Pieces of the Puzzle
Steve Martin
“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22, NKJV)
Prophetic songs and words are a gift the Lord Jesus shares with His Body of believers, and also non-believers for that matter (1 Corinthians 14). It is another way He speaks what is on His loving heart, calling us to hear His voice, to hear and obey. In addition to His Written Word, the Logos - the Torah, Bible, Scripture – this Rhema is to edify and build up His beloved Church (Iglesia, congregation).
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| Rob Critchley album from the 1990's |
Following that I then I get a word or two. Not a sentence. Not a paragraph. Sometimes a “picture in my mind.” But most often just a word or two, so I have to step out in faith before He will give me any more.
Occasionally, when I am not quite sure if it is His Holy Spirit or not acting upon me, I will sit (or stand, being it typically happens during a worship time) and sometimes “argue” with His Spirit. “Is this You? Is this me? I don’t want to make a fool of myself and get up, stand before the people, and then speak out of my own being.” I may continue this type of conversation back and forth in my brain with something like, “OK, if it is You, then have Chuck (Chuck Smith is the more mature gifted prophetic one at Antioch International Church in Fort Mill, South Carolina where my good wife Laurie and I are members of) come over and ask if I have a word.
But that generally doesn’t happen. In fact, it never has.
(Chuck had earlier delivered a prophetic word in the worship time that night, which was very encouraging. Listen here: Jesus is with you in the fire.)
But that generally doesn’t happen. In fact, it never has.
(Chuck had earlier delivered a prophetic word in the worship time that night, which was very encouraging. Listen here: Jesus is with you in the fire.)
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| Chuck Smith delivering his prophetic word, "Jesus is with you in the fire." |
So, on that cold, rainy, early March Friday night, during the AIC Night of Worship time, in The Barn (formerly the Heritage USA/PTL Barn) where the Antioch congregation meets, I carried on this debate with the Lord, for at least five minutes, when I sensed something was coming. Finally, in obedience, I went to Chuck, who was leading the meeting that night, and sitting in the 2nd row to my right, and said I felt I had a word to speak. He asked what it was, and I gave a short sentence or two.
He said, “Let’s go” and we walked to the podium while the worship song continued playing, led by his wife Trista, which was in an instrumental phase.
I motioned to Toni Bogart on the keyboard to keep playing as she had been, flowing beautifully in the Holy Spirit’s leading, while I waited just a short time. Then this is what the Lord spoke through me, as I sang through the mic, “The Spirit of the Lord has come. The Spirit of the Lord has come.” Repeatedly, in harmony with the worship teams’ instruments.
Then He had me share the following, as best as I can remember.
“I am bringing My people together, from all over, to be fit for My purposes. Even as the pieces of the puzzle are placed in the proper location on the table, so too am I bringing this one and that one, from here and from there, to be joined in unison, fitted together, to work alongside each other. I am taking this one, I am taking that one. I am bringing them here at this time. I am working out My plans, and as you see it happening, know that it is Me doing it.”
Once I had finished sharing these words I walked back to my seat. My heart was still racing a bit, as it usually does after giving a prophetic word.
I knew the Lord was doing this. In these recent months, I can physically see Him bringing ones together to complete the puzzle in this place. Some are part of His restoration, those who once walked with Him and His people from decades past. Some are newly saved. All will be used to carry His saving gospel message to the local cities, states, and nations. That is His very heartbeat in this hour.
He is doing it in other places too. Not just here, in this gathering of believers, but everywhere among those willing to be a part of this move of God.
Even so in Israel, we are seeing the return of the Jews making Aliyah (returning, going up) over these past 70 plus years, since the rebirth of the nation in 1948.
He is building the foundation, the walls, the rooms, the entire “house of the Lord”, in order to have a place for the mass numbers of people that will be getting saved from this corrupt world in these days that are certainly coming and even so are already here.
Are you in the right place? If not, are you willing to seek Him, and ask Him to fit your piece of the puzzle, yourself, in the place that He already knows that you, and your family, need to be?
Seek Him. Ask of Him. Let Him know it is in your heart too to be part of what He is doing, and you are willing to do what it takes.
Don't be left out. Get in. After all, you only have one life to live. Live it according to His purpose for you. His heart is so strong to let you know where that is and to fit you, together with others, in the beautiful puzzle He is putting together.
Shalom and ahava (peace and love in Hebrew).
Now think on this,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc.
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