BUILDING AN ARK FOR OUR GOD

Written in June: It's time gang. This is not about building my vision, so please chuck that thought. If you want to know the truth, my vision had to be put to the side. But I'm pretty confident about God wanting to do something here on Long Island. There's an "Ark" to be built on Long Island- a "city of refuge" - and its not a light endeavor. Really, it's about the lives of Long Islanders and our part in bringing the Kingdom of God into play for them. I'm out to serve you and them. By the way, if you would like to let me know what you and God have been dreaming about together and how we can help with that - I'm all in.

November 27, 2007

Leslie Herrier:

"BUILDING AN ARK FOR OUR GOD--GET READY FOR HIS PRESENCE TO IMPACT OUR LIVES"

I kept hearing the Lord saying to make an ark, for He is about to bring the animals into it. What does that mean? That was what I wanted to know as the Lord kept bringing this message to me. I couldn't get away from it. It was confirmed again and again. But I had no clue what it meant for me and for the Church. What, apart from Noah's ark itself, would that look like today? As I decided to seek the matter out, I felt that what the Lord revealed to me wasn't just for me--it was for all of us. Please allow me to share this timely word with you.

The ark is a refuge for people who will allow Him to lead them to the safety of His presence. I believe that many who will come into the ark, then, will be those who will receive the salvation of the Lord. This message is remarkable, because it means that the Lord is about to bring into His Kingdom multitudes of people who will sense the uncertainty of the times. That is why they will come.

First of all, we know that the times are becoming more and more uncertain every day. God will be getting people's attention, one way or another. Recently, during the southern California fires, I looked out the window and it was amazing, because I felt as if I were in the book of Revelation, in one of those difficult passages describing the tribulation period. Because of the days we are living in, the ark must be in place.

The Ark--A Place of Rest and Safety

First, it is interesting that the name of the Biblical ark's builder was Noah. His name meant "rest." The ark will be a resting place as we trust in the Lord, as life as we know it becomes more and more unstable. As the dove dwelt in the ark, so God will dwell with people that trust or rest in Him and Him alone. He chooses over and over again to come to dwell in a heart or a church that trusts and loves Him, and who simply believes in the power of so great a salvation.

Next, it is interesting to know that there were three arks in Scripture:

1. Noah's ark
2. The little ark that carried Moses away to safety when he was a baby (read Exodus 2:3, 5 King James version).
3. The Ark of the Covenant, which rested in the Most Holy Place.

Simply put, it is a place of safety. Except for Moses' little reed ark, they were made of wood, hewn from trees. It was a tree that the Lord instructed Moses to throw into the bitter waters at Marah (see Exodus 15), to sweeten them for the Israelites to drink representing the Cross that purifies.

Covering the Ark of the Covenant was the mercy seat. Inside the ark were the Ten Commandments. In God's mercy, the requirements of the law are filled. The ark also contained what God called the testimony. This was the evidence of God's deliverance, miracles and relationship with the children of Israel. These were things that built up Israel's faith. It was the proof of His saving power.

The ark was where Moses would go to commune with God and get wisdom and strategy to lead God's people. It was where David went to be assured victory in time of war.

It is the secret place of Psalm 91, the shelter of the Most High, under which we are to abide for safety. Over the ark's mercy seat, the wings of two cherubim stretched out toward one another, indicating the protective nature of the mercy seat. The ark was prophetically revealing the Cross and its benefits.

Building an Ark Today

To build an ark today means to bring the saving power of the Cross into our cities. It means to provide a place for the mercy seat to rest. But how do we do that? Simply, it is prayer. In this way we establish the secret place, the covering of God in every town, on our jobs, and in our schools. Wherever we can, we begin to build through prayer--a canopy of mercy for our cities and our churches. We pull this over our loved ones and those who don't yet know Christ.

Noah's great ark was built in a time of great judgment and difficulty. Wherever regions have houses of prayer, wherever people are crying out to God and standing in the gap, there will be a measure of God's mercy over that area. You see, the Lord will be watching cities, and what His people in those cities are doing. Are they interceding for them?

Building an ark on a personal level simply means intimacy with God. One of the greatest warriors of all time, David, knew that the key to Israel's victory was to worship and love God with all of her heart. In these days, the enemy will try to lure people away from the tabernacle of praise. Don't let him do it! Keep close to God, stay on the ark. Just read Psalm 91 to see the protective benefits of dwelling in the secret place.

I truly feