Shifting Boundaries

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.” Psalm 19:7

Confusion increases within the church as our culture continues seeking to redefine the concepts of love, hate, grace, and even Christianity. Numerous voices call out amid the crowd, asserting that love cannot be limited, that disapproval is hate, and that Christians must never condemn. In fact, the Law of God lurks as an enemy to modern thinking and even to the modern church where Grace triumphs over all.

Yet, Christianity without Holiness founded on the Word and Sovereignty of God is simply man’s sugar-coated acceptance of all sorts of sin. In the church, we long to show mercy so we refrain from gentle correction. However, without the law of God bringing conviction for sin, mercy is unnecessary. Jesus didn’t die to save the righteous (or self-righteous), remember. “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13) “He died to save sinners—of whom I am chief!” (I Timothy 1:15)

Yet, sin can only be recognized with the aid of a standard. “I would not have known sin except through the law…. Therefore, the law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good.” (Romans 7:7, 12) Without the conviction of sin, repentance cannot occur for Godly repentance means recognizing that we have been headed the wrong way and choosing to turn and run in the opposite direction.  “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted.” (II Corinthians 7:10)

The Bible makes it clear, when read as a whole from cover to cover, that grace never contradicts or cancels true holiness. Mercy may remove the punishment for sin, but it never moves the BOUNDARY of right and wrong. If all God needed to do was change His standard to clear us of wrongdoing, Jesus would never have needed to suffer or die. Without a changeless boundary, the Cross means nothing. And Mercy cannot remove the punishment for sin unless that punishment has already been paid—the purpose of the Cross. “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.” (Hebrews 9:22)

Yet, in our modern church, we have an epidemic of ‘cheap grace’, even though a daily reading of Scripture would quickly bring conviction that we must not continue living in our sin just because we’ve said a prayer of salvation. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1) “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:15-16)

In point of fact, the Bible makes it clear that a truly transformed heart will manifest through growth in holiness because the Holy Spirit is at work within us, causing us to become more and more like Christ Jesus. “We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (II Corinthians 3:18)

Some people assert, however, that Old Testament boundaries no longer apply to us. Certainly, they are correct up to a point. Upon his conversion, the Pharisee Paul experienced the amazing freedom that grace brings when the Holy Spirit transformed his heart and revealed to him that he no longer needed to keep all the external rituals of the Mosaic Law. However, he warns clearly, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another…. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.” (Galatians 5:13,19-21).

Jesus said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” (Mark 7:20-23) Therefore, He gives us His Spirit living within who produces holiness and righteousness pleasing to God. perfect but now“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:22-24)

Holiness begins in a transformed heart and manifests in a pure lifestyle--perhaps not perfect but able to meet God’s Standard far more often because of the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Notice, Scripture makes clear that the standard has not—and never will be—removed. “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith…. The law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.” (I Timothy 1:5, 8-10)

Now we can better understand why some rules don’t apply anymore while other boundaries reflect the Eternal Nature and Unchanging Holiness of our Creator. When Jesus rose from the grave after paying for our sins, the Holy Spirit showed His church that grace frees us from external rituals to produce holy fruit flowing from a transformed heart. The Apostle Paul wrote at length about the difference between external holiness and inner holiness. The former is abolished while the latter radiates the active residence of the Holy Spirit within a person’s heart.

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.” Acts 15:28-29 The Apostle Paul addressed this statement to Jewish believers who had memorized the numerous requirements of Mosaic Law from their youth.

As Paul began to preach to the Gentiles, however, the Holy Spirit propelled him to explain the most basic elements of true holiness because the Roman society worshipped dozens of gods and engaged in every form of sexuality imaginable. Paul wrote to the Romans, “God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also, the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which is due. Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.”  Romans 1:24-28

Scripture directly addresses many behaviors that God defines as immoral, rebellious, and in direct opposition to His unchanging holiness. Today’s culture wants the church to question and reject God’s boundaries. Movies, music, art, and now our laws pressure us to accept sexual standards as archaic and embrace our “freedom” to participate in sexual encounters with anyone and in any way that we want.   But Biblical standards are based on God’s Eternal Nature. He created us. He knows best.

 “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20

The Purpose of the Law

When Adam and Eve sinned, God spoke a curse over man, over woman, and over Satan (Genesis 3:14-19). The Curse’s purpose became immediately obvious: it identified each one as rebellious. It’s purpose was to punish that rebellion, but it could never cure it. Nor did the sacrifice of the lamb to make the outer coverings for Adam and Eve atone for their sin (Hebrews 10:3-4). Rather, the sacrifice and the punishment were to show guilt and remind them of how terrible it is to listen to the wrong voice, to disobey God.(Romans 5:12-19).

In Genesis chapter 4, another curse is pronounced. This time, God declares to Cain, “Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. Therefore, you are cursed…” (v10-11). Cain cries out, “My punishment is more than I can bear!” (v13) His cry is the echo of every heart when a true understanding of the penalty for sin occurs (Romans 3:19, 6:23). When Israel becomes a nation and receives the Law from the Lord on Mount Sinai, curses and blessings are pronounced upon the people according to their behavior. The curses are meant to stigmatize and punish anyone who disobeys the Law while the Lord promises to bestow blessings on those who adhere to the Law and show that their hearts are set on obeying His voice (Deuteronomy 27:11-28).

The Apostle Paul explains much later in history, as a redeemed Pharisee, that the Law was designed to identify everyone as sinners but it could never save anyone out of that sin (Romans 3:20, Hebrews 7:18-19). In point of fact, the law condemned us all and etched an eternal identity of ‘hopeless sinner’ upon each and every one of us, because there is no one who meet the perfect standards of Heaven (Rom 7:7-24). Because of this stigmatism, this hopeless state, Jesus stepped in to pay for our sins with His own blood and place a new heart in us by the power of His Spirit. This is why Paul so fervently and joyfully declared the Good News of Jesus' death and resurrection, because He offered us what the Law could not: a new identity as children of God, forever free from condemnation when we accept the payment of Jesus' blood upon the Cross and the power of His Spirit giving us a new heart(Galatians 3:13, Romans 8:15, Ezekiel 36:25-27).

However, between the time of Moses and Jesus, the Israelite nation began to view the Law as a way to separate ‘sinner’ from ‘righteous’. They took the requirements, placed upon outward behavior (for only God can see the heart) and based their judgment completely on people’s outward behaviors. This is why, when Jesus began His ministry, He spoke ruthlessly against the attitude of a Pharisee. He exposed the sins of their hearts, not allowing them to hide behind the appearance of good behavior (Matthew 15:18-20). He called them white-washed tombs, full of dead man’s bones. He said they needed to cleanse not only the outside but also the inside (Matthew 23:25-28). And He preached the entire Sermon on the Mount with the intent to expose every flaw in a self-righteous person’s thinking. He said, “You haven’t committed outward adultery, but you’ve lusted in your heart, and to God, it’s the same thing” (Matthew 5:28). He said, “You haven’t physically murdered anyone, but you’ve lived hating that person and using all your power to hurt him in all other ways. To God, it’s the same thing!” (Matthew 5:21)

In all His dialogues with the nation of Israel, Jesus’ message is strong, personal, and clear: “God sees the inside. God judges righteously (John 5:30). It’s all the same to God. He cares about the heart attitude and not just the behavior (Luke 11:40). You’re wronging people and creating new traditions to call it good (Matthew 15:3-9). But the purpose of the Law is to show you how much you need a Savior (Romans 7:7). Yet you’ve turned God’s commandments into a cudgel that you wield upon others instead of falling to your knees in repentance (Luke 11:46).  David said a broken and contrite heart is what God desires, and he was right (Psalm 51:17)! I told Samuel the prophet, ‘Man looks at outward appearances but God looks inside the heart’ (I Samuel 16:7). I’ve come to this Earth to die for your sins, but you won’t receive Me if you don’t believe you’ve sinned!”

The whole point of Jesus’ strange harshness is to get the nation ready: ready to cry out in repentance and desperation for the mercy He was about to offer at the Cross (John 7:37-39). He ate with sinners because they already recognized their deep need for healing, mercy, and restoration (Matthew 9:12-13). They longed to be in fellowship with the One they had always been ostracized from. But the Pharisees, who upheld all the Laws and kept ‘sinners’ out of God’s holy presence, needed to know that they were in the same boat (Matthew 23:13). Jesus longed for them to recognize their need so they, too, could receive forgiveness and a new nature (II Corinthians 5:17).  

God's Heart for His Church

Dear Friends,

How amazing to be writing to you in the area of prophecy. Many of you have known me for years and have walked with me through hardship and adversity. I hold no ministry position, no prophetic office, yet the Lord speaks to me, at times in visions and analogies, which need much help with discernment to understand; at other times in words that He speaks plainly, to my heart and face to face (Exodus 12:6-8, John 15:14-15).

For those of you who are uncertain about the validity of claiming to hear a prophetic word from the Lord, I share quickly Amos 7:14-15: “I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit. Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go prophesy to My people Israel.”

Concerning myself, the Lord says, “You are not prophet, you are bride.” This reflects the promise spoken in Acts 3:16-18: “It shall come to pass in the last days says God that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit in those days and they shall prophesy.” A bride listens to her husband’s voice and responds wholeheartedly to His smallest whisper, even as sheep listen to their Shepherd (John 10: 3-5). How wonderful to know that everyone of us who believes in Jesus, our risen Savior, is also His Bride (Isaiah 54:5, John 3:29, Revelation 19: 7-8)!

I’m writing to all of you now because of several words I’ve received that are much bigger than me. As I’ve trembled and sought the Lord concerning them, He has said this to me: “When a farmer hits oil in his field, what does he do? He calls for the big oil rigs to come, otherwise the oil sprays over the field and hurts both animals and grain. Without the skills and expertise of the oil riggers, the oil cannot be contained, refined, or distributed to those who need it. When will the big oil rigs come? When they are summoned by those who have struck oil.”

I do not know what this black oil is in the Spirit, only that in the natural world oil is turned into kerosene and gasoline for fuel for both private and corporate use. So I am sharing these words and visions with all of you because I sense strongly in my spirit that the Lord is giving them for His Church on a worldwide scale. When I pray, “Lord, heal our land!” immediately the Holy Spirit says, “The land of the Church is the world.” Please join me in prayer concerning these visions as dear friends in the faith whom I greatly respect and love. I am so excited about all the Lord is doing in us and through us--our individual lives, our fellowships, and the world.

January 6, 2012

The first vision is this: I am standing at the edge of a great forest. Fire has consumed the sacrifice upon the altar near me, and I take a burning ember from the ground. I stare at the forest, and the Lord says, “When an ember is not sufficient to draw attention, it is time to start a fire. Let it blaze and consume the forest, these great oaks planted for My righteousness. Let the fire blaze out from the edges into the deepest parts, leaving no tree untouched, fanned into engulfing, wild flames by the wind of My Spirit. Let the fire declare My great glory, My jealousy for My people, My burning passion for them. For I am a consuming fire, and My glory I will not give to another.”

The next word is similar to one He gave me over a year ago, but I didn’t have the strength then to speak. Now I’m sharing so that we might lift up our churches and fellowships together. The Lord said to me: “My Church is selling bottled water. They have bottled it up from the springs I opened for them years ago, but now the water is going stagnant and in some places has even become contaminated and polluted. Oh, My Church, open up your veins again and let My fire run through you! I tell you, now, in this day, I am going to do a new thing. Where there has not been clear, fresh water, the people have begun to slip back into atrophy. But I am stirring up My passion and My zeal as before. I am coming into your midst, and I am burning up for you like a mighty man. Behold and watch the new thing I will do—I will burst forth fountains of water in the backyards of ordinary men and women. I will shoot forth My water out of the ground in the individual prayer closet and small group gatherings so that My Church will again become alive. Yet I have not forgotten My oaks, planted for My righteousness. Yes, I would spare you too, so repent and cry out for the latter and former rains once again. Then My fire will burn but not destroy the great forest of many generations, which has declared My glory. My Spirit will burn as He did in the burning bush, and the trees will blaze with holy fire yet not be consumed. And then My Spirit will be well-pleased. Yes, I Myself will rejoice exceedingly and be greatly glorified. This is My word for My people. Oh, My people, hear Me!”

