Pastors Traci and Gary Carson are precious friends of mine. They have a great church called Voice of the Trumpet Ministries in Clackamus, OR. Pastor Traci has given me permission to print this wonderful article that I think you will enjoy. Please leave comments!

Your online pastor, Dr. Kluane Spake

Are You A Living Stone?

Pastor Traci Carson

Voice of the Trumpet Ministries

Voiceofthetrumpet.org

"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Pet.2:4,5).

"A living stone" is referring to us having the life and power of the Holy Spirit activated within us. Our inner being should be "alive" with the presence of our God as He lives, moves, and flows in and through us. Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, the Lord's presence should be illuminating from us. This illumination will affect all those who are around us.

For example, when I wait upon the Lord there is something happening to me whether I feel anything or not. There may be times when I feel His abiding presence and there may be times when I don't; either way I am literally being charged with His power, His mind, His thoughts and purposes as I soak in His presence. When I get up from being with Him, there is a supernatural peace that flows from me to those around me. There is also a divine disturbance that flows as well. For example, I may walk into a room and those I pass by may begin to feel convicted about their lifestyle. Our relationship with the Lord should be so close and intimate that when we pass by our brethren who are complete strangers they may say to us, "You're a Christian aren't you? I felt the presence of the Lord as you passed by".

One afternoon while I was shopping at the grocery store, I picked up some bananas. Immediately, I felt the anointing from the banana's flow into me. I knew it was the Holy Spirit and looked over at a young man who was working in the produce department of this particular store, and I said, "Did you pray over the fruit?" He looked at me with a stunned expression, hesitating for a few seconds, and then responded, "Yes I did". I told him that I felt the anointing flow from the bananas into me - it was beautiful. The young man had the biggest grin on his face and said, "Wow, I'm so blessed to hear that - thank you Jesus!! You pray and pray and sometimes you just don't see or feel the results. It's nice to hear that others are receiving even if they don't know what it is they are receiving."

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen Heb.11:1)".

Faith is the evidence that we have received our answer whether we feel or see anything in the natural. The young man in the produce department prayed, released the anointing by faith into the produce, and believed others would receive the impartation of the Holy Spirit.

What impressed me about this young man was him releasing his faith in the work place. He is an active "believer", not make-believer, but a real "Living Stone" who understands that Christ Himself has empowered and commissioned him to do the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12).

And He Himself (Jesus) gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect (mature) man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph.4:11-13)".

A few years ago the Lord spoke to me the following; "They came by the Light, that they would be redeemed by My Blood".

We know that if it were not by the Spirit of God there would be no Light, and if not for the Light, there would be no Blood to be redeemed by. For if not for the Holy Spirit hovering over the face of the waters, there would be no light - no source of life (Gen.1:1-5). If not for the Light, there would be no separation of heavenly and earthly, of spiritual and natural. Where there is light, there is separation from darkness. The Lord is our Light and our Salvation from the darkness of this world. He is our rapture from this present world, but yet we still are in the world - not of, but certainly in (John 17:15,16).

The Lord is our God and He has given us His Light. A living, breathing Word that is a lamp for our path which is before you and me (Ps. 119:105) - "But they came by the Light, that they would be redeemed by His Blood".

We are a "living stone", being build up a spiritual house, a city that is set on a hill that cannot be hidden because its on a hill for all to see with such brightness, such illuminating power wherein revealing the Glory of the Lord (Matt.5:15). Christians should be likened to a "nuclear" radiation that transmits the presence of the Lord to all who are near. When we radiate His Glory, the lost will come by it, and as they come by the light, they will be drawn to it because they will see for the first time the things they could not see before. They knew something wasn't right, but now they know and because they know they can now be redeemed by the Blood.

There is a vital part in us being "living stones". As our very being has the life and energy of the Holy Spirit, we come alive like a transmitter. We affect all those who are near us. What we must understand is this manifest presence "appearing" (Parousia - presencing) of our Lord doesn't happen without the "epignosis" (experiential intimate knowledge) of Him. It is by coming to the Lord and sitting with Him in silence that the impartation is released. We don't just function out of the gift He has given, but we minister in and through Christ Himself. Not only is He in us, but we are also in Him (John 15:4-9). It is possible to function out of our gifting through our flesh rather than the spirit with little to no relationship with our Lord.

"Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast our demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness (Matt.7:22,23)".

Time of solitude with the Lord is where we come to know Him and know His voice. There is a deep relationship with the Lord wherein we experience Christ and His indwelling presence in reality.

In my quiet time with the Lord, I may have communion with Him; lighting a candle, dipping bread into a wine glass of grape juice, and then sit quietly in His presence, or I may write love letters to Him, telling Him how incredible His love is to me, and how much I appreciate what He has done for my family and myself. I can remember one particular evening with family as I felt the Lord tugging upon my heart to come away with Him, so I quietly got up and went into the bathroom, locked the door, and sat in His presence. As I waited upon Him, He suddenly called out my name audibly. My heart leapt at the sound of His voice! He then said the most precious three words that anyone could ever hear, "I love you". His presence was all around me, and my heart was beating so hard and fast that I thought I was going to pass out! His manifest presence gave me the strength and determined will to press into Him even more.

The Lord loves everyone deeply, but not everyone loves Him deeply. In John 14:21 He plainly says that He will manifest Himself to those who love Him and keep His commandments. This manifestation is not a one time visit, but an ongoing personal reality, life giving, life changing relationship with Jesus Christ Himself.

You and I who are in Christ are the hope needed for the world in which we live. Our hope is not a concept, but a Person, not an outward condition, but an inward Provision. For this reason we bow down to Abba Father, for He has granted to each one of us according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; that we, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what it the width, length, depth and height; to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that we may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever, Amen!!! (Eph.3:14-20).

PO Box 1960 | Clackamas | OR | 97015 - votmin@easystreet.com

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