Not all of us are privy to the mysteries of God. Yet, God has chosen certain men to pen His words of revelation to unveil or expose God’s plan or program for the world through Christ.

So, God uses men, who He selects, and shows these individuals the mysteries of God for these ones to bare witness of what they see to make a public record for those who believe to read and know what it is that the LORD is doing – what the LORD is doing in this hour. (Compare to 1 Corinthians 12:11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Amos 3:7).

For this is the purpose of prophecy. To communicate new truth, that is, divine revelation from the LORD. (Compare to Revelation 1:3).
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[This is a threefold condition: read, hear (that is, understand), and obey].

The purpose of prophecy is not for an open forum where one lecture – discusses and debates about its prudence. God has provided new revelation through His servants so that man would obey.

For “…thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern (judge) My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here” (Zechariah 3:7).

Then the LORD said, “this is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts. For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven will be glad when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel—these are the eyes of the Lord which range to and fro throughout the earth” (Zechariah 4:6, 10). 
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After receiving this written word this morning, then the Spirit of the LORD reminded me of the Olive Tree visions He gave me in the early part of this year. I retrieved them from our ministry’s archive and provided their content below in association with today’s word from the LORD. 

As I woke up, when I opened my eyes, I saw the top part of what looked like an olive tree. It hovered for a few seconds in front of me, and then floated upward towards the sky until it slowly disappeared.... 

​This was the second vision I have had in the past week concerning this olive tree branch. But this time the vision happened in reverse and other elements occurred in my vision along side the olive tree. The fact that I had this vision twice within a week's time, I have to assume that it may have some significant meaning. So, I shared it with our ministry prophetess, which we prayed and the following occurred.

As Felicia was praying, 4 different elements appeared.

And then the vision ended.

I had a third vision about the same olive tree visions I had on Friday, January 8, and Friday, January 15.

Again, my ministry partner, Felicia, and I were praying around 7:00 p.m. when I had this third olive tree vision. And finally, we were given an interpretation of what these three similar olive tree visions mean.

At this point, I am waiting to see if God will allow me to share the third vision and the interpretation of all three olive tree visions. In the meantime, we can now pray into these three visions with confidence, knowing God’s will and plan for 2021 concerning the Ecclesia. 

This is the interpretation of the Olive Tree Visions as the LORD has given it to me.
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On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Prophetess Felicia Crawford asked me to meet her in our corporate prayer room with my prayer shawl around 7:00 p.m. She had three candles burning, and she immediately begins to prayer as soon as I walked into the room without any other interactions between us two. 

About 15 minutes may have past when the olive tree that was in my vision on Friday, January 8 and January 15 came in view. It was hovering high in the sky and then disappeared after a few seconds.... Then the Lord God provided this interpretation of my vision. 
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Then Holy Spirit reminded me of a text conversation I had with Felicia early that morning and instructed me to go back and look at Felicia's words.  When I looked at it, Holy Spirit highlighted Felicia's words, "I believe that there is about to be a resurrection and ascension of the Body of Christ."

Felicia's words confirmed the interpretation of my 3 olive tree visions I have had these past three weeks. 

Then I wrote down the following meaning that stood out as I looked up the meaning of an olive tree. 
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Then Holy Spirit closed with the following instructions on January 20. He instructed me to share my olive tree visions but not its interpretation. (Click here to see my olive tree post). That this vision was a reminder to his Body of the season and time. And then the Spirit of the LORD exited the same way He entered as Felicia closed out in prayer.  

On that same day, the Spirit of the LORD spoke the following about my olive tree visions.

JUST LIKE I WILL REPLACE WHAT ONCE WAS TO WHAT IS NOW (MEANING THE OLD CHURCH AND ITS PROGRAMS AND LEADERSHIP WITH GOD'S NEW APPOINTED LEADERS AS HIS BODY). SO TOO WILL BE THE CASE WITH BIDEN - WHAT ONCE WAS WILL ALSO BE REPLACED WITH WHAT IS. 

For what the LORD has spoken is faithful and true. 

Most people are familiar with the term "checks and balances." If not, the principle purpose for "checks and balances" is to prevent any one branch, entity, group, or individual from exerting or gaining too much power. Hence the term "checks and balances." Now, it goes much deeper than that when you are considering financial institutions, governments, organizations, etc. But this is the basics of what it means.

