.jpeg)
Life Around "The Fire"
Life Around "The Fire"
When Reality Begins: God's Present Movement
Have you ever noticed that pivotal moment when something long-discussed finally becomes reality? That threshold where anticipation transforms into present experience? This profound transition lies at the heart of our spiritual journey today.
Drawing from four decades of officiating weddings, I've witnessed countless couples cross this threshold—their expressions revealing everything from wonder to apprehension as theoretical commitment becomes lived reality. This same dynamic is unfolding spiritually on a global scale right now. The divine manifestation prophesied for generations isn't approaching—it has begun. We're standing in the early currents of God's unprecedented movement on Earth.
Many miss divine moments because they arrive differently than expected. When Jesus came as Messiah, religious experts overlooked him because he didn't match their preconceived notions. God is utterly original—not a duplicate of past movements—and His originality often confounds expectations. Consider the Last Supper where Jesus said, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." This wasn't mere preparation but the fulfillment of prophecy—the moment when the new covenant was established through His blood.
What does this mean for us? We must develop spiritual discernment that transcends our expectations. The question isn't whether God is moving but whether we can recognize His movement. Will we be like those who missed the Messiah because He came differently than imagined? Or will we embrace God's present reality with open hearts? The water isn't over our heads yet, but it's rising. The time for preparation has given way to participation in what God is doing now.
Connect with us at lifearoundthefire@gmail.com or visit our website to share your thoughts on recognizing God's movement in this prophetic season. How are you experiencing His presence in ways you hadn't anticipated?
Loving Yeshua/Jesus, Loving people... Come as you are and you will be loved!
Feel free to check out our website by typing in lifearoundthefire.com or Life Around The Fire ... We think you'll find some beneficial stuff to look at and apply to your life.
Shalom to you and your home.
You know, over the course of the past 40 years, I've had the real privilege of officiating in a lot of weddings. Man, I've been invited to kind of help tie the knot. You know the will, you won't you do, you don't you the whole wedding ceremony. And really it's been an honor because leading up to it, I've had the opportunity of spending time with the couple that's going to be getting married, and that's always to me a very important time, but also an enjoyable time, because you get to know people on a different level. You get to know people on a different level, and part of the reason behind that is they're being really asked by me to evaluate exactly what it is that they're doing and for them to write it down and for me to read what they have said concerning their understanding of marriage, because we all come into relationships with a variety of different viewpoints and sometimes those viewpoints match and sometimes they don't, and sometimes they're realistic and other times they're not, and so it really helps me to understand what it is that people understand about marriage and about that type of relationship. And I won't get into it now, but I've had a variety of different viewpoints and some of them have been really, I mean incredibly inspiring, and others have been. I mean, I've been.
Speaker 1:I had to sit down with a couple and say I got to tell you, man, I'm concerned, I really don't know if the two of you are best for each other because of your view on marriage and relationships. Because, right, if we don't see eye to eye on something that significant odds are, we become a statistic down the road, and that statistic involves divorce. Because if there's any relationship that can bring out the best and also the worst in someone, it's marriage, because it's such a unique relationship in the fact that you are saying that you're committing yourself to that one person and you're committing all of yourself to that one person and you're committing all of yourself to that one person and you're leaving all other options alone. That airtight type of relationship can be very comforting or it can be suffocating. It all depends upon the person and the people involved. Because if it's unhealthy, wow, you talk about the feeling of being stuck or the feeling of just settling, or the feeling of making a huge mistake. Man, that's a reality. Man, that's a reality. But also it can be something really, again, very significant, because it's so reassuring to know that you have someone who loves, rest of your life with them and see them become who all they've been designed by God to be, and it's your commitment to help them become that, and vice versa, where you climb the mountain together, helping each other along the way. That's powerful and that sense that you could depend upon somebody, man. There's something significant about that aspect of trust. When there's that type of trust the basis of love, man, it just takes on that whole richer, deeper meaning, and so there's that element to it as well.
Speaker 1:Right, and I really seen, and it kind of gets to the point where we're at in this particular podcast series and in this particular episode, and that is that there comes a time and you know, timing is everything but there comes a time where what you talked about in the past, about what was going to be in the future, is now the present. It is the now. The past has now become the now, the time has come right. And so, in a marriage or in a wedding, the time comes, the time has come for you to become one, joined together as one. And the look that I have received from some people at that very time, when they realize that this is really happening, this is now happening. What I thought about before is now here and it's a reality, and I see the look that's on the faces of those individuals. Sometimes it is a look of absolute wonder. Sometimes it's a look of just really seriousness, like taking this seriously. Sometimes it's joy, sometimes it's a little bit of just like let's get this over with. You know, the looks can differ, but the reality is the time comes when your talk about the marriage is over and you're going to get married. Married, just like in other aspects of life, you hear about things and you talk about things that are going to be taking place, but there comes a time In fact, right now we are in one of those times.
