The consensus among the spiritual people I have known and others whom I have listened to is that there is a major change needed and coming in the Church. This change will start internally and shift to an awesome display of love and adoration of our Lord Jesus Christ for all to see. Many leaders are grumbling with discontent and desiring more. It is as though the tent is being blown off of the Sunday show called service and the lack of God Himself is being laid bare for all to see. However, the reason that Jesus made wine at the wedding in Cana is because they had no more. I believe the Lord has reserved the best wine until the end for us as well. When Jesus was at the wedding they did not pretend that they had more wine. Many of us see this kind of pretending week after week in our churches. Bright colorful lights, HD cameras, nice stage props; check. Good music, exciting message, promise of material blessings; check. Smoke machine, expensive popular guest speaker, visual sermon; check. All of this glitz, none of which is sin by itself I guess, makes it real hard to notice that you had a good time and God actually was not there. We have spent a lot of money to distract people. A change in this will be very much represented in the shift. The children are hungry for their Father and He will not be withheld.

I believe the Lord spoke to me in a very simple way so that I would understand, He said,
“My light is not lime.”

Deep, huh. It marks the exposing of a stage that Jesus did not ordain yet many of us compete for. Competition for this lime light has led some of us, among other things, to write and re write numerous books hoping that someone would notice and we get our big break. Isn’t it amazing how that big break turns a word for the Church into an offering for the network? But hey, it’s just ministry at the speed of business, riiiiight? I am not confused but I do wonder at times. We have seen the greatest jewels slain and even mauled by the enemy in this lime light. It is a killing field where all can watch one’s integrity and credibility reach its demise. It is where servants of Jesus go to exchange the anointing and the Glory of God for fame and cash. It is where Jezebel lures the most influential with promises of being able to reach more, do more, finance more, and whatever else they would receive as payment for the Glory. Here you will find one of the major shifts. Our Great Shepherd is leading us all lower starting with the leadership. Laying down your life for Jesus is a lost art in mainstream Christianity but it has been rediscovered by a “Nazarite-ish” group of people that will show us how it’s done.

What God has done through all of the bumps and bruises is herald a new beginning that will come upon us as suddenly as the sorrow did. Like judgment, that new beginning will also start in the Church. We are in a great position for the prison doors of our denominations, cultures, and intellects to be opened. Place your treasures in heaven and let heaven lay passion, destiny, and Glory on your heart for the labor of love ahead.

All this is to say look up, The Lamb is speaking. Be desperate enough for God to go after Him with all your heart. He is more than worth it and He knows it; so He demands it.

There is an increasing amount of material being released on the subject, much of which I purchase to have as a resource and support the movement through its revenue.  The information that I have read has been rich, though sometimes repetitive.  The insights provided by the “generals” of the movement have been invaluable in helping me chart my personal walk and helping me to better discern what I believe the Holy Spirit is saying to me concerning the work ahead.

Last week I was in prayer, sometimes I do that, and I believe the Lord brought something to light that alarmed my heart.  The reason the movement has been labeled a “reformation” is because there was previously something formed that needs to be reformed.  Years ago the Lord placed something in my spirit about how the early ways of the apostles were lost to what became a very religious system.  I believe the major reason this occurred was because after the first apostles and their early protégés went to eternity all that was left were processes that the saints were following and not the mindset that drove the processes.  Intellectuals who could articulate and work the principles were permitted to make decisions apart from the necessary mindset.  The mindset was lost as the mantles of heaven were not successfully passed on or received but the positions that the mantles produced were still left, and those with the highest intelligence were permitted to fill them.  Now please do not misunderstand me, we need the intelligence that the Lord has blessed many people with so that we can properly implement what the Spirit is saying to the Church.  The problem is the missing mindset.  That move was hijacked by the Queen of heaven and many other strong Kings, Queens, and Princes in the demonic hierarchy.

It appears that the move once again is running the risk of being hijacked the exact same way by the usual suspects and the Prince of our age, humanism.  That’s another subject.   Anyway, I looked through the many books that I have on the New Apostolic Reformation and noticed that there was something missing. This something is an essential part of our protection and success.  This something is the ministry of the Warrior Bride to her Wonderful Bridegroom, Jesus.  There is virtually no mention of the first love, the one thing, or even laying down one’s life for Jesus.  The new apostolic reformation is taking on the tone of that which may have hijacked the prosperity gospel; a tone that calls for everything but your life.  The thought of laying down your life for Jesus, forsaking all for His fellowship and worshiping Him until His glory fills your life seems to be absent from much of the teachings aside from a small paragraph or even a chapter on the subject; which is a minimal percentage of what I have seen.   It seems that the movement is becoming simply the implementation of another religious process.  Once again the intellectuals of our day have made their move without the Bridegroom.  There was another bride in scripture that made decisions without her husband and there was nothing left of her but hands, feet, and skull.  Jezebel and what she teaches the Church is another subject though. It is interesting that those who love the glory of God do not seem to be a part of what is going on in this movement.  Yet the apostles are supposed to be bringing all the streams together.  It is not difficult to understand why this is not a major part of what is being taught.  It has to be lived and it cost those who live it everything.

