Intimacy, the Key of David

"On that day I will raise up
The tabernacle of David, which has fallen down,
And repair its damages;
I will raise up its ruins,
And rebuild it as in the days of old;
That they may possess the remnant of Edom,
And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,"
Says the Lord who does this thing.

"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord,
"When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
 The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.
I will bring back the captives of My people Israel;
They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them;
They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.
I will plant them in their land,
And no longer shall they be pulled up
From the land I have given them,"
Says the Lord your God.

- Amos 9:11-15




These things says He who is holy, He who is true, 
He who has the key of David, 
He who opens and no one shuts,
and shuts and no one opens:
"I know your works. 
See, I have set before you an open door,
and no one can shut it...."
- Revelation 3:7,8

I have often thought of what an awesome place heaven must be. 

If it is a place of ultimate perfection, then it must be a place of such immense and indescribable beauty that all the breathtaking scenery here on earth would be mere shadows in comparison. All the joy we have ever experienced would pale compared to the joy that will fill our hearts in heaven. And what about all the cherished memories that we keep in our hearts? I believe that in heaven all these memories would come back to life and somehow become tangible realities.

And what about all the lovely melodies that have been composed here on earth? I believe that they all originated in heaven.

I once had a dream of heaven, probably influenced by the many C.S. Lewis writings I had read. I was walking through fields of carpet-like grass a shade of green I've never seen here on earth... and there was soft music floating in the atmosphere, a kind of symphony. As I stopped to listen, wanting to find out where it was coming from, I realized that everything around me was giving off a melodic hum - the grass, the leaves, the flowers, the trees, the brook, even the gentle breeze. Yet the harmony was perfect, and synchronized. Low-key. Unobtrusive. Imperceptible. Not a single blade of grass or petal of flower drew attention to itself. 

Here on earth, because we are finite created beings, our human understanding is limited. But there is a part of us that is eternal, and that is our spirits.

My spirit knows what heaven must be like... 

I cannot adequately describe what I saw in my dream, but my spirit comprehends.  That dream gave me a new understanding of what perfect unity is like.

A symphony is performed by an orchestra under the baton of a conductor. Each musical instrument contributes an important part to the whole, but each individual musician must be perfectly attuned to the conductor, aware of the expression on his face, understanding what the slightest wave of his hand means.

God today is looking for true worshipers and intercessors who like David, are men and women after His own heart. Passionate worshipers. True intercessors who are hitting the target because they are praying the prayers that are on God's heart.

These thoughts are on my heart as my first grandson Forerunner turned seven years old today.

I have prayed for this boy ever since I found out that his mother was carrying him.

But today, the prayer I have in my heart for him is a very special one.

My prayer is that my grandson will have a heart like David, of whom God said, 

I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, 

who will do all My will. 

- Acts 13:22

David was a mere shepherd boy who killed the giant Goliath with a stone and a slingshot, because He believed that he could not just let anybody defy "the armies of the living God."

Later on, when David became King, he vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:

Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house,

Or go up to the comfort of my bed;

I will not give sleep to my eyelids,

Until I find a place for the LORD,

A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.

- Psalm 132:2-5

David is the one who established day and night 24/7 worship in the temple.

David was a worshiper of God. 

In Psalm 27:4, he writes:

One thing I have desired of the LORD,

that will I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD 

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the LORD,

and to inquire in His temple.

The world we live in today is such an ungodly influence to the young generation. 

Training a young boy to grow up to be a David is not an easy job. 

It takes intentional and dedicated parenting.

And much prayer.

Because neither his parents nor I can be with my grandson 24/7, but God watches over him every step of the way.

The passages I have quoted at the top are among my all-time favorites.

I believe we are already seeing Amos 9:11 before our eyes. David's fallen tabernacle is again being raised up. Father is rousing many of his children from complacency and placing in their hearts a passion for His kingdom. The walls of worship and intercession are being rebuilt in many parts of the globe, in the spirit of Nehemiah, Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Elijah.

The key of David refers to intimacy with God and kingdom authority. Only those who are true worshipers can be given this key, for it can unlock doors, enter enemy territories, and obtain the victory.

The call is both corporate and individual: He (singular) who has ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (plural). 

My dear Forerunner,

As you turn seven years old today, I declare over you that you will grow up seeking God with all of your heart, 

hungering for more of His presence, 

and desiring to grow in intimacy with Him.

You will have the heart of David, a man after God's own heart.

I pray that you will know what it is to have the key of David in your hands, possessing kingdom authority, not lording it over others in pride and arrogance, but serving in humility and obedience to your God.

Like Enoch and Noah, you will walk with God.

You will fight spiritual battles from the standpoint of victory.

And I decree and declare today that you will spend eternity in heaven at the end of your days here on earth.

With much love always,

Nana

I took these pictures of Matthew this morning: 

during breakfast with Nana

before going to school

Matt's mom is out of town for a couple of days, but we will have a party for him on Saturday. Early this evening, his dad treated his family to dinner at Shakey's, in honor of his first born son's birthday. My friend Pat and I joined them. Here are a few photos:

Forerunner's Seven Years: A Photo Album

 Day of birth: 2008

 One year old: 2009

 Two years old: 2010

 Three years old: 2011

 Four years old: 2012

 

Five years old: 2013

Six years old: 2014

Seven years old: 2015

A song for my dear Forerunner: