Letter to Ambassadors Conference in Nigeria

To the attendees of the Annual "Living Ambassadors Church" Nov. Convocation; Greetings!  I bring you warm wishes and greetings from the Saints here and around the world, of which I have the privilege of covering and sharing in fellowship with.  We are One Body- the Body of Christ and Joint Heirs and partakers of the Divine Mystery-Christ IN us the Hope of Glory!

I congratulate you on taking time to come aside and to gather together to refresh and refire.  I pray this time will give you more than you ever imagined!

Before I speak to you I should like to remind you that this Sunday the 13^th is the Int’l Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  I urge you to remember those in bonds and those who have lost loved ones to  persecution, torture and death for the cause of Christ.  Some of you have been touched personally by this and all of you have the national pain of this reality in the lives of your countrymen.  I shall be giving a presentation Sunday and leading in prayer, and I want you to know that you are being remembered!

Now, I want to speak to you from the heart; His and mine.  You’ve come for school of ministry, you’ve come for a refreshing, you’ve come seeking “a Word” and a touch.  Some of you have come seeking an opportunity to expand your ministry through the connections you’ll make here.  You all have your own reasons for being here.

However, I have news for you!  GOD has HIS own reason for you being here!  Moreover, I pray that as this week unfolds that you will discover that very special reason and experience that His ways are NOT your ways and His thoughts are higher than your own.  But one of the most wonderful things about our Heavenly Father is that although He is God- the High and Lofty One of the Universe- HE bends down with His ear to hear our voices and draws us upward to hear His.  He has purposed to meet with you here- not for the sake of your ministries, nor for the advancement of your programs, or even so much as the desire that you have for self improvement.  Rather, He has come to draw you to Himself, to His Great Heart and to teach you its’ nuances and its’ cadence.  He has come to bid you to renew relationship with HIM.  This is not for seeking His help with all your preconceived agendas, but to seek HIM, the Lover of your soul!

Solomon said in Proverbs Wisdom is the principle thing. With all your getting get understanding.  What is Wisdom? We are told by scripture that if it the fear of that Lord, that is reverential awe, respect and honor to and for Him. It all begins with our relationship with and to Him.  We also read that he who wins souls is wise, and the wise  who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.

We are told that while getting wisdom we must also get understanding.  That is the practical application of knowledge.  You can have all the book knowledge and have multiple degrees, but still be a very foolish person, destitute in your soul. The Apostle John speaks about this when he says:  “Beloved I wish above all things that you mayest prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospers.”  So, what is soul prosperity?

It is the state of being filled up to overflowing with no lacking of knowing by personal experience and reality of how loved and cherished you are by God Himself.  It is having your memories and wounds healed, and rewriting the story of your life with a bright and happy view! It is then being able to extend this acceptance and love to those around you.

This comes through relationship.  It is one thing to know about God, know about the scriptures, but quite another to have personal experience, reality and revelation in your heart!

Listen, there once was 10 girls… They had dreams of their futures.  They were “proper” girls, who learned all they could about cooking and sewing and even went to school. Their attendance was perfect and they studied hard and passed all their tests.  Their reputation was stellar!  They busied themselves with going to church and making a living and preparing for “Mr. Right.”  They all got engaged and were waiting for their marriages…but 5 of them missed their own wedding day because they were out shopping!  How can these be? Besides, these are just silly girls, what does this have to do with me?  What is the purpose of this story you ask? 

Indeed there is a purpose!  Let’s look at it in scripture:

Mat 25:1  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Mat 25:2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Mat 25:3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Mat 25:5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

All were virgins- but Jesus said 5 were wise and 5 were foolish.  Let’s explore what sets them apart.

You all have lamps- lives that have accepted the Lord.  You have even consecrated yourself, living lives of ministry and in Service to the Lord.  You are busy in the things of the Lord. You are shining up those lamps!  No smudges!  You are proud of your lamps and want them to look their best, right?  Of course! 

Ahh, but what was the difference in these 10 virgins?  Hmm, all were virgins; meaning they had kept themselves and were not polluting themselves sexual trysts.  ( But are we polluting ourselves spiritually by attching more importance to other things than to God?)

All had lamps.  Yes, each is given the lamp of the Holy Spirit when we are born again. And each had oil to start out with. He deals with us as we permit Him to, but many have turned down the volume to the Holy Spirit’s promptings to let Him into the closets and locked doors of our hearts and lives!