I also saw a wall—a great wall, the wall of Berlin, which came down many years ago. I said, “Lord, this wall is torn down.” Then He showed me that towering walls still exist in the hearts of His people, one group against another. He pointed at the wall, commanding in strong warning, “Tear down the wall. Tear it down with your bare hands in the power of My might. Do I not have the right to give to one group the faith to suffer and to another group the faith to stand in healing? These walls are not of Me, nor the accusations, fears, shame, and jealousies that exist in the people whose hands built the walls. Repent and reach out to those who are weaker than you. You who have great faith, would you condemn your brother who has only a small measure? Have I not given to him the faith to stand as well as you? Why do you boast about what you have not earned? Are you not all equal in My sight? Is not My blood alone the way of access into My presence? Who are you to set up boundaries and laws and decrees that are not of Me? Offices of prophet, apostle, teacher, and shepherd are all very well, but today I say this: I will come into your midst as a consuming fire if you do not repent. I am coming into the homes and fellowships of My Church as Her Husband, and she will be My Bride. There will no longer be any distinction between one who is appointed into spiritual office and one who labors alongside children or who kneels to repair kitchen sinks. I am Almighty God, and I am zealous for My Bride. I am zealous for her with great zeal, and it is My fierce intent that she become One once again.”

Even as I go to send this email, the Lord is opening before me a word that sends me to the floor, weeping. I share it now from the very depths of my heart, and I believe from the Lord’s, though of all the words, it is the most disturbing. Please seek the Lord concerning its meaning in your personal life since it utilizes incredibly sensitive and personal imagery.

January 7, 2012

“Oh, Church! Oh, Church! You’re My Bride, but you won’t even take off your wedding garments for Me. Where was the passion you once had to sit and wait for Me to come to you? Where has the passion gone that you once had as a young bride who yearned and ached for the Lover of her soul? I tell you—I want you--body and soul. And don’t just flash your wedding ring at Me. It’s glorious, I know. I gave you the very best. In My passionate love for you, I went all out and splurged lavishly on you, My bride. But now tell me, you who desire My presence, why do you cover up when I come near? Why are you hiding in shame in the closets of the homes I built for you? Don’t you know that the bathroom is necessary and good? But you refuse to enter it, to go into the inner prayer closet and empty yourself out completely of both good and bad. You say, “I’ll hold it; I’ll wait. That will make a mess.” Oh, My Bride, how I long for you to come to Me as in days of old! How I long for you to let me wash you and purge you with the water and wine of My love instead of tightening your sash around your waist. Dearly Beloved, should not a man see his wife? Should not a lover see his mate? But you have hidden yourself from Me in the folds of your righteous acts and well-meaning intentions. Enough! I’m overturning the temple tables once again—the long banquet tables you have set up in your souls and your churches between you and Me. I kneel beside you, but you don’t even slip off your chair to cradle My face in your hands as you did in days gone by. I yearn for you, but I must cut up your food into tiny pieces for you to digest. Ask, therefore, for the apples and raisins of our first love that the wounds within your stomach might heal. Ask for love and I will give it—the sweet, honeyed wine of My presence. See how I long for you!