The new reformation seems to be majoring on the empowerment of the church and the release of the gifts without the Bridegroom.  The fiery call for you to manifest the Kingdom is overshadowing the idea of His Kingdom coming and the Holy Spirit manifesting the Glory of Jesus.   It is no wonder, that even as we speak, the empire spirit seems to reign in our midst.  The submission that is required to minister to Jesus as His Bride spills into every part of our life giving us a posture that resist the glory of the earth.  This is the very stronghold that makes way for the empire spirit and the self righteousness that opens the way for humanism.  Perhaps this is why we have so many apostles that never seem to go or truly pass authority over to the pastors at the appropriate time.  Their own kingdom has come and they will continue to rule over it.

The Lord has shown me that there are forks in the road that apostles come to.  At that fork they decide whether they will continue in the office or simply live on with the grace.  At this fork one has to either go “lower still” or move into a posture of preservation of reputation, finances, and honor.  No one wants to lose anything.  However, the joy of walking away and forsaking something for Jesus is overwhelming.  I know that not all apostles are the same.  However, the scriptural lifestyle and descriptions are not only applicable today but something that comes forth when real apostles have the nature of the Lamb; (meek, lowly in heart, servant of all, and making others rich through what you have laid down), and do the work of real apostles.  No one has to lay down their life and follow hard after Jesus; and no one will without a wonderful ministry to our Bridegroom.

As a result we find ourselves at a fork in the road.  Where we can bring together the ministry of the Bride to Her Bridegroom and the work on the earth or wait for another reformation.   Other words, one road is wide and the other is narrow.   It is very much like the early patriarchs who looked for a city that had foundations…whose builder and maker is God.  The Spirit and the Bride say, come.

Brian Echevarria

info@brianechevarria.com

Lexicons and Concordances

Then enters winter 2009- 2010; the whole country is freezing.  Snow is interrupting many things from government and athletic events, to countless cookouts.  Since I’m only your average bear, I just figured it was snowing.  However, our dear Lord and Savior has another idea.  I was actually sitting in the bathroom, in the exact spot where people sit in the bathroom, when the presence of God came to me to give me an insight into what He is doing.  He simply quoted the Scripture to me out of Isaiah 55:8-11

“For My thoughts [are] not your thoughts, Nor [are] your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper [in the thing] for which I sent it.

I began to understand that the snow is a twofold sign.  Let’s talk about the obvious first, the fact that America is in the middle of a national winter.  There are numerous families hurting financially and emotionally.  Some do not notice how bad a shape we are in until our pockets are affected.  As long as everything is well with our national god, Mammon, then we believe everything is okay.  This national winter is going to get harsher.  The financial turmoil of America is just beginning and the effects on every family are just being realized.  There are many in the church with the mentality to escape, but it may be that we all drink from the cup of iniquity that we helped to fill.

However, the sign is twofold, that means that our God of reconciliation, our Redeemer, the One who has abounding mercy and compassion all the way to a thousand generations has an answer for all that we are going through.  The snow is also a sign to us that the words spoken over America, the blessings that have come because of the Church are not null and void.  The Lord is saying that His word is not going to return to Him without first coming to pass.  He is saying that America has a hope, will be restored, and be remembered even if that hope, restoration, and remembrance causes us to look different than we do today. Even after all of this, sometimes we get caught looking in the wrong direction.  It is time to look to Jesus Christ, the only One who can and will help us.  As many of you know, I am not a person who believes that America is a Christian nation.  However, I do believe that America has a lot of Christians and for the sake of the righteous God will remember this nation, all of the good that she has done and raise her to a position of greatness once again.  (Not as a witness of our own goodness, but as a witness of the mercy and the faithfulness of God.)  During this time, every Christian should be searching and evaluating their heart to really see who or what they follow.  If Jesus is Lord, follow Him.  But if Money is your Lord, then follow it.  The lines are drawn, and we will be wise to choose Jesus.  It may be that our national winter will last as long as it takes us to make the right decision.

As all the official statements and comments come forth, I admit that I must be behind the spiritual curve because I am not ready to take a stance on anything with so many questions in my heart for the Lord to answer.  If this is judgment; what about the righteous?  I know that Christian people die in judgment and natural disaster, but I want to know about these.  If this is the cleansing of sin, what about the forgiven?  If this is simply a nation living on a fault line; where was the common sense?  Please excuse my simplicity, I read the book and believe that God knows everything so no need in me not knowing if I ask.

In all that I do not know, I do know that ultimately if this is the judgment of God it’s for the restoration of an entire nation.  Perhaps many in the nation of Haiti will turn toward God and away from darkness as we are all invited to do.  In all of this we will see where self righteousness dwells in the Church because some will suppose that they were worse than themselves.  (see Luke 13:1-4.)

One asked me what should we do and how should we pray; My answer is this:  Do and say nothing until the dust settles and the will of God can be properly and prayerfully discerned, presumption will make the church look like a jackass in the ocean.  Pray that God will raise up a voice in that nation.  After disaster God has historically raised up a voice to present His wonderful eternal Kingdom.

I encourage all to be prayerful and have the compassion of God.  Help where the Lord permits and be open to hard answers that the Lord may give.  Our emotional thoughts and reactions do not change God.  Let’s hear Him out.

Glory,

Brian Echevarria

Hungry and thirsty people are pressing into the heavenly realms for refuge and our precious Father is answering.  We are being filled!  Jesus is increasing as we are decreasing.  The power of Jesus is on the loose freeing up His beautiful Bride to serve and minister to Him in this season.  Oh, that we would chose the position of Mary and curl up around the feet of Jesus!  As our flesh falls out of the way, the Glory of our King is rising in our lives.  He is making heaven available on earth.

Let us all join in together and say, more Lord!