Apostles-Center Discussion Board

[Jasper]

Dear Brethren:
I pray that you are prospering in the grace of God as you birth His fruits and virtues and abide in His peace. I would like to share an experience of God’s manifold grace that occurred on June 28th.

I was going through a bout of depression and sadness during the day. Later that night, I got together with an elder over the phone and we began ministering to one another by exchanging charity.
 
It was then that I saw a vision. The whole place was dark with very stormy thunderclouds. Suddenly, the clouds began to be separated by the rays of the sun. Each second more and more light would push through and shine upon the ground.
 
At the time, we were still exchanging charity and the word 'grace' came to my mind. As I reflected on it and the light that was shining through the dark clouds, I was reminded that God's grace brings illumination to dispel the darkness of ignorance. Unless God issues His invitation of grace for salvation, there is no way that the mind of man can understand and come to the knowledge of His truth.
 
I realized that this vision was a Gift of the Spirit and a reward from God in response to my obedience to use His holy tools in the face of adversity and resistance. He was showing me that He was aware of my trial. The depression and sadness that seemed to overwhelm me all that day was a scenario of testing.

Satan influences our emotions in an attempt to challenge our faith by preying on our human frailty and weaknesses. While sinners are under Satan’s control and dominion, new covenant priests have the power of God to overcome the flesh, the world and Satan.

God is faithful to mediate His covenant on our behalf every time that we choose faith, and to use His power contained in His holy tools that provide a spiritual barrier that Satan cannot enter.

God’s reward brought much peace and comfort to me. I am grateful that our soul is now under His care. I am also grateful for His mercy and grace that He faithfully extends to us to bring us confidence and empowers us to continue serving Him in the faith.
Psalm 138:8 -The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.
Let us cry out to God in praise and in thanksgiving for His precious New Covenant and for His work of transformation of our soul into His glorious image and likeness.

“Blessed are those who continue to labor with the priesthood tools of Christ, for their soul shall receive the reward of God's Grace and shall abide in His rest and peace.”
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Your sister in Christ,
Priscilla

[ane]

Thank you, Priscilla, for your testimony of God's faithfulness and for your great encouragement and exhortation to continue with Him in covenant. Your expectation of His reward is full of zeal and gives me hope this day!

May you continue to obtain His mercy and grace to help in time of need as you confidently, boldly approach His throne through daily worship.

'He who continues to pick up the tools of Christ's covenant through resistance receives the reward of spiritual fruit as the Holy Spirit works with the powers of grace to form the image of Christ within the soul.'

In Christ,
Ane
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John 15:5-6
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

[ApostleJ]

Dear Priscilla,
Thank you Priscilla for stewarding this vision. Visions, as you know, are a “manifold grace” from God and represent the presence of God and the issuance of His grace to you. As you engaged in charity exchange with and elder, you were expressing love to God and the brethren, having contact with Government, etc. God rewarded you with the vision, to confirm your faith as meeting His standard of righteousness and causing your soul to increase in Him.

May your heart be encouraged to continued zeal and faith as you reflect on this vision, its symbols, and the mercy of God toward you. ~Apostle JoAnne

A few notes of feedback from Apostle JoAnne:

I was having a spout of depression. An elder and I started exchanging charity. Not long afterwards I saw dark thunderclouds and then suddenly I saw rays of sunlight start breaking through the clouds, getting larger and larger, shining on the ground.

Rays of sunlight: speaks of the revelation of Christ (grace) that penetrates the darkness, where as the depression is the soul experiencing resistance. When we labor with the tools of Christ God rewards us and reveals His son to us, thus the light of Christ shines in the caverns of our soul, bringing illumination, enlightenment, healing, increase, transformation and equity.

Grace came to mind when I saw it. : Amen!!! Praise God.. this is exactly what it represented. Excellent connections sister. Grace indeed is the light of Christ God issues to shine the knowledge of His Son into our hearts, that we might walk in sanctification and holiness before Him.
then...

I saw these huge stones – like ones used for pyramids. There were two stones stacked upon each other, whereas I saw the other stones laid about- looked like a building site ready to be put together.

Amen. This is God confirming that you are working with the whole stones of His altar and constructing it within your soul. The foundation stones are being set in you, forming “Christ” in you, which is the hope we are to have in Him. As you continue to ‘build Christ’ with these whole stones of His truth, you are being fitly joined to the Body of Christ and increasing it through your stewardship of grace and expression of charity.

...then

I saw a large bushy, bush coming toward me and it was intensely green . As it was coming towards me it began to bloom small, lavender-colored flowers all over the bush.

This speaks of spiritual growth. Green is symbolic of health (spiritually speaking) and the blooming flowers speak of the divine nature of Christ being experienced within the soul as it is regenerated in His image.

Thank you sister for blogging this vision. This gift of the Father to you represents His divine presence, His approval, His Witness, and His love for you.

In Christ,
Apostle JoAnne
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