All had gone out to wait for and meet the Bridegroom with oil in their lamps.  They had oil for the start of their journey, in other words.  And time went on, and they waited.. Revelation tells us to “Occupy till He comes”, transact business as a banker is one translation of that.  SO they busied themselves with the affairs of their lives while they waited.  And they grew tired and fell asleep.  Even here, Jesus did not chastise or scold!

God is not interested in you burning yourselves out being busy and never taking time to rest or take care of your physical bodies.  So what DID set them apart?  They all heard the shout and they all quickly arose to go meet him.  Now we see here the 5 foolish found that their lamps had grown dim and were going or had gone out. They were busy shining them up and running around getting ready to go, but they did not take time to put oil INTO the lamps

Let me seg-way for a moment. Look at Luke 18:18-22

Luk 18:18  And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Luk 18:19  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

Luk 18:20  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

Luk 18:21  And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

Luk 18:22  Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

Now we know how the rich young ruler reacted to what Jesus said.  What I want to point out that what Jesus was offering and what the 5 foolish virgins were lacking is the exact same thing.  The rich young ruler was a ruler… that meant that he was a Prince and had people serving him as well as those he ruled over.  He was not a bad guy, as we see he had carefully kept and done the letter of the law. Yet in his heart he KNEW there was more than this. 

Let’s put the story it in ministry terms. He ( and the 5 foolish virgins) grew up and became a Christian ( a ruler) went into the ministry and had a church who looked up to him/them, people who served him and he/they were busy in the work of the Lord. He knew protocol ( as did the virgins.) He did everything that was required to be thought of well. He knew how to present himself, could pray impressive prayers and kick and shout with the best of them! He was rich by some standards and had the trappings of success.  Yet Jesus said he lacked one thing.  He told Martha that Mary had chosen the 1 thing that really mattered. 

I know you’ve been taught the oil is the Holy Spirit.  But dig a little deeper with me, and go beyond the top layer, the religious knowledge and let’s go for a mystery.

The call to follow him, the need for oil, the ONE THING that was the most important, is all the same thing here! 

Jesus did not dispute the good things about these people. He did not say that their work, their, activities were wrong or displeasing to him.  He simply said they all lacked 1 thing.

I do not see that Nigeria lacks for Prophets! Nor does there seem to be any shortage of Bishops. And sufficient is the quantity of those proclaiming the Title of Apostle.  But what IS lacking is integrity and relationship. Integrity that is borne of relationship. I am not just speaking of integrity of character, but integrity of integral, fundamental, intrinsic foundation of personal relationship with God the father, with Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

There is no lack of spiritual activity, but of depth of relationship there is a famine. You must KNOW HIS LOVE FOR YOU!  He wants to pour it out upon you.

Some things can only begotten by spending time with someone.  Even in the natural, pregnancy results after intimacy!

Sell all you have( put aside every distraction and thief that would steal you from me) and follow ME. Become intimate with ME.  The wise virgins said, “Go buy oil for yourselves.”  Oil= reality of relationship and intimacy with God for yourself.  How do you buy this oil? Where can you find it?

Isa 55:1  Wait and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing].

Isa 55:2  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy]. 

Isa 55:3  Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David.

Come to the waters buy with out money… How do you do this and what are these waters?  Jesus is the Living Water.  You cannot buy what He is willing to freely give. But you cannot receive it if you will not spend time with Him.  You find it in the tiem you invest at His feet.  Just you and Him.

There is no shortcut to getting this oil.  There is no one who can give you some of their intimacy with God, some of their reality of relationship.  We can share many things that have come out of our time we’ve spent with Him, but we cannot fill your lamp for you.  We can teach, we can point you in the direction and tell you to go buy oil before it is too late.

I have so much more to share, but let this suffice for now. I pray that it will whet your appetite and that He will create a hunger in you- one that only HE can satisfy!

Like the Apostle Paul desiring to be with those he wrote to, I too desire to see you and say, “By the Grace of God, I hope to see your faces in His timing.”

  

May God Bless and keep you close to Him and may YOU Bless God and keep Him close to you!

Until next time we meet, whether by written page, other media or face to face, I admonish you as a Mother in the Lord to Grow in Grace and remain steadfast in Love and Faith.

Mama Nancy