From the desk of Steve Shultz:
This is a good reminder, or should I say "gold" reminder of things to come. Mornay Johnson shares an analogy of mining and the harvest that is to come...and the gold to be released that's inside of you!
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Mornay Johnson:
Mining For Gold
The Bible speaks about a great harvest at the end of the age (see Matthew 9:37-38; Matthew 13:39; Mark 4:26-33; John 4:35; Revelation 14:17-20), but it also speaks about a great falling away (see Matthew 24:10-13; Matthew 24:24; Matthew 7:21-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). How is it possible that both can occur concurrently since we know that Scripture cannot contradict itself?
As with many other coexisting Biblical truths that are seemingly contradictory (ex. grace versus works, love versus judgment, etc.), the key to their comprehension is in the relationship between the two "differences." For example, with grace versus works, the relationship is that only after we experience grace can we exhibit good works. Or stated another way, grace compels us to good works.
The relationship between harvest and falling away can best be explained by the following analogy. As an ex-African boy, the concept of mining is a familiar one. Old-school gold mining involved the hopeful prospector digging their gold pan deep into the soil of the riverbed – called "loading the pan." The miner then takes the loaded pan and starts to shake the pan with some force (note: it is recommended to use a twisting and circular motion to accomplish this). Also, make sure the pan has plenty of water in it to act as a lubricant.
I'll spare you all the technical details (such as leveling of the pan, speed of motion in contrast to content, etc.) but essentially the shaking causes the unwanted material (soil, gravel, etc.) to be eliminated and allow only the valuable substance (gold) to remain. As you can see from above, two things happened simultaneously: a) unnecessary material was discarded, while b) valuable material was being gathered. In fact, the superfluous (unnecessary) material had to be discarded in order for the valuable substance to be exposed.
Shaking Things Up
Now, let's look at some similarities between the great end-time harvest/falling away and our gold mining analogy. Firstly, notice is was the shaking that produced the separation.
Hebrews 12:25-26 reads: "See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from Heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also Heaven."
There is therefore no mistaking from the above verses that God is busy shaking things up. Volatile stock markets, economies whose bottoms are falling out, and crashing housing markets are all indicators of a shaking.
Before you think I'm a doom-and-gloom minister and that the above examples are God's intent to see us fail, think again. Just like the gold panning process, the shaking process is designed to separate. "Separate what?" you may ask. Well let's read the latter part of the verse to find the answer.
Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Hebrews 12:27
Just as the gold panning process was designed to separate the things which could be shaken (soil, gravel, etc.), in order to expose that which could not be shaken (gold), so too is God's shaking process designed to shake the things which can be shaken in order to expose the things which cannot be shaken.
Note that it was recommended to use a twisting/circular motion to accomplish separation between the two substances – that which was to remain (gold) versus that which was to be discarded (soil, etc.). This circular motion can be paralleled to Nahum 1:3b: "The LORD has His way in the whirlwind..."
What we as mortals deem to be a whirlwind, with everything around us seeming like it is swirling around, God deems to be part of a process in which He will ultimately have His way. We need to stay in the eye of the storm, so to speak, in the very epicenter with Him, so no harm will befall us.
It was also recommended to use water as a lubricant in the panning process. The equivalent in the separation process (between sons of darkness and the children of light) is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is oftentimes referred to or likened to in Scripture as living water. The Holy Spirit is the agent that is going to facilitate the separation. Only the Father knows who to differentiate between, and will instruct the Holy Spirit accordingly.
Notice that it was the gold that remained while the other substances were washed away. Gold is about 19 times heavier than water and about twice the weight of lead. It is the gold's mass property which helps it sink to the bottom of the pan. In like manner, it's the true sons and daughters of God that will remain standing because of the weightiness of Christ in them.
Listen to what the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:17 (ISV):
"This light, temporary nature of our suffering is producing for us an everlasting, weight of glory, far beyond any comparison..."
In the Hebrew, the word for glory, "kavod," also has as its root the meaning of weight. The glory of God has about it an aspect that the Scriptures describe with the word for heaviness. It's God's glory upon His children that will keep them standing throughout the shaking!
Prophetic Word For 2013 and Beyond
From the above one can clearly see we're in the age of distinction. In fact, distinction is the earmark of the end of the age (sheep vs. goats; wheat vs. tares; wheat vs. chaff, etc). What we're going to see more and more, as we march toward the end of the age, is a greater degree of distinction between the children of light versus the children of darkness. It will no longer be a "my church or your church" thing, but a "whose a true son and daughter of God and who is not" thing.
The Lord is getting ready to expose His true remnant to the world. These are men and women who've endured the necessary shaking and have allowed the glory of God to give them the required substance and weight they need in this hour. Others will see us standing and marvel that we are not moved. Then they will want to know what causes us to remain secure and steadfast amidst a world of ever-increasing volatility and uncertainty.
It is then that we'll open our mouths and speak words of life, hope, and power! We'll share with the world how it is not a motivational teaching, inner karma, becoming your own "god," or set of rules that keeps us standing, but none other than the person of Jesus Christ Who has come to dwell in us by the power of His Holy Spirit. And that it is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead that now indwells us, that is going to give us the power to surmount this life and ultimately cause us to be resurrected together with Him.
As you can see, we'll be set up to proclaim Jesus without having to run after people. This will be the Church's greatest opportunity, for we were indeed born for such a time as this! It's this great set-up of distinction that is going to facilitate the great end-time harvest.
Get ready, because the gold deposit in you is about to be exposed!
Mornay Johnson
Mornay Johnson Ministries
Email: info@mornayjohnson.com
Mornay Johnson is a published author, itinerate speaker, and business owner who has offered coaching and consultation to millionaires and corporations alike. He is part of the ASCEND International apostolic network and is a prophetic voice to a diverse array of ministries and corporations. He is happily married to his beautiful wife, Angela. Mornay is known for his evangelistic heart and keen prophetic gifting – a unique combination that has transformed many lives.
