In the summer of 2014, I had an experience with the Lord in which He said I was no longer a servant, but a friend. It was like being born again, again. I have had the most wonderful times with the Lord ever since, but in some ways this has been much harder for me than learning to be a servant. Even so, everything I learned being a disciple and a bondservant was necessary for this next level of relationship with the Lord.

         It has taken me forty-five years to get to this point. I have no doubt it can be done in far less time, even a fraction of what it took me. Much of what I share in my messages is how you can do what I’ve done a lot better, or in much less time. That is one of my main purposes as a friend of the Bridegroom—to help His bride become ready. As a friend of the Bridegroom, my success is measured by how much I help His people become what they are called to be. If you are able to advance faster and further than me because of the experiences I share, then I am a successful friend of God.

         The Apostle Paul wrote that he learned to glory in his weaknesses because in our weakness the Lord can show His strength. I understood and believed it when I first read it, but it took me a long time to actually apply it to my life. Not that I presume to be doing this perfectly, but I really get it now. I am not my righteousness, and I am not my wisdom, strength, or adequacy.

         I could never presume to be in the same league with the Apostle Paul, except in one area, and in this I think I may be exceeding him—how Paul referred to himself as “the greatest of sinners.” I think I may have eclipsed Paul in this. How?

         First, Paul was writing canon Scripture, so we know his witness was true. He may have been the greatest sinner in the early church, but it was not just because he persecuted the church. It is my opinion that it was because he had received the greatest revelations, and he knew that because of them he should have been more Christ-like and less prone to (maybe) anger, impatience, etc.

         We measure by appearance, but God weighs the heart. In one prophetic experience I had many years ago, I saw a great man of God who was accomplishing many things for the Lord. I was then shown what appeared to be a homeless man named Angelo. He was walking down the street when a little kitten got in his way. He roughly thrust it aside with his foot. The Lord then asked me which of these two men did I think was the most righteous. Of course, I thought it was the one who was doing such great things for Him. The Lord then said it was Angelo. How could that be?

         I was shown that the one who was doing so much for Him had the most wonderful family and upbringing, and had been entrusted with a large portion of the Lord’s love but was only using part of what he had been given. In contrast, Angelo had suffered unimaginable cruelty and hardship his whole life and only had a very small portion of love, but he used it all to just brush the kitten aside instead of kicking it. I have had a lot of powerful revelations and experiences, but this one may have impacted my life more than any other.

        This is an important consideration as we appraise others and their actions, but it can also be a delusion if taken to an extreme, which we will address next week.