Speaker 1:We are in the time in which God is revealing himself on planet Earth in a very significant way, in a very sovereign way that has been prophesied about for several decades, concerning a move of God's Spirit that was going to come upon this planet that is going to supersede anything we've ever seen before. And we are in that time right now. It's not on its way, it's here, we are in it. Granted, we are in the early stages. The water isn't over our head, so to speak, but it's rising. The Spirit of God is manifesting the presence of Jesus and Jesus revealing the Father in a greater way than has ever been seen, and that is rising Now. What we're seeing now has happened before, but what we're about to see unfold is going to be even more, but we are here in it now. It's not on the way we're here. God is doing what he promised he's going to do, and that is to reveal himself, because he loves us and wants us to know who he really is, not things about him, what other people say, but what he has said and who he really is, because it's one thing to hear about somebody and it's another thing to really meet them for who they really are. And now is a time in which God has chosen to manifest himself in a very real, significant way, taking things beyond question as to who it is that's being revealed, and it is God himself, god Mosai. So get ready. Get ready for more, but the fact that the time has come, just like in preparing for a wedding or a marriage, the time has come, just like in preparing for a wedding or a marriage.
Speaker 1:The time comes, and there's a particular portion in the scriptures where we read about the fact that the time had come. It had been prophesied for hundreds of years concerning the Messiah coming, one who would come from God and be the Savior of Israel, let alone mankind who would be Messiah, and people had been talking about it coming for centuries. But that's what they had talked about. It would be coming, it's on the way it's coming, and sometimes it seems like that's all we ever hear. It's going to be like this, and we become prisoners of hope, almost where we start to just kind of let those things go by the wayside. We don't really pay that much attention to them anymore. It's like, yeah, I've heard that before. Yeah, yeah, we've heard that, we've heard that. Yeah, and've heard that before. Yeah, yeah, we've heard that, we've heard that. Yeah, and it becomes passe, or at least it can be.
Speaker 1:And yet God has chosen to do things that way for a reason, and that is because it reveals our heart. Sometimes, things that offend our mind actually reveal our heart. That offend our mind actually reveal our heart, and there are times where God will offend our mind to reveal our heart, because he wants to get at our heart, because that's where relationship really is. That's where relationship comes from. It comes from the heart and then it flows from there, but it has to start from the heart.
Speaker 1:But a time comes, and the time came in which the Messiah arrived. What people have been talking about for years has finally come, and some people couldn't recognize it. They didn't recognize it at all because it didn't come like they thought it would. And that's a word to the wise for us to beware that we don't have preconceived notions as to how God's going to do something, because oftentimes it's not that way. He is God and he is holy, meaning he's original. He's not a knockoff on something that's been done before. He is original and he's unfolding his plan. And the time has come for us to experience more than what we've experienced previously, because God is a God of increase Hallelujah, god of life. But in even the coming of the Messiah, the fact that he was there, there were certain things that hadn't taken place, that needed to take place, and so they were unfolding, even while he was here on planet earth, to fulfill the promise of him coming. And in his coming there were things that were part of what he would provide, and one of those things that he would provide had been talked about.
Speaker 1:And now the time had come, and there's a passage of Scripture found in Luke, chapter 22, verse 15, that I'm going to read to you. And I'm going to read it from a variety of translations, because each one of these translations has a little different slant in the interpretation of this particular statement that Jesus made concerning something very important, and it concerned the Last Supper, or the covenant meal that he was going to have with his disciples and, in essence, with us. He cut covenant, a new covenant, the highest form of relationship and the highest form of covenant, blood covenant. He cut a covenant, a promise, a relational commitment to us deeper than even marriage, but at least as deep. And part of the covenant involved eating a meal together, a covenant meal, and that would be none other than the Passover meal. It had been for centuries, celebrated, participated in, observed, and there was some understanding concerning its importance and its meaning. But there were certain things that were yet a mystery, and Jesus was unveiling that mystery, unveiling that mystery.
Speaker 1:And so in Luke 22, verse 15, he said concerning this supper, he goes with desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer with you before I suffer. That's out of the King James 21. American Standard Version says and he said unto them with desire I have desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. The Amplified Version says he said to them. The AMPC says and he said to them I have earnestly and intensely desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. The BRG version, a lot of versions said, and he said unto them with desire I have desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer the CSB. And he said to them I have fervently desire to eat this Passover with you before I suffer the CJB. And he said to them I have really wanted so much to celebrate this cedar with you before I die Cedar, I should say the cedar meal before I die. And he said to them I have really wanted so much to celebrate this Seder with you before I die.
