Are You a Bee or a Hornet? The Watch Letter
Matthew 12:30: "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."
Throughout the Bible, God has shown us that there is no in-between.
Revelations 3:15-16: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
You are either salt or unsavory. You are either light or dark. You are either saved or not saved. You are either filled with the Holy Ghost or not filled. You either love or you hate. You either give or you hold back. You are either a member of the Body or you are not. And so on... Either way, God does not allow us to straddle the fence.
There has to be a clear line in our lives. We cannot be lukewarm. We cannot fake it until we make it either. Whatever side we have decided to be on we have to make sure it's on the Lord's side.
What has caught my attention most over the last several messages that have been brought forth at The Body of Christ Inc. is that often there can be similar things, that look like God or emulate God but one of those things is always the false thing, the wrong thing, the sinful thing, the wicked thing, the ungodly thing.
Romans 16:17: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
Jude 1:4: "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 John 1:4: "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
For example The word success. I recently attended my niece's high school graduation. (Congratulations Alexandria aka Ally!) During the graduation, I noted how differently the students defined success in their speeches. Some defined success as academic achievement and preparing for a lucrative career. Others talked about success from the perspective of God and their families helping them to stay the course and not lose faith. So, which is the right version of the success? Keep reading.
For the last several years, the Lord has been dealing with our Pastor Chief Apostle Gunn about a place called Stanly, California. It's not a well-known place and if you didn't know its name you may never come across it. The Lord told him he was preparing a place for him and our family/church Body. There is documented evidence that Stanly has been under construction and in the preparation stages for the last several years.
Day-by-day God is revealing the great works he desires to accomplish there. People need answers, directions, healing, and recovery, and through what God is planning in Stanly, Chief Apostle Gunn has been appointed by God to lead the spiritual charge there. He and his companion, Apostle Felicia arrived in Stanly on Tuesday, under the direction of the Lord, to watch and pray there for a few weeks, and to wait on the Lord and see what he is saying and of course to do whatever he is calling them to do. While there, Chief Apostle Gunn was reminded or encouraged by God that he would give him "great success" in the land he promised. Chief Apostle Gunn is in full-time ministry so the success God is talking about is not about academics or career moves, it's bigger than that. God's version of success is showcased in the scripture that God has placed on Chief Apostle Gunn's heart as God has sent him out to see the land that he has promised just like Joshua.
Joshua 1:
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I swear unto their fathers to give them. 7Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
The keywords here are that "good or great success" is obedience to God, doing and living his word daily, and therefore receiving God's promises. Not the world's promises, accolades, or promotions.
As Apostle Angel Lewis preached on Friday night, diplomas, degrees, and money can be deleted or burned up at any time, but salvation and God's Kingdom are eternal.
So, why did I title this blog, "Are You a Bee or a Hornet?"
Well, God knows how to sum up what he is trying to get us to see perfectly and he uses whatever he sees fit to do so. Today, I had the pleasure of watching my niece and goddaughter Lydia. Among our many activities, was watching a movie called Maya the Bee. First, when I saw the title, it made me think of my niece Pastor Amaya, our youth blog writer. She turned 19 today. (Happy Birthday!) Amaya reminds me of a bee because she is so focused on doing for the Kingdom and is always willing to spread the word and the life of God. I am so proud of her. But the movie also had scenes where the bees were trying to be productive and advance the beehive kingdom to which they belonged and the hornets in the movie were destructive, mischievous, and known thieves. While from a distance they resembled the bees in some ways there was a clear difference. One clear difference was who and what was leading them and teaching them. One leader was good and one was evil. I also noted that the hornets in the movie had these black and dark circles around their eyes. It reminded me of a vision Chief Apostle Gunn once had of people in a church with darkness around their eyes because what they were being taught or listening to was false doctrine. When you are not following God's way or are being taught wrongly by a pastor, parent, or any person, you will find yourself acting like those hornets because what you are taught and receive either brings light or darkness to your heart.
