"..................for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." (Ephesians 5:15)
On Tuesday, November 13th, our third grandchild was born. Audrey Ruth came to us over a month early and throughout that day she was all we could think about. If only she wasn't over 1400 miles away! I remember I couldn't wait to get out of work that day just so I could be with Kay and together we could watch for pictures and wait for phone calls.
As things were winding down later that night, I had one of the more meaningful and emotional experiences that I've had in a long time. I had turned my thoughts to the Lord and was just enjoying listening to worship music and watching worship videos. I began to watch a video by Jake Hamilton, (which you can see in a moment) when some of the words pierced through my heart and mind. "He's calling wake up child, it's your turn to shine, you were born for such a time as this." What went through me at that time was that Jesus has sounded the wake up call. That it's time to rise up without fear and intimidation and to stand for Christ at any cost. I posted those words along with the video on Facebook. I was thinking about the obvious battle between darkness and light that is happening in the physical and spiritual realms. Suddenly though I noticed that a friend had commented on my status and said, "By the way, congratulations," and I realized that people seeing this most likely thought I was referring to the birth of Audrey. To be honest, I wasn't. In that moment my thoughts were completely on the Lord, but certainly I understood a new blessing from the Lord. It was very clear when I heard the Holy Spirit say, "It is by no coincidence that you posted these words on the day that Audrey was born." Now that really got my attention and it caused a shaking of my insides. That caused two things to happen. The first was that I knew that through that song I had actually spoken a prophetic blessing over Audrey. I realized even more that God had placed His hands on that baby even before she began to grow in her mother's womb.
The second thing that happened was that it caused me to begin to focus on every lyric in that song and they began to penetrate into my soul. Not only was God making that song a very personal one for us, but I realized in that moment that God has anointed this song in such a way that He will use it to wake up many sleeping Christians.... for such a time as this. For this critical time in history, soldiers of the cross are needed. I remember driving to work the next morning with "The Anthem" going off in my head. "I can hear the footsteps of my King.............." I thought about hearing the footsteps of Jesus approaching behind me. Knowing that He was coming near. I thought about how that would change every moment of every day. Think about that. Hearing the footsteps of Jesus approaching. Can you hear them? I think about how John laid his head on Jesus' breast as they celebrated the Passover. He heard the heartbeat of Jesus and that had to mess with him for the rest of his life. Hearing the footsteps of Jesus approaching will do the same thing to us.
You are reading this at this very moment for a reason. God is calling you. God is calling us. Game time is over. It's crunch time between the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of darkness. There is no place for fear. The world needs to hear us preach of another King! One who is foreign to many even though He should be foremost on their minds. There is no way for things to turn except through repentance and returning to God
I challenge you now to watch every single word to this song. Read the scripture verses. I'm not kidding around. You are not here at this moment by accident. It's time to hear the call. It's time to take some risks. It's time to change the world. I believe this song, or anthem as it's called is scriptural and very accurate in describing the potential that God sees in every one of us.
"Be very careful then how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)
I don't care if you are 20 or 80. You are God's child and it's your turn to shine! There was once a boy who was a simple shepherd boy. He got a hold of God and the destiny of his nation was changed forever.
For the King,
Mark S.
On Tuesday, November 13th, our third grandchild was born. Audrey Ruth came to us over a month early and throughout that day she was all we could think about. If only she wasn't over 1400 miles away! I remember I couldn't wait to get out of work that day just so I could be with Kay and together we could watch for pictures and wait for phone calls.
As things were winding down later that night, I had one of the more meaningful and emotional experiences that I've had in a long time. I had turned my thoughts to the Lord and was just enjoying listening to worship music and watching worship videos. I began to watch a video by Jake Hamilton, (which you can see in a moment) when some of the words pierced through my heart and mind. "He's calling wake up child, it's your turn to shine, you were born for such a time as this." What went through me at that time was that Jesus has sounded the wake up call. That it's time to rise up without fear and intimidation and to stand for Christ at any cost. I posted those words along with the video on Facebook. I was thinking about the obvious battle between darkness and light that is happening in the physical and spiritual realms. Suddenly though I noticed that a friend had commented on my status and said, "By the way, congratulations," and I realized that people seeing this most likely thought I was referring to the birth of Audrey. To be honest, I wasn't. In that moment my thoughts were completely on the Lord, but certainly I understood a new blessing from the Lord. It was very clear when I heard the Holy Spirit say, "It is by no coincidence that you posted these words on the day that Audrey was born." Now that really got my attention and it caused a shaking of my insides. That caused two things to happen. The first was that I knew that through that song I had actually spoken a prophetic blessing over Audrey. I realized even more that God had placed His hands on that baby even before she began to grow in her mother's womb.
The second thing that happened was that it caused me to begin to focus on every lyric in that song and they began to penetrate into my soul. Not only was God making that song a very personal one for us, but I realized in that moment that God has anointed this song in such a way that He will use it to wake up many sleeping Christians.... for such a time as this. For this critical time in history, soldiers of the cross are needed. I remember driving to work the next morning with "The Anthem" going off in my head. "I can hear the footsteps of my King.............." I thought about hearing the footsteps of Jesus approaching behind me. Knowing that He was coming near. I thought about how that would change every moment of every day. Think about that. Hearing the footsteps of Jesus approaching. Can you hear them? I think about how John laid his head on Jesus' breast as they celebrated the Passover. He heard the heartbeat of Jesus and that had to mess with him for the rest of his life. Hearing the footsteps of Jesus approaching will do the same thing to us.
You are reading this at this very moment for a reason. God is calling you. God is calling us. Game time is over. It's crunch time between the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of darkness. There is no place for fear. The world needs to hear us preach of another King! One who is foreign to many even though He should be foremost on their minds. There is no way for things to turn except through repentance and returning to God
I challenge you now to watch every single word to this song. Read the scripture verses. I'm not kidding around. You are not here at this moment by accident. It's time to hear the call. It's time to take some risks. It's time to change the world. I believe this song, or anthem as it's called is scriptural and very accurate in describing the potential that God sees in every one of us.
"Be very careful then how you live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16)
I don't care if you are 20 or 80. You are God's child and it's your turn to shine! There was once a boy who was a simple shepherd boy. He got a hold of God and the destiny of his nation was changed forever.
For the King,
Mark S.