Speaker 1:The Phillips translation said Then, when the time came, he took his seat at the table with the apostles and spoke to them With all my heart, I have longed to eat this Passover with you before the time comes for me to suffer. Believe me, I shall not eat this Passover again until all that it means is fulfilled in the kingdom of God, that it means it's fulfilled in the kingdom of God. Now, that's powerful, the fact that he, jesus, wanted to eat what's the equivalent of his last meal before he died with the people that he loved. And it was a meal. That was an interesting presentation because it has a variety of things in it that you wouldn't normally consider to be part of. You know, your last request for a meal to have with your friends Bitter herbs, things being prepared in a way that would indicate that you're going to be packing up and leaving soon. So you really didn't have things laid out in a way where you'd set the table, it was more like eat and go. But jesus said this is what I wanted to do. More than anything, I fervently, earnestly, with all my heart, desired to do this before I suffer, before I die.
Speaker 1:Now, there are so many things to unpack in that verse alone, but one of the things that we are unpacking is the fact that the time came. The time had come, the time was at hand for the covenant to be cut. The new covenant in the blood of Jesus was to be cut on behalf of all mankind. The blood of the sinless one was going to be shed as the seal of the meal. Sealing the covenant, sealing the covenant, sealing the promise of relationship with God and forgiveness, cleansing, remission, remittance of all our sin, giving us access to God's kingdom and to his heart, the same way that Jesus had access to the kingdom and to the heart of the Father Powerful. We couldn't do it on our own, but Jesus cut the covenant and he said I earnestly want to do this. That's an act of love, but also, the time came. It wasn't about to happen. You know some things. The time comes. The time comes. The time for talking about it coming is over. The time for talking about it being here is now. Praise God, yeah, but I thought you know that's what would last meal. You know, just a sidebar Jesus in his last meal, in his last meal, wanted to do this.
Speaker 1:What would your last meal say? You had a last meal to celebrate. How would you want that to go down? You know there's folks right now on death row who in America, in many states they have an opportunity to have their last request for their last meal before they're executed, and I looked up a list of 25 of the just a variety of things that people have asked for their last meal around the world, and there's a man by the name of David Leon Woods, and he didn't ask for anything fancy or out of the ordinary, he just wanted a birthday cake. What's the catch? He didn't even have a birthday. He might have just wanted to enjoy life one more time. Just a birthday cake.
Speaker 1:Andrew Lackey. Lackey chose an odd mix when he put together his death request in Alabama in 2013. Turkey, bologna, french fries and grilled cheese. Doesn't that sound like a last-minute fridge raid? You know, raid the refrigerator one last time. Ajmal Kasab Tomatoes, one with tomatoes. Elton Coleman Ajmal Kassab tomatoes I wanted with tomatoes. Elton Coleman fried chicken biscuits and a sweet potato pie were served at Coleman's last request.
Speaker 1:Liddell Lee Lee made the same choice as Caseman above, only that he asked for communion, as simple as possible, because the man before him, an Irish rebel, before he died, had come into faith in Christ and all he wanted was communion. Timothy McVeigh, the bomber in the Oklahoma City, asked for two pints of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Strange, right, there's so many things, but there's two, two more. Philip Workman. Workman turned down a meal and asked for a veggie pizza be given to the homeless instead. James Edward Smith. Smith's strange request was to get a piece of dirt. You know again what people can request at their last meal is rather telling, rather telling.
Speaker 1:And Jesus, in his last meal, wanted to secure relationship with you and me, and he did so by shedding his blood. I mean, you talk about making sure that something is secure. You seal it in the greatest possible way. And the greatest possible way Jesus could seal this covenant meal would be blood, but not just any blood. It would be his blood, sinless, pure, holy, human blood, shed so that we could have forgiveness of sin and freedom from the bondage of sin and death no longer having dominion over us. But we be having given we having been given the free gift of God eternal life through Christ Jesus, because not only did he die, he rose from the dead, defeating death, giving to us the ability to do the same and to walk like him. The time has come. The time has come for us to walk like him. Time has come for me to walk like him in a greater way, because the way has been made, more is available to what Jesus has secured for us through the resurrection of the dead. That's available to us now that we have experienced, up to this point in time, anyone. There's more available, and God is unfolding what that is, and it's the result of the cross and the resurrection and the ascension of Jesus, but it's the gifts that he's given to men that are enacted right now, and the time is now.
Speaker 1:Let's pray. Father, I thank you that you reveal to us the timing of things, you show us your plan and your purposes when it's time. Hallelujah, we honor you as king of the universe and look forward to the great revelation of your presence. I hunger for more Lord, and even when your presence is so strong that it feels as though I need it to stop, please don't stop, lord, but more, more Lord, More Of you, more love, more power, more of you in our life. Sincerely, holy Spirit, we honor you and give you free reign to achieve these things to us and through us, in the very powerful name of Jesus, we stand here and we pray in his name and say Amen, amen, amen, amen. All right, folks, I love you. If you have any thoughts, questions, concerns, please feel free to drop us a line at lifearoundthefire, at gmailcom, or type in lifearoundthefire and look us up on the web. We would love to hear from you In the meantime. God bless you. Adios amigos.