“And so I am doing a new thing, a thing to astonish and horrify the proud and self-righteous, the ones who have not dealt with their hidden sins and outrageous lies. I am stripping Myself down and walking among you naked. Yes, I am coming among you utterly naked with not even a loin cloth on, and I will fight for you as a berserker in the days of old, clad only in the zeal of the Lord of hosts. Do you doubt this? Look in My Word and see. See for yourselves the Mighty Man I have vowed to be when My Church wanders in her heart from Me. Have you prayed for revivals? Good! I am glad that you call out to Me to come again with a downpour of My Spirit. So know this—I will surely come, but not until you have thrown off your linen garments for Me. Yes, even your good reputations and righteous deeds which I have given to you. I want it all—I want you! Make an altar—pile up the stones, pour water over the wood. Call out to Me as Elijah did. Call out to Me before all the world and tell them—The God who answers by fire is God! Would you discard your reputations for Me? Surely I discarded Mine for you when I hung upon the Cross at Calvary. Will you cease selling bottled waters from My wells? For surely, I see what you do and it greatly displeases Me when you charge your neighbor to drink from My fountain. Do you know what I speak of? You charge them a visit to the bathhouse, a change of garments, and a scented bottle of ointment to come see Me. Oh, My Church! NO, NO, NO!!! I want the poor, the unclean, the naked, the abused. I want the dirty, the ragged, the boisterous, the maimed, the ugly! Don’t charge them to enter My dwelling place! Fling open the doors and let them come! I am telling you now, if you do these things, then, then heaven itself will not be able to contain Me. I will burst open the floodgates of heaven upon your families, your little ones, your fellowship gatherings, and your fields. I will pour out such blessing that there will not be room to contain it! Test Me now in this and see, see if I will not do all that I have said. Lest when you walk in your proud finery, your wedding robes that you donned for Me, your enemies come and strip you naked and mock you before the eyes of all. But you were made for Me, Beloved. Your nakedness is for My eyes alone. Only come to Me. Let the pretenses fall, the good works and reputations you depend so heavily upon. Cry out to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you did not know. Cry out to Me and I will water the vineyards with My presence and gush forth in every valley My overflowing springs. For I am the Lord!!!

“And now I say to you who have courage, to you who desire to take heart: Strip away the soiled garments clinging to you that they might be washed in pure water and I will give to you the robe of many colors—the beautiful radiant colors of the soul when you are purified and healed and made whole. For this is the garment I want: the beautiful gown of light that exudes from a soul in which I dwell without restraint. Then you will walk before Me naked and not be ashamed. Then you will go out before others to fight with Me and will be invincible in the mightiness of My Spirit. Not armor or weapons of flesh but the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Do you not know what David did when he was offered the armor of another? He would not put it on.‘How can I fight like this?’ he asked. And so he went to face the giant with only his staff, his sling and stones from a brook, but I was with him. I was valiant within his soul, and he stirred up his passion for Me like a lion. So do not be afraid, you who yearn for My heart. Walk in boldness before Me, depending upon Me and Me alone to be your refuge and salvation. Will I not open the windows of heaven and rain down upon your land? Better than that, I will most surely walk among you, and I shall be your God and you shall be My people.”

Scriptural basis: Genesis 2:25, I Samuel 17:38-47, I Kings 18:21-45, Psalm 45:10-15, 68:7-11, Proverbs 28:1, Song of Solomon 2:4-5, 7:9-13, Isaiah 42:12-13, 59:6, 15-17, 64:1-6, Jeremiah 33:3, Ezekiel 14:4-7, 16:8-14, Daniel 12:3, Hosea 2:9-15, Zechariah 3:3-4, 10:5, Zephaniah 3:14-15, Micah 1:8-12, Matthew 5:40, Luke 14:13, 21-23, John 2:14-17, 3:29, Romans 13:11-14, I Corinthians 6:13-20, Philippians 2:5-11, Hebrews 4:13-16, 5:12-14, Revelation 3:17-22

How I love you all! May all these words stir up within us passion for the Lord to have His way in our lives, our hearts, and our churches, and may we see revival come!!!

All my love and prayers, Ayrian

Scriptures that accompany the January 6 words:

The Lord's jealousy and consuming fire: Luke 12:49, Isaiah 64:1-2, Amos 7:4, Zeph 1:18, Isaiah 10:16-19, I Kings 18:21-46, Song of Songs 8:6, Hebrews 12:28-29

Mighty Man and Roaring Lion: Isaiah 42:13, Hosea 11:10-11, Jeremiah 25:30, Zechariah 10:7-8

Wall of Division: Ephesians 2:14-18, I Corinthians 1:10-13, 3:3-11, Romans 12:3-8, 14:3-23, Hebrews 11:30-12:2

Selling Bottled Water: Jeremiah 2:13, John 2:13-17

New Fountains of Water: John 7:37-39, Acts 2:17-18, Isaiah 43:18-21, 44:3-4

Rain: Acts 3:19-20, Hosea 5:14-6:3, Psalm 68:7-11, II Chr 6:26-27, 7:12-14

Bride/Unity: John 17:20-24, I Cor 12:12-13, Ephesians 4:3-7, Revelation 3:19-22, 19:7-8, Hosea 2:16-23