"The Donkey"

Danny Steyne

A few months ago the Lord spoke to me "ordain the donkeys and the fools!" He was telling me to release those who had no desire for their own reputations, but would carry the Glory regardless of what others thought of them.

The ministry of the donkey is remarkable in the Bible. It was to this ministry that God entrusted carrying the elements needed for sacrifice when Abraham would take his son to Moriah to offer him up as a sacrifice. It was to a donkey that God entrusted carrying provision to the family of Israel in times of drought. It was a donkey that brought a wayward prophet back to his senses. (Yes, once in a while even donkey's get to speak!) It was a donkey that would carry the promised seed to His birthing place, and a donkey that would carry the Son of Man in His Glory as He road into Jerusalem in triumph! Donkey's are simply reflections of the obvious. How can God take the stubborn and use them for His purposes! Psalm 76:10 "Surely the wrath of man shall praise You!"
God is brilliant... He uses the foolish to confound the wise! 1 Corinthians 4:10 "We are fools for Christ..." His ways are higher than ours. He can use Cyrus, the pagan, lost, unvirtuous, king of Persia to be His Anointed servant... when it smacks at our apparent righteous plans. Isaiah 45:1 ""This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of - to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut!" Early last December (2007)I was flying out west and fell asleep. I had a vivid dream in which I heard the Lord say, "The next president will be a Cyrus, and will be a blessing to the Church if they will recognize it!" Cyrus was not recognized by his values, he was recognized because his heart would help God's people. It was Cyrus that literally provided the wealth and provision to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
As I have pondered the events of the past few weeks and months that have apparently begun a severe "judgment that begins in the house of God" (1 Peter 4:17) I have asked the question several times, "Lord, how can we reflect You even through these circumstances?" As I write this from outside the USA, two prominent figures in the country I am in had failures exposed that drew yet another mark across all of our lives as we heard the revelations of brokenness and deception that quickly brought these brothers lives in from an extremely visible height of emulation to the depths of disillusionment that caused many to evoke hatred, bitterness, scorn, and even shame.
When someone of prominence hits the mark of failure, we so often in self-righteous anger feel it our duty to devalue and demean all that was done through their lives, and as such we feel like the ones who were "duped"...but the stories should be enough for us to realize that many have been used who were less than perfect...and on many occasions were downright deceived and intentional in their failure. Paul wrote, "some preach Jesus out of envy and rivalry, thinking they would discourage me" (transliteration) but Paul was not discouraged, he understood that the ways of man are subject to the ways of God! God moves, even though many men walk in error.
All of us have our "opinions" of what is right theology. That alone should tell us that "somewhere, someone is in error!" All of us "believe" we are correct, but eternity will reveal the truth of what we held so dear. The issue for all of us has never been whether or not sin is in the earth, but whether we "see" Grace abounding on the earth. (Romans 5:20-21) It is not difficult to "see" sin...it takes barely any discernment at all to see error...but true discernment "separates" what is God from what is sin. Grace always abounds and even more so in the revelation of sin, but we as God's people must learn to "see" it, rather than foster the spirit of accusation. (See Zechariah 3:1 & Revelation 12:10)

Angels & Wondrous Things

Today the Lord lead me to Judges 13:19. It simply says: Manoah (Sampson's father) took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it upon the rock to the Lord. And HE did a wondrous thing while Manoah and his wife looked on-

Right below that phrase "did a wondrous thing" is a box that says - "did a wondrous thing" pala, strongs #6381 To perform a miracle, marvel, wonder, or supernatural deed, that is: something beyond the human ability to grasp, do or acheive. (or understand)

From this my thoughts wandered back to the comments on blogs about the miracles at Lakeland done by my Savior and Lord. And the disputes and rants about Todd or anyone else for that matter- saying they had spoken to or seen Angels....

Chapter 13 in Judges - V3 And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman (Manoah's wife) and said to her.... V6 As she was telling Manoah about the angel, she described him as "very awesome". V9 The angel of God came to the woman again... V11 Manoah arose and followed his wife to talk to the angel. From verses 11-18 Manoah talked to the angel of the Lord.

My point is this: Why is it that "wondrous things" and "very awesome" angels are no longer part of our lives as Christians - when it is very clearly part of the Bible? Why is it that disregarding events that occurred in the OT is ok? Why is it that the wondrous things that we do in Jesus name, are called occultism, mysticism, new age and a few other vile things- by CHRISTIANS? Why isn't it: God created all these wonderful things and awesome angels - and what others (new agers etc.) have is a direct perversion of what God intended to be good? If anyone has any revelation on this, (but revelation only please) clue me in!!

Thanks for listening!

Peace

Strive to live at peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 (AMP)