In the same matter, God Himself has checks and balances when it comes to operating and running His operations, ministries, and churches. They are called prophets and apostles. Sorry, not pastors. But based on the principle of making sure or preventing one man or woman from gaining or executing or exerting too much power, God has placed prophets and apostles to govern over certain affairs. And these prophets and apostles share that responsibility with certain leaders. In the past, they shared that leadership with kings. In more modern times, they should share that leadership with pastors (Compare 1 Corinthians 12). This indicates that no pastor should govern anything without an assigned prophet and apostle on his or her side.

So, I am going to say what the Lord is saying to me in the Spirit. And that is if any entity (i.e. church, ministry, etc.) that are governing and operating itself without a divinely appointed prophet and apostle - then their house is out of order. (Compare to 1 Corinthians 14:33). If any entity (i.e. church, ministry, etc.) that are governing and operating itself with a self-appointed prophet and apostle - then your house is out of order. You see, God is a God of justice who cannot continue to allow Houses that refuse to operate within the confines and standards that He has declared as right and righteous; for that will make Him unrighteous and unjust and evil. And as we know, no evil exists in God. God is the master 'checker and balancer'. And He is coming with scales in hand to balance His House, to restore order. To reestablish His prophets and apostles in their proper place.

To understand better, God's expectations concerning His prophets, read my blog post There Is One. 

Far too many of us are like the King of Israel, Ahab. King Ahab put his trust, not in God. But in those around him. Let’s take one of King Ahab’s decisions into consideration to fully see the similarities between him and the mindset of people today.

King Ahab had a bone to pick with Ramoth-gilead. But he needed help, support to accomplish his plot against this Levitical city of refuge that was east of the Jordan. So, he solicited the help of Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah to assist him in conquering this city. This brings us to 2 Chronicles chapter 18.

King Ahab inquired of King Jehoshaphat, “… will you go up with me against Ramoth-gilead?” Initially, Jehoshaphat was agreeable to Ahab's alliance request, so long as King Ahab met one of his stipulations. We see this condition in verse 4 of 2 Chronicles chapter 18. It reads
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Even though, Jehoshaphat agreed with Ahab concerning going up against the city of Ramoth-gilead. Jehoshaphat wanted to make sure this was the will of God to do so (Compare to 2 Chronicles 17:3-6; 10; 12). 

To honored Jehoshaphat’s request, King Ahab assembled 400 prophets and asked them. 

To which the prophets responded

After hearing from Ahab’s 400 prophets, Jehoshaphat had enough spiritual discernment to know that something was not right. So, he asked this bold question.

King Jehoshaphat knew two things. 

1. There is no spiritual man or woman who does not have a clearer ear to hear what the LORD is saying but His prophets. Therefore, it was critical from King Jehoshaphat’s standpoint that they (King Ahab and himself) needed to hear from a true man of God? No, he wanted to hear from a true PROPHET of God before deciding to go into battle or not.
2. Although Jehoshaphat was a capable godly man, and he could have opted to make this decision independent of God’s anointed prophet. But he understood that as a leader, he needed the guidance and direction of a true prophet of God who was actually hearing from God to provide them clear direction concerning what God was or was not doing and or saying concerning Ramoth-gilead. King Saul had to learn this the hard way. He truly reaped the consequences from (1) not following the direction of God’s true prophet, and (2) not seeking God’s prophet before acting on what he thought was right in his own eyes.

Now, let’s bring this to a modern time before we finish the lesson, to see what we can learn from 2 Chronicles chapter 18.

Today, we have many men and women who are claiming such titles as prophet or prophetess. But notice, in the case concerning Jehoshaphat, most of the ones who claimed to such titles (400 of them) did not have the backing, the approval, the blessing, or the anointing of the LORD. No, they didn't. They had the backing, the approval, the blessing, or the support of men, but not God. Only one was acknowledged as a true prophet of God in this situation. This was also the case in the case of Elijah the prophet against 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah (1 Kings 18). That is 850 prophets against 1. In that situation, the 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah were challenged to prove that their god was greater and more powerful than the God of Elijah. In the end, only 1 prophet was left standing as the true prophet of God (1 Kings 18:20-35).

So, King Ahab responded to King Jehoshaphat’s concerns by saying.
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King Ahab hated the Prophet Micaiah because this prophet would only speak exactly what the LORD was saying. Therefore, he only spoke the truth. King Ahad had a serious problem, a conflict with hearing the truth. He only wanted to hear what was favorable; and good; and righteous; and nice prophetic words from his prophets. King Ahab said to King Jehoshaphat, I hate that prophet Micaiah because “he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil.

