For the Word of God Is Living

Dear friends,
I pray things are well with you. As I woke up this morning the Lord was speaking. He brought to mind Hebrews 4:12. I want to share with you this morning what the Lord was giving to me. Prayerfully consider these things.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

In 1 Kings 3:16-27 we see a spiritual picture of this verse in action. Two harlots came before the king for him to make a judgement. One had lain on her baby during the night and accidentally killed him. She took the other ladies' baby and claimed it for her own. These were ladies of the night and a nursing baby was a means of birth control. They came before Solomon wanting a decision as to which woman the baby belonged. The king asked for a sword and then gave orders for the child to be cut in half with each woman getting half. The one lady would rather give the child up than for it to be killed while the woman who had stolen the baby would rather the baby die than be exposed. The sword revealed the thoughts and intents of the heart. The baby was given to the woman who was willing to give him up rather than see him die. The truth was revealed by the sword.

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13

Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Matthew 10:26

This is what the Lord put on my heart: The hearts of men will be laid bare. Wickedness will be exposed. That which has been hidden will be revealed to all. The intents of the heart will be revealed. We will again see the days of Ananias and Sapphira as the fear of the Lord is restored. 1Kings 3:28 And all Israel heard of the judgement which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice. Godly justice brings the fear of the Lord. It is a time of purifying our hearts; it is a time of purifying our motives. Though I had a sense that the primary application was to leaders in America it certainly applies to the Christian community.

For the time has come for judgement to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1Peter 4:17

It begins first with us. This is not a message of gloom and doom. The heart must first be revealed before it can be healed. God desires to bring healing. His peace is everything set right. The revelation of His glory exposes that which is not glorious. Wickedness must first be exposed before it is destroyed. When the wicked spring up like grass, and when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever. Psalms 92:7 It truly is a message of hope.

I have often looked at 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a formula for national revival, but as I was studying for a teaching the other day I saw it in a different light. I remembered how a great teacher, Alan Vincent, who had once been an atheistic scientist before getting saved, shared the fact that an element such as copper will always test copper whether it is a bar, a crystal, or a molecule. He went on to say that everything that is kingdom will apply at every level whether it be an individual, a family, a church, or a nation. We can apply that verse to ourselves individually. If Herb Dean who is called by My name will humble himself and pray and seek My face, and turn from His wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive his sin and heal his land (soul). parentheses mine. Some may say that's old covenant; that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I say, yes, and amen. I am not wicked; I've been given a new heart, but there are still areas of my life where I struggle with my flesh or am I the only one? There are times I've had selfish motives, times when I have rejoiced at the fall of my enemies, times when I envied the success of others. Yes, it is true there is wickedness in my flesh and sometimes carnality in my thinking. This must be brought into the captivity of Christ. Humility, prayer, seeking, confession, and turning are as relevant now as in the old covenant and praise God we have the Spirit inside us and His enabling grace to do it. Can we expect the heathen to change if we are unwilling or unable ourselves. I had not intended to get into all that, but just to say we are entering a season of the revealing of hearts.

As I said earlier, weigh these things prayerfully. God is moving. It is a time of transition and God is desirous to move each of us to new levels of glory. I appreciate all of you and am always thankful for your encouragement. If I can be of any assistance to you send me a note.
In His love,
Herb Dean