God, the Gold and the Glory (Lane)
God, the Gold and the Glory
by Lonnie Lane
The expectation was high, the joy was exuberant, and the sense of Kingdom history taking place was profound. It was the first night of our One New Man conference held by Messianic Vision in August. The worship resounded with the highest of praise for Yeshua from the nearly 1,000 voices gathered for the conference. They came from Israel, Australia, Fiji, Japan, Scotland, Canada and throughout the United States. Just after 8:30 p.m. on the opening night, Sid Roth stepped onto the stage, microphone in hand, looked into the Daystar cameras overhead on huge booms, which were taping it live, and welcomed the world to the conference. A spontaneous crescendo of joy went up declaring Yeshua to be Messiah and King.
Our worship, led by psalmist-extraordinaire Paul Wilbur reverberated through the air waves as we sang, “You are Lord, You are Lord over all the earth” affirming Yeshua as Lord over Jerusalem, over all of Israel, over the Middle East, and over the world! We sang with all our hearts, declaring in song that “Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He (Yeshua) is Adonai (Lord).”
Through the miracle of media technology our praises and the speakers’ messages could literally be heard around the world as they were beamed by satellite into people’s homes. There was a supernatural sense that we were praising the Lord there in Ft. Mill, SC and in Jerusalem – and that our praise was making a difference in the Spirit realm. Hearts were being touched with a “one new man” message and our praises were circling the earth like a ring – like a wedding ring perhaps – as we sang our love song to our soon coming heavenly Bride-groom.
Sid began his message by stating that he is more desperate for God than ever before and he knows he’s not alone. A spontaneous burst of cheering applause let him know this is true. The people attending were hungry to know God more deeply than ever and to see Him impact His Body in an unprecedented work of restoring the church to the glory, majesty, unity, integrity, revelation and power possessed by the first century Believers.
But it isn’t just those who attended who feel this way. Many of you who are reading this have the same heart. We knew when we had to close the registration to the conference three months before the event because of space limitations that this was something God was doing. Several hundred more wanted to attend. This wasn’t just a Messianic Vision event; this was a God Event! One New Humanity in God, one new weaving together of Jew and Gentile in a way that honors all of God’s Word to all of His people without reservation or selectivity. The middle wall of separation no longer hinders or divides. We are “one” in Messiah Yeshua. We are being built into a global house of praise unto our God in unity as never before.
Is it possible that this conference could be a catalyst for a great end-time work of God? Several prophetic statements were made to Sid: “We caught the Eye of God.” “This conference was the Earthquake that is going to cause the Tsunami that will start the NEW WAVE.” As Rabbi Michael Zeitler released an anointed shofar sound over the crowd and over the air waves, this word came forth: “The anxious longing of creation to be free of futility and slavery of corruption is coming to an end. God is now beginning to release the freedom of the glory of the children of God into the earth.” (Rom 8:19-21). The coming together of God’s people as One New Man is that important!
The reality of One New Man was like a tapestry, woven together, in the most pleasing of hues so that each aspect complimented the others perfectly, none overpowering another. Sid pointed out that sometimes we want a prophetic word for our lives, but we haven’t yet taken seriously the written Word and acted upon it. The Word says, “To the Jew first…” (Rom. 1:16). As the true church embraces more and more of her Hebrew heritage, it provides a dialog to share with Jewish people. It seems the Lord is now imparting to Gentile believers what will finally make the Jews jealous!
One thing that would make anyone, Jew or Gentile, take notice is all the signs, wonders and miracles that took place. A large number of people received gold teeth throughout the conference and many found themselves dusted with gold. While gold dust might be found on clothing, it more often appears to be coming out of the pores of one’s skin. Could it be that the Spirit is allowing the glory that is within us to ‘ooze’ out, to encourage us that Yeshua resides within us, and of how much more He has for us as He prepares His bride to be “one” with Him?
Words of knowledge brought about healing miracles as they were spoken out. Jeff Jansen gave one very specific word identifying the first and last names of a couple (whom he didn’t know but who were in the audience) and the name of the disease their son has from which God was delivering him. To mention just a few others: A teen age boy was healed of sharp pain in his ear. He said, “I didn’t even believe in that stuff but the pain left when I heard the word.” He believes now! Another woman who was healed of Bursitis reported as she lifted her arms above her head, “I have not been able to do this in 13 years and He just released me. I’ve been healed of other things but nothing quite as dramatic as this.”
Throughout the conference, with each message, the Spirit seemed to be wanting to get across to us to rest in Him, to joyfully trust in Him to do what only God can do in our lives and then to reach out to bring His love, hope and joy to others.
David Herzog and Jeff Jansen opened the conference by introducing the glory of God. What could be more appropriate or more welcome than the Shekinah, the glorious presence of God? When God is present and His Spirit is free to move, signs and wonders take place – which they did. Many were healed through words of knowledge from both David and Jeff. Speaking out the words under an anointing is what makes them come to pass.
Dr. Robert Heidler did a masterful job of showing how the mo’edim, the cycles of the Feasts of the Lord, are God’s “appointed times” and are not just celebrations, but there is distinct spiritual purpose in each of them. They are structured by God to bring us through to wholeness, with each year cycling us higher and higher in God. These appointed times are for all who follow the Holy One of Israel, Jew and Gentile alike. At one time the mention of these Feasts would have gotten you excommunicated. Now the church is welcoming the Feasts as theirs too as they follow the Holy One of Israel. This is indeed prophetically significant on God’s end-time schedule of restorative events. Can the Lord be far away from His return?
Diane Nutt walks in God’s glory and love. Sharing her life and the anointing to love people into the kingdom assures you that you too can let God love people through you. Diane makes you feel like you just got a hug from God. In fact, a hug from Diane transfers the glory from her to you and while it wasn’t possible to hug all of us, she did hug some who were overcome with the power, presence and love of the Lord as we watched as her words and her ministry flowed over the congregation like an embrace from the Father.
Steve Thompson’s message was a good follow-up to Diane’s as he taught very specifically that if the Spirit of God is within us, we can “all prophesy” as 1 Cor 14:31 says. Learning to know how God speaks to us is a key to knowing what He would say to others. Steve brought some of his students from the Morningstar School of Ministry with him who prophesied over hundreds of people with amazingly accurate and very encouraging words. This was an “equipping” session, preparing the saints for greater effectiveness in the world around them.
A. Ryab’s classical training for piano composition, which he received in Ukraine as a Jewish child, brings an overwhelming sense of awe of God’s beauty and an experience in heavenly rest. In two sessions A. Ryab’s wife, encouraged us to lean back, get comfortable and let the Spirit of God minister to each of us as he played. His compositions and his impeccable execution of the very intricate music brings deep inner healing and strengthening to one’s inner-most being. It’s entirely supernatural!
Cindy Parton and her family have had “soaking” sessions in their home for up to 60 people weekly for many years. Letting the Lord “have at you” will bring more healing and restoration than years of prayer might bring. Giving yourself to God in expectation that He will do a work within you brings a fulfillment of God’s admonition to “cease striving and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10a) We stretched out on the floor, across chairs, or slouched in our seats and let God have “at us” while a worship tape played softly in the background. One woman we met told us of how she and her 12 year old son “soak” regularly at home, with the result that this boy is walking deep in God at his age. Cindy even told us of how she had cancer and, while she was prayed for, she believes times of just resting in the Lord’s presence brought her wholeness.
People came away with a strong sense of wanting to open their own homes for a “soaking” fellowship. Anyone can do this! You just come together, turn yourselves over to God, invite His presence, turn on a worship tape and quiet yourselves before Him. Then after an hour or two (you may want to build up the time as you get used to waiting on God), share what you feel God was saying to you. It might be helpful to another person, and again, speaking it out helps to bring it to pass, and confirms it in your own spirit. Even unsaved people have come and gotten saved and set free while soaking in Cindy’s home. Here’s a new approach to evangelism and deliverance!
Tony and Felicity Dale also spoke powerfully about house fellowships. They were sent by God to America from England to help return the Body to “simple church.” They have seen the house church movement grow in the States and world-wide. If you include the house church networks, 19 out of 20 of the largest churches in the world are house churches. Gathering in homes, in market places, wherever you are, anyone can start a church if you consider church as “where two or more are gathered in His name.” (Matt 18:20) The Dales brought a motivating encouragement to reach those who will not come to church, including Jewish people, and welcome them into your homes. You can do this in yours or another believer’s home or the home of the (yet unsaved) person you just met, or in a business situation, in a restaurant or Starbucks over coffee. What a lovely picture of how the early church must have functioned as the Lord “added daily to their numbers” (Acts 2:47)
Begin by praying for the people in the area you wish God to impact. The Dales invited some fellow business people over for pizza and to discuss the business ideas of the wisest man that ever lived – who was Solomon. In time, all of them came to the Lord through this study of the book of Proverbs. Another time, they made breakfast for their teenagers’ friends and shared Jesus with them. The kids wanted to come back the next week. And the week after that. Lots of pancakes later, the parents began to come to see what was changing their kids. A church was born! We can begin to move into the same experience when we just step out with God expecting He’s already doing the work in preparing hearts and we’re just partnering with Him in what He’s doing. The fields are ready for harvesting! And you are being invited by God to be a part of it.
Kathie Walters permeates the air around her with joy. Drunk in the Spirit, you could say. And it’s contagious. It quickly affected the rest of us, some more than others. Have you ever been in a room where many hundreds of people are laughing uproariously? It’s the joy of the Lord that is our strength and such laughter is definitely strengthening our souls. Kathie’s stories are hilarious, but her message is a penetrating one as well: We don’t just need a touch from God; we need to learn to live in the glory. A religious spirit promotes striving and trying to qualify – usually to meet man’s standards, not God’s. We are already qualified in Yeshua.
God wants to deliver us out of all that striving bondage and bring us into the joy set before us in Him, where we not only give Him the glory, but bask in it ourselves. That kind of joy and confidence will draw others to you to ask what is the reason for this great joy and hope that they see within you. (See 1 Peter 3:15.) Then just let it bubble out like rivers of living water from inside you where He lives and tell them. Don’t get theological and preachy. Just tell them how you love the Lord and how good He is to you. And watch what happens. Your life will change and so will theirs.
Rabbi Curt Landry brought the final message. A simple one, as he said, but a deeply impacting one: The Word will work! God will confirm His Word with signs following (Mk 16:17) when we believe it. Step out in faith in the Word of God to accomplish what He intends it for, to save, heal and deliver, and it will come to pass as He said. A wonderful concluding message that pulled it all together: Rest in the Lord, trust in Him to accomplish His Word and move forward in God to touch the world around you for Him.
Usually conferences tend to be exhausting even if they are exhilarating. Usually people are ready to go home by the last day. I heard more than once: “This is like heaven must be. I don’t want to leave.” This conference was unique in that we felt refreshed at the end – because we had time to rest before the Lord together. People didn’t do all the talking. God was on the agenda. He was deferred to as The Speaker as we were given time to allow Him to speak to each of our hearts in three of the sessions. We weren’t taught or entertained all the time. We quieted ourselves worshipfully before the Lord, to honor Him, to make ourselves available to Him for what He would say to each of us personally. No doubt, as King David might have done. Restoring the tabernacle indeed!
Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundationk, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. Used by permission.