The bee exemplifies how we are to be as Christians, as Saved People, as Children of God, as Saints of God, and the hornet represents who we are or will become if we aren't sold out for God and about the business of his Kingdom.
Nature tells us:
Hornets:
have a reputation for being aggressive and seeking to sting readily
are scavengers
they prefer decayed food and leftovers on the ground
Bees
non-aggressive and generally gentle unless they must defend (but they first try to find ways to escape before they sting)
consume sweet nectar from lively flowers
produce honey that is beneficial to the whole world
collect and spread pollen, helping the whole earth to be fruitful and sustained
So, which are you? Are you a hornet or a bee? It is important that we not only know who we are but know who others are. Don't be deceived when someone tells you they're a bee but they act like a hornet or don't let the devil fool you and tell you that you can portray yourself as a bee but still have hornet behavior.
Here is another way to look at what I was saying earlier about how things can look and feel similar but mean something different in God's eyes. When Apostle Angel preached on Friday night she taught that there are two types of blood you can have on your hands. One is blood on your hands because you did not tell a person the truth that would lead them to God instead of hell or that you failed to be a faithful and true witness for God before others showing them its okay to compromise, which can also help a person go to hell or backslide from God. The other blood is the blood of Jesus. When you are sold out to God you are covered by the blood of Jesus, so the blood of Jesus will be on your hands because your hands talk about your life and what you do for the Lord and how you serve him.
So, what kind of blood is on your hands?
On Tuesday, Apostle Ordean Peterson preached and she taught about how there are two kinds of yokes we can have in our lives. We can be under the yoke of sin and bondage and coupled up with wickedness and the world. Or we can be under the yoke of Jesus being led by him, made free from sin and wickedness, not ruled by this world, and choosing to be in service to him.
So, what kind of yoke are you under?
If you find that you have been a hornet then most likely you've also got the wrong kind of blood on your hands and are under the wrong kind of yoke. But the good news is at this very moment you can repent and turn from your ways, and because God is the creator, the master of the universe, and the potter, he can make you over again and make you a bee if you "bee" willing. Bees are perfect examples of what good/great success looks like, by the way.
They stay the course, they help others, they are faithful to what they were called to do, they work together, and everything and everyone around them is made better because of their obedience. And the life of a bee ties right into something Chief Apostle Gunn shared some days ago: He said the main things God is looking for from us are to follow his instructions/do his word and take care of God's people/stay connected to those in the Kingdom. Also, their prosperity is tied to the commitments and sacrifices they make for the kingdom they are in. Bees personify the great scripture that describes what a person who loves and obeys God is: 1 Corinthians 13:5: "(Love) doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil."
And speaking of bees: Earlier this week, God called the saints in our Body and others connected to the Body to sow a seed to invest into the work and plan God is doing in Stanly, California. God showed Chief Apostle Gunn a vision of his Kingdom resting over the area where Stanly is (Napa Valley) and showed him that the vineyards there represent the pure wine and anointing of the Holy Ghost. This is a seed God is asking us to sow directly to him by entrusting it to Chief Apostle Gunn. God has asked us to invest in what he is doing by giving what we can willingly and as our best.
This reminds me of a bee pollinating. Our willingness to sow and participate can help to activate, grow and flourish the will of God in that city and our own lives plus others. Our seeds can be working just as hard to help accomplish God's will as a bee does to accomplish the will of its hive.
I am encouraging everyone who has read these blogs or listened to a broadcast or been impacted by Chief Apostle Gunn directly, and most of all helped, delivered and touched by God, to take time this week to invest by sowing a seed toward California. When God asks you to invest in him, it's because he is trying to invest in you.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Sow your investment in what God is doing in California now. Don't delay in investing in God: https://www.thebodyofchristinc.com/donate.
I encourage everyone to listen to the following broadcast message from 2021: "Am I Clear With God" https://www.thebodyofchristinc.com/listen-in?wix-music-track-id=4823077223214324&wix-music-comp-id=comp-kjfzbgmx .
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