And this is where the similarities lay between King Ahab and we the people, especially God’s people today.

Whenever the true voices of God speak exactly the word the LORD is saying, 

• Those who are operating too close to the boundaries
• Those who have fallen from grace
• Those who do not believe in a monotheist God but believe in such baal-like gods like, the universe, Muhammad, Buddha, etc.

Men and women who operate like King Ahab will declare such things as

• Let’s focus on what is good and loving and peaceful
• We shouldn’t judge because God is love and loving

Or they will declare what King Ahab proclaimed. That prophets like Micaiah are always releasing negative reports. And yet, this sounds like a constant pattern of the prophets in God’s living word. 

God’s prophets do not report back from God what we want to hear. They report to us 

• Our true reality
• Our true predicament
• Our true dilemma

They report matters from God’s perspective so that we the people can repent and realign and reconcile ourselves with God. The prophet’s job is to keep us, the people, and our nation properly in line and in agreement with God’s standards, decrees, laws, commandments, and statutes. Because we can’t govern our own steps and we constantly need correction from the LORD; yes, we are often going to receive negative reports from God’s true servants the prophets (compared to Jeremiah 10:23, 24; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Amos 3:7).

If all we get are good reports from those who call themselves God’s prophets, like

• God is going to bless you with $$$
• God is going to bless you with a new home, a new car, etc.
• You better tithe or sow a seed of $$$ to get your blessings
• God is going to bless you, bless you, bless you

If this is mostly or all they are pushing from these prophets. RUN!! Run in the opposite direction because that ain’t no prophet of God. That is a peddler who is peddling the word of God.

In the eyes of King Ahab, Prophet Micaiah was a groom and doom prophet. But unfortunately for King Ahab, he did not heed the counsel of God’s true prophet, Micaiah. And we see the results from this error as we read the ending of King Ahab’s story. This too was the case with the Prophet Elijah and the prophet Jeremiah. They too were considered as a groom and doom prophets during their time. Why? Because they report only and exactly what the LORD said was mankind’s fate at that time if they fail to repent and stop sinning (compare to Hosea 4; Galatians 5). The people and the nation did not heed the counsel or warnings of these two prophets, and we should know how their stories ended for the people and their nation.

​Heed the word of God’s prophet people!

The reality is, if we recognize, acknowledge, serve, or call by name, anything or anyone but the name or title God has given Himself, then we are calling on another god, which the word of God calls false gods. There is an extremely long list of names that man refers to or calls God by that are completely acceptable.  Some of the ones we will find in the Holy Scriptures are I AM THAT I AM, LORD, Elohim, Adonai,  El Shaddai, God Almighty, Jehovah, YHWH, Yahweh, Jesus, or Yeshua (Exodus 3:14).

Recently, I had a few guests who came to see me in my home for business purposes. When one enters my home, it is obvious this is a Christian home. On this day of visitation by my guests, when they entered my home, they were not only captivated by my home's decor but they were graced by a variety of Christian and Gospel music while they were present. Not something I did on purpose, just something you will encounter if you enter my home.

A week later, one of the guests had to return to finish up our business. We chat about personal things like we typically do before getting down to business. And at some point, she completely threw me off by a comment she made that had nothing to do with our conversation. And I partially quote her - "the universe...." And she proceeded to finish her thought. 

I thought to myself. "The universe!??? Where in the world did that come from?" Because in our meetings we had never talked about God or anything spiritual of nature. Although I've thought about it, but I didn't feel led to do so. So, as we continue to conversate, I could not help but wonder why she brought up this false god’s name, especially considering we have never engaged in any conversation on a spiritual level.

AND THEN IT HIT ME. My home is so charged by the presence of God that whenever she enters my home, which she has been here at least 4 or 5 times; her spirit, unknowingly to me, is convicted in some fashion. She is intrigued by my demeanor, my Christian attire that she sees me often wearing, my moral convictions and standing, the displays in my home, the Bible literature and textbooks that are scattered everywhere, the background music that plays in my home, and the invisible presence that occupy this home. Before y’all get all crazy on me, let me explain that last part.

This home is a house of prayer. We are always inviting, evoking, praising, and worshiping Jehovah God in this house. Now, I will admit, I am kind of use to His presence being here that the energy is normal for me. But I have to be mindful, many people who come in and out of this home are not familiar with the one living true God. So, when they entered this place, they noticed something is different, but they cannot really identify it. I often noticed, when some of our guests come into this home, they often get quiet and start to look around like they are looking for something. And it is because they are sensing the presence of the LORD and they do not recognize the presence of their own Creator. So, this is what this young lady was experiencing each time she entered my home. She knew there was something here, but she could not identify what it was. In fact, unknowing to her, on two different visits, God shared something intimate and personal about her with me. And then on her next visit, she would confirm what God has shared with me privately through a conversation we would have. My mind was blown. And I would listen and acknowledge what she shared as if that were the first time, I heard it. So, God was up to something.

But on this last visit, she had something to prove. Hence, why she called on the name of a false god, that is "the universe" in my home. The Spirit of the LORD, His presence in my home was convicting her in some way and fashion. And because she does not know her Creator, she called upon the name of a false deity that is popular among many young people today – “the universe.”

But we must be mindful, while the calling upon God's name can evoke and birth many great and powerful things in our lives. Such god-like names as “the universe” provoke, grant, enable, or provide nothing. The Scriptures say it this way. 
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EVERYONE WHO TRUSTS OR CALLS UPON THEM will become like them.

Our universe, I am speaking about nature as some will call it, is nothing without its Creator. It does not function in an orderly fashion. It cannot govern itself without the commanding words of the LORD. It does not come into being without the clapping of the hands of the LORD and His commanding words – "come forth". For the word of the LORD commanded in the beginning. 
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This sounds like the universe that God our Creator has created and not the universe as one and the same as God to me. 
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Let me conclude with this. The Apostle Paul was walking around the city of Athens, and he saw more than 30,000 different gods of the city that the people were calling upon and worshipping. As Paul walked around viewing these statues of man-made gods and names of false deities engraved on walls and buildings, he was provoked. A storm was brewing up within him because he saw how the people of the city of Athens were given into pleasures and worship to idolatry.

Now, these people of Athens were wise enough to know and recognize that there was something out there beyond man, and therefore they were seeking for it. But what they discovered was not God. Instead, they discovered a twisted and distorted version of God like this concept we have in our culture today called “the universe,”. And this troubled the Apostle Paul. (See Acts 17:16-34).

Like Paul, I too am disturbed by this theological doctrine or philosophy that has been running rampant in our society and is now being slowly adopted by some in the Church. Believing that the universe and God are one of the same, which has no Biblical foundation or footing.

You see, man can manipulate nature to suit his preferred will or desire. And this is the same desire they want to do concerning God. Man wants God to bend and yield to their preferred lifestyle and pleasure. If I want to have sex outside of marriage. The universe doesn’t mind. If I want to smoke weed. That’s okay because the universe produces it anyways. If I want to abort an unplanned pregnancy, you know what, the universe will be alright with that. If I want…. If I want…. If I want to sin…. The universe is at my mercy, so it is okay.

Man, does not have to answer to the universe. Therefore, they are quite content with giving homage, praise, and worship to this powerless false god.

This is what some people do when they cannot or will not allow themselves to grasp an omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient God. So, they allude to something they can control and explain. One universist explains the concept of God this way. God is Nature – the entire system, the universe, in which we live.

We have to be mindful, we cannot explain God based on man’s terms. Let me explain this in two ways. At Exodus chapter 33, Moses wanted to see God’s glorious presence (Exodus 33:18). And this was God’s response to Moses’ request.
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The near passing of God’s glory is too much for man to handle. We cannot stand nor survive the full extent of His presence. Why? To be honest, I don’t know. But the point is the presence of God is beyond our ability to survive it. He is beyond our comprehension. And we take issue with that because we want to attempt to understand and explain everything.

Here’s the second point. Jesus made this powerful statement and distinction. 
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This passage of Scriptures creates many problems for many people as to why they cannot explain God and misidentify God with such false gods as “the universe.” Two words – “spirit” and “truth”. Most people, even in the Church, cannot identify nor discern a spirit, yet along an evil or good spirit. And far too many people don’t want truth. They just want to live the way they want to live and have everyone to adapt to their preferred way to live with no rules, no restrictions, no regulations, no limitations, or no accountability. And the Scriptures make it clear here. God is seeking out those ones here on the earth who want to live by His Spirit and dwell in His truth.

So, is this truth? Is the concept of “the universe” is the same as God? NO! The universe is created by God. The idea that men and women today have exchanged the position of God in their lives for the concept of “the universe” simply confirms the written words of the Apostle Paul who wrote. 
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​Let me say that one again.
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Let me say that one again as well.
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In his first 10 years, King Asa, the king of Judah, was one of the few kings who did what was right in God’s sight. But it is interesting, sometime after his first 10 years, God sends the Prophet Azariah to give Asa this warning and prophetic word. 

Asa responds to the prophet’s warning by removing all false idols that exist in the land, and he required that all the people in the nation to do the same. Asa did what was right in the sight of the LORD. As a result, THERE WAS NO WAR FOR 35 YEARS in his province (See 2 Chronicles 15:2; 8-19).
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But something happened that changed things for King Asa and his nation. In chapter 16 of 2 Chronicles, we see a turn of events. In verse 12, after 39 years of his reign, Asa becomes ill. He develops a disease in his feet. It was so bad that eventually, this disease took his life. On top of this, war had entered his district in his 36th year as king. Let’s look at what changed things for Asa and his nation. How did he go from God being his protector, source, and provider to losing control over his kingdom and the loss of his life? 
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​King Bassha, the king of Israel, decided to come up against Asa. In response to this attack, Asa made a calculated error.

Remember at 2 Chronicles chapter 15, verse 2, God warned Asa through His prophet Azariah, if Asa seeks Him (God) first for everything that God will take care of, protect, and provide for Asa and his kingdom. But if Asa seeks the hand of another to provide for him, then God will forsake Asa. He would remove His hand of protection, provision, and support. So, what did Asa do when the king of Israel came up against him? Did Asa seek out the LORD as he was instructed to do by the Prophet Azariah?

According to 2 Chronicles 16:2-3, Asa took some of the silver and gold from the treasurers of the LORD and the king’s house and sent it to Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, and asked that they form a treaty between the two nations. In turn, Asa asked Ben-hadad to break his treaty with Baasha, the king of Israel, so that King Bassha would retreat from attacking King Asa’s nation. What a foolish mistake by Asa!
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Shortly, after this political move by Asa, he believed he and his nation was safe because King Baasha did cease his attacks against Judah after King Asa and King Ben-hadad formed a treaty between their nations. And King Bassha’s retreat allowed Asa to strengthen his defense against future attacks. (See 2 Chronicles 16:5-6). But God sends his prophet Hanani who gave Asa this firm rebuke. 

How did Asa respond to the rebuke and counsel of the LORD through His prophet – His chosen vessel?

Asa rejected the correction FROM THE LORD. We must be mindful that this rebuke WAS NOT from the Prophet Hanani. But Hanani was only a vessel the LORD had chosen to use to express His displeasure with King Asa. And in response to God’s correction, King Asa became upset and rejected the word of the LORD and had God’s prophet thrown into prison (2 Chronicles 16:7-10).
What a turn of events. It is now as if King Asa HAS SAND IN HIS EARS because he no longer can receive, recognize, or hear correction from the LORD through His servants. What were the results that befall Asa after the missteps, bad decisions, these premeditated acts?

In his 39th year as king of Judah, it said that King Asa ended up developing a disease in his feet. This disease in his feet was so severe that the king needed help – an intervention to correct his situation. But again, instead of SEEKING GOD, the Scriptures say, he sought out physicians. As a result, King Asa died a very painful death in his 41st year as king (2 Chronicles 16:12-13).
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​Because King Asa stopped seeking the LORD first for whatever he needed, he lost his wealth, his health, and all that God blessed him with. The prophetic word given concerning him came to pass. 

King Asa left the love he had at first for another. He sought out the limited power, authority, resources, finances, abilities, and capabilities of man for his help and support instead of God. As a result, God removed Himself from the life and livelihood of King Asa; which resulted in the downfall of a king, who once did everything that was good in God’s sight.

We all can start off strong in the LORD, and spend 30, 40, 50 years serving the LORD strong. But none of that will matter in the end if we do not FINISH the race strong and possess the favor of the LORD (2 Timothy 4:7).
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King Asa is a practical example of what could happen to us if we failed to treasure the written word of the Bible, which is written, that is the life story and events of men, women, nations, and tribes of people, to warn us who are living in the end times (1 Corinthians 10:11).