning and keep advancing with Him in faith until you SEE your promise manifesting. There is a supernatural GRACE that is available to make this shift at this time.

GRACE is:

• Favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives, and in spite of what is deserved.

• One of the key attributes of God. The Lord God is "merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth" (Exodus 34).

• The source of help and the release that creates deliverance from distress.

• The redemption of the Hebrew people from Egypt and their establishment in the Promised Land in spite of their unrighteousness (Deuteronomy 9:5-6).

• Only enjoyed within the COVENANT--the gift is given by God, and the gift is received by man through repentance and faith (Amos 5:15).

• To be humbly sought through the prayer of faith (Malachi 1:9).

• Was supremely revealed and given in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the embodiment of Grace (John 1:14). Embracing Him is the only way mankind can receive salvation (Acts 15:11, Titus 2:11).

• The restoration of the broken fellowship between God and His people, both Jew and Gentile.

• Applied by the HOLY SPIRIT, who is called "the Spirit of grace" (Hebrews 10:29). The Spirit is the One who binds Christ to His people as they receive forgiveness, adoption to sonship, and newness of life, as well as every spiritual gift or grace (Ephesians 4:7).

RECEIVE GRACE!

Blessings,

Chuck D. Pierce
Glory of Zion International Ministries


Catherine Brown: A Call to Consecration: Jesus Told Me, "It's Time to Go HIGHER, LOWER, DEEPER"

"'I tell you the truth,' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I Am.'" John 8:58

When you waken in the "wee small hours," sometimes you just want to stay in bed all snuggled up and warm, but there are other occasions when the Lord draws near and you know that there is no other appropriate response than to rise from slumber and be awakened to the glory of His presence. I was blessed a few nights ago to have such an encounter with the Lord. I had wakened around 3:00am, but was unable to go back to sleep. I was enjoying communing with Christ, and during this time, I asked Him what He would like to say to His people. In response, Jesus appeared to me in a vision. I rose shortly after this, around 4:00am, to record the imagery I had seen and the words He had spoken to me.

As is often the way when we are with the Lord, time became irrelevant because the next occasion that I looked at the clock--it was 5:30am! As I returned to bed, I fell asleep to the beauty of the first dawn rays breaking through the skyline, along with the chirping of the dawn chorus of birds we are blessed to have near our home. Below is the vision and the words that the Lord communicated to me during the final watch of the night. May this vision stretch you, strengthen you, and surprise you in grace as it did me.

"It's Time to GO HIGHER"

Jesus appeared to me in the vision, walking up some rugged stone steps hewn into a mountain side. He reached out to me and smiled, offering His hand to me to follow Him and He said, "It's time to go higher." As I looked down, the ground seemed so far away and I experienced a brief moment of hesitation, but then my heart focused on the Lord. And as I took His hand, we began to make the ascent.

The initial steps were short and steep. As we climbed together, I realized we were on the Mount of Temptation (I recognized it from a visit there in 2007). It was dry, dusty and hot as we approached a darkened cave that had been hollowed into the rock. I felt concern rise in me as I contemplated entering the impending darkness I saw ahead, but Jesus looked at me with His eyes of reassuring love and said, "Fear not, My child, for the place of going higher with Me can, for a time, seem darkened. It is time to go lower."

"It's Time to GO LOWER"

Just on the peripheral edge of my vision, I turned to see Christ revealed as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. I discerned some evil presence on the approach and Jesus arose to defend me. The Lord roared with such majestic authority. I was to face an enemy, and my Lord and Savior would not allow me to be overcome by such a trial. Without further explanation, the Lord entered the cave ahead of me, at this point still holding me by the hand. As we went into the cave, I thought of King David and how there was a God-appointed time for him to go into the cave of Adullam (the stronghold of the Lord) and, equally important, a God-appointed time to leave it (1 Samuel 22:1-5).

Each season of our lives lies in the capable hands of our mighty God. Before I could reflect further on this, the shadows of the cave were engulfed in deep darkness. I could do nothing but fall at the feet of Christ and clasp my arms around Him. There, at His feet, my face was pressed in close to the hem of His garment. The darkness seemed to bring weight and oppression with it, and at this time, I understood that my faith was being tested. I determined to hold fast to my Savior as the Anchor of my soul--and He who is immovable and incorruptible as the Ancient of Days became my strong Deliverer from that which sought to engulf me.

I clung to Christ in reverent awe and became aware of the movement and the in-breaking of His "Glory Light" into my situation as the atmosphere of the cave changed and became full of His light. Christ had raised His mighty arms and His light flowed all around us. The light shone in the darkness and the darkness could not overcome it or contain it. I realized while on my knees, that to know Him in the darkness is truly to know Him as the Light of the world. All those who experience "the dark night of the soul" must cling to this reality.

At the feet of Christ, my anxious silence gave way to a state of stillness and complete peace. The darkness had passed as quickly as it had come upon me and had now completely disappeared. Lifting me to my feet once more, Jesus looked at me and said, "It's time to go deeper."

"It's Time to GO DEEPER"

The Lord took my somewhat-crumpled-being to Himself and wrapped His mighty, healing arms around me and I was enveloped in His majesty. Just like a child, I rested in the faith and fortitude that was given to me in that moment as a gift from my King. Jesus spoke, "Listen." Intent on obeying my Master, I listened with all my heart. I clearly heard two words, "I Am. I Am. I Am. I Am..." echo through time, through nations and throughout all eternity as they reached me. I responded, "Lord, all I hear is, 'I Am.'" And with the wisdom of the Ages my King replied, "When all you can hear is 'I Am,' understand, My child, there is nothing more to hear." In that instant, I grasped the momentum of this divine revelation in a measure beyond anything I had previously known: All that matters is who He is. He is Life itself, Breath of our breath, and the DNA of all existence.

"Higher, lower, deeper" in Him--the only way to go is to trust the length, breadth, depth and height of the supreme authority of God's love expressed in the words "I Am." The dark night of testing and trial of a child of God through isolation, rejection, ridicule and persecution can only be born in the grace of "I Am." As we accede to His greatness, we are overcome by His goodness and washed afresh in His Blood. In wonder, we listen to the echo of Heaven that has resounded in the hearts of angels and mankind, and we become more deeply entwined in Him.

The call to "come up higher" is before the global Church. It is a holy call and the call of the Cross of our Beloved Savior. There will be both faith challenges and encounters to overcome and delight in. Each unknown step will ultimately be illuminated by the manifestation of God's glory in our lives, even if the path at times seems obscured or darkened. In choosing to come up higher, we must understand the passageway to this place of communion is made possible only in the humble posture of going lower.

Reflections

The willingness to take up our cross is a defining lifestyle choice for every believer. When the victorious Lamb of God is lifted up in us, we are embraced, cleansed anew, and enfolded in the journey of discipleship we come to know as a life of obedient faith. The Great Shepherd "I Am" tenderly and resolutely leads us to follow Him, and in trusting the path of transforming grace which He has placed before each one of us, we will come to know Him more fully as "I Am"--our strong Deliverer and mighty Provider. It is in "going" that we become more knowing and experientially aware of the great I Am.

The longing to be Christ-like will cause us to cling to Him just like the woman who bled for twelve years (Mark 5:25-34). She clung to God in recognition that she had come to the end of herself, her resources and her strength, and as she fell at Jesus' feet, she experienced the reality of God's extreme love, meeting her in the place of her extreme need. Her miracle was born out of her desperation for breakthrough. The Lord Jesus endured His whole life that our lives might be freed from such suffering.

The devil will take us to the edge of hell, but God will deliver us safely if we will trust Him and persevere. Even as we pass through such trials, God uses them to refine our faith, which is worth more than gold, to prove it genuine and result in praise, glory and honor to God. Apostle Paul encourages both the Corinthians and Believers today with these poignant words, "For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows" (2 Corinthians 1:5).

"Deeper" is a costly realm of exquisite blessing, brought forth in our being found willing to identify with Christ and become more like Him. Having died with Christ to sin, we are now raised with Him in baptism of new life (see Romans 6:4). As we reflect on the price our Savior paid to ransom us, we become conscious of the inestimable value He has placed on each one of our souls. What love is this that flows with sacrificial mercy? It is the love of the Great I Am that takes us into the depths of knowing Him and being known by Him.

This word is a call to consecration--to leaders and to all Believers. Jesus says, "I Am coming back and I will return to a beautiful Bride." Beloved, it is not our works that will win the world, but His work of holy passion in us that will turn the tide of wickedness and lawlessness in the nations as the floodgates of His mercy open wide.

Join me today in this simple prayer, knowing how much our Father in Heaven loves you:

Father of all creation, I reach out in faith in response to the call to come higher, lower, and deeper with You. I trust You completely and surrender my whole life afresh to You. My only desire is to bless You and serve You in obedient Love. Have Your way in me and be glorified in all that I think and say and do. May my faith and actions flow from the grace of knowing You and being known by You. For Jesus' sake. Amen.

Catherine Brown
Gatekeepers Global Ministries