Kingdom Connections

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So the last will be first, and the first last. 

For many are called, but few chosen.

- Matthew 20:16 NKJV 

I woke up at about midnight with a verse on my heart, the one I quoted above. A gentle rain was falling softly, and a cool breeze was blowing. 

Many thoughts started flowing in, and here I am, sharing what's on my heart while they are still fresh.

Earlier this evening, I received a text message from a friend in Bacolod City.

The text message was about a dream that someone had two nights ago.  The details of the dream were not given, except that this person dreamed of an earthquake that struck a southern city in our province, which also shook Bacolod (my home city), and another city - forming a triangle.

We sense that this is a genuine message from God, a message given to alert the intercessors to pray. So we are now on high alert, praying that God will hold this earthquake, and instead, motivate people to pray, draw close to Him, and seek the purposes of His heart for us in our province.

These recent years we have been very much involved in pursuing the prophetic destiny of our country. Whenever I am in Bacolod City, we meet several times a week to study the passages in the Bible that talk about the end times. The studies are done to help us focus on the kind of heart, mind, and even physical preparation that we need to do. 

Part of the preparation is taking the Bible to heart, reading it aloud, and taking seriously what John says in the book of Revelation:

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear 

the words of this prophecy, and keep those things 

which are written in it; for the time is near.

- Revelation 1:3

We are also in the process of putting together a twenty four-hour House of Prayer, where there will be prayer, intercession, and worship going on for twenty four hours.

This is a huge undertaking, and the ground work has been carefully prepared all these years.

God is raising up men and women who are heeding the call, and volunteering to put their skills, resources, spiritual giftings and natural talents together. It is a slow process, but over the past months we have sensed the urgency of the times.

Our group of women in church meet weekly to study the Bible and look at its practical application in our daily lives.

There is also a regular time of intercession - for our nation as well as for the nation of Israel. 

At first our efforts were disjointed and scattered. There was a vision, but it wasn't clear to everyone. 

There wasn't a sense of desperation, and the commitment of people came and went like the tide of the ocean.

Nevertheless, there were those who remained consistent and never gave up.

I am in Manila at the moment. Whenever I'm here, I also join a group that believes in the jubilee assignment for our nation. We meet regularly to study the Bible and listen to prophetic messages given by those who have been given a strong anointing to receive and release such messages.

What I am noticing these months is that whether I am home in Bacolod, or visiting my daughter Obedient One in Manila, the fire of commitment is getting stronger; our joint efforts are getting more and more fine tuned and synchronized.

I am amazed at the kingdom connections that are falling into place.

A few weeks ago, during the Saturday worship and intercession time in Bacolod, there was a shower of gold dust that everyone experienced and saw with their own eyes. I also shared of our experience at the Gazing Into Glory conference in Subic last March, where there were gemstone crystals on the carpet after our time of worship (read my post about it, Heaven Unveiled).

Worship. Warfare. Intercession... This is now the emerging pattern for the times we spend in worship and prayer.

 The Holy Spirit is clearly at work all over the world.

During the recent National Prayer Gathering held in Manila in April this year, Chuck Pierce, Jill Shannon, Robert Mist, and Neville Johnson were among the speakers at the conference. 

The message God spoke through them was similar. God was bringing this nation to a season of testing and refinement - because He is sifting the hearts of those who are truly His.

Indeed many are called... many are invited... but only a few are chosen.

And those who are chosen are those who will heed the call, those who will respond in obedience, not allow themselves to be dissipated, or to be distracted from their assignments for this season.

In my recent blog, I wrote of the season of acceleration that is upon us as a kingdom people.

Kingdom connections are being forged and strengthened. 

That is why I sense that God is leading us to choose our relationships carefully. But it's not just our human relationships that we're being asked to evaluate, I believe God is also calling us to give importance to the strengthening of our relationship with Him.

God is looking at the condition of my heart - in the way that the bridegroom desires for the heart of his bride to be pure, blameless, without spot or blemish.

The ongoing prayer of my heart for this season is that I may continue to advance and build His kingdom, in everything I do.

These days I am just basking in unstructured time ... reading ... reflecting ... listening to worship music 

... being alone with myself ... 

interceding for members of my family and a few of my friends whose names God is laying upon my heart ...

but mostly sitting in silence in God's presence not having to do or say anything... 

doing some gardening...

going to the grocery... 

having lunch out with friends... 

enjoying the weekends with my daughter at the mall ... 

sleeping. 

Whatever... there are no oughts for me these days.

Nevertheless, I am very much aware of things that need to be done, issues in my life that I am asking God for breakthrough, but there is just no sense of urgency at the moment. I'm taking things in stride, trusting my Creator Father God is hovering over the dark areas of my life, and He is creating something beautiful and something new!

And yes, in all these, I am thanking God for my kingdom friends... the kingdom connections that God is strengthening for the days ahead.