44. You Gotta Say It Ash 12.30.19

44. Lord: You gotta say it, Ash.
Me: I don’t wanna
Lord: YOU gotta say it, Ash.
Me: People aren’t going to like it Lord, I don’t want to be “that person”
Lord: Say it, Ash.
Me: It’s a much bigger message than just this one sentence, Lord.
Lord: We’ll get to that, but you gotta say it first
Me: Do you want to be set apart, or set aside?!

Just when I think that things have been quiet for too long, Bam! The Lord shows up and rocks me to my core. I usually get bits and pieces of messages but last night I received a sentence that to be honest, shook me up a bit. It was as plain as day to me “Do you want to be set apart, or set aside?!”

Last Thursday I attended an early morning prayer service where the Holy Spirit showed me another vision. It was one with wrath and it shook me up at first. There were people just going about their daily lives, walking through a crowded street and then all at once, in an instant, there was fire engulfing everything in sight. People were reaching up in desperation, with their arms crying out for the Lord as if their spirit was trying to crawl out of their burning flesh and leave it behind, but it couldn’t. The pain on their faces was immeasurable. Thousands upon thousands of people screaming in agony, pleading to be saved, not even hours after they had left their houses to go enjoy their normal day.

As the fire on the ground intensified and the screaming became louder, there was a swift rush of pure white light that came down from the heavens. I can only describe it as the most intense bright light I’ve ever seen. As the fire intensified, the light did also. It spread this feeling of immeasurable love, purity, forgiveness, acceptance, mercy and grace. As the light came down and met the fire many were restored to peace and their pain was taken away. They became part of the light and began to spread the light farther, reaching more and more people. More but not ALL. In all honesty, I was expecting the light to save everyone, but it didn’t. Many were left burning, screaming in agony and reaching up trying to grasp a light that can’t be held onto. A light that could only recognize those it had once connected with, those who were familiar to it. Those who were left behind, continued to scream in agony until slowly it began to get quiet. Slowly one by one there became no way left for them to cry out to the Lord. Those left behind were gone, with no way to become the light. It was too late.

I wasn’t sure what message went along with this vision, I had a few scriptures, the one about keeping your lamp lit, and the “as of the days of Noah so in the days of man” one but I thought there had to be more to it. I kept this vision tucked in my meat nugget and continued on with my week. It was a draining week full of rushing around and mental exhaustion. I missed church in the morning because I was visiting my family but there was an opportunity for me to travel to Silver Springs Md for a night of praise and worship with some ministry friends I have made in Hagerstown. It started at 5:30pm and I thought I’d make it there by 6:30pm and have some time to worship and get back. I set off in my car, playing an audio book by Derek Prince titles Rules of Engagement. I’d highly recommend that book.

The traffic was horrendous and I ended up pulling in at a little after 7:30pm. I was hoping it wasn’t over and I thought to myself, if I can get 15 mins of worship or a word it will be worth this trip. I walk in and the music is so loud, everyone is dancing and you can instantly feel the presence of the Lord as soon as you walk in the room. I made my way to a seat and began looking for my friends. Luckily the beautiful momma of their group found me first! I went to sit with them and continued worship for hours. It went on until 10pm. The music and dancing was amazing!! I have to admit that I felt like the only Carlton Banks in a room full of Will and Hillary’s 😂 but I didn’t care. It was an amazing experience! There were three different churches that came together for this evening and they would alternate stage time and each group would sing songs and encourage dancing. Most of it was in French with an English translator. It was one of the most fun times I’ve had in a church setting. I was so glad that I made the trip.

One of the most fun things about having a relationship with the Lord seems to be the people you connect with and the places you get to see. I am always excited to travel while I’m learning more on deliverance and healing from Set Free Ministries. I was headed home and stopped at a Sheetz to get some food. I was meandering through the sodas waiting on my popcorn chicken and smoothie when I heard the Lord again after not hearing from him like I used to in a while. “Hey Ash, what are ya doing? I thought a few months ago I had said no sugar? How’s that coming along?” To be honest it felt like Jesus was standing right there giving me the look. You know the look, the I told you not to do that, side eye look. Semi laughing at me because He knows my fleshy nature and semi wanting me to step up higher in my behavior because He knows I can do better. Convicted, I began to reason in my head that it was the holidays and I was really only drinking pop not binging on cookies and ice cream, when I realized that my reasoning was futile. I’m pretty sure The Lord our God knows it’s the holidays and knows everything I’ve been eating, drinking, thinking, feeling, etc. I hung my head down in Sheetz and apologized and repented for not listening. Then they called my order and I had to toss the banana smoothie with extra whipped cream I had just bought and paid for.

I got back in my car and continued with the audio book, my popcorn chicken and some water. As I pulled out onto the highway the message rang clear in my head “Do you want to be set apart, or set aside?! Behavior in the flesh determines it.”

It was almost as if I heard it audibly. It was that intense. Then the Lord began dealing with me on sharing a message regarding the behavior of Christians. As my Ashley flesh nature came into play I thought to myself that no one will listen to me. My life has been a mess for over 35 years. I’m just now getting it together, why would they listen to me about their behavior? “Because your changed behavior and life will be the example, if you can do it, anyone can. Show them that”.

He began to put in on my heart the Old Testament stories, stories of obedience, wrath, and salvation. He put it on my heart to share that people would be more obedient to the word if he showed up as a talking burning bush on everyone’s doorstep.

He put it on my heart that although the New Testament with the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior is one of salvation, forgiveness, mercy, love, kindness, humility, and grace. Many focus on this forgiveness and mercy using it as a crutch to continue living in sin. People go to church on Sunday’s and lay in bed with others outside of marriage all week. They get up and sing in the choir and then go home to drown their sorrows in wine and television shows. People go to church on Sunday’s while their bible collects dust on the shelf and hasn’t been opened in months.

Going to church is one thing, having a close relationship with the Lord is another. As Christians, if we have one foot in the church and another foot in sin, we are not living up to the full potential that the Lord is calling us to. True repentance of sin means turning away when you realize you’ve been convicted from the Lord. Now, I’m not saying I’m any better or my behavior is lacking of sin. We all sin and we all need Jesus and his blood to cleanse our sins. I’m not passing judgement, that’s not my place. What I am sharing with you though, is the ability to think about your daily behavior. Would you be set apart or set aside?

As Christians we should speak, think, and do things that would be pleasing to the Lord and that would glorify Him. We should consider it as if Jesus was right next to us all day and all night. The Lord is omnipresent, everywhere, all knowing, all the time.

He shouldn’t have to speak to you as a burning bush on your front porch for you to incline your ear to the Word and turn from sin. There are many times in the scripture where the Lord has spared sinful nations because they repented and cried out in prayer. He WILL save you if you cry out to Him with a heart that is open to the ways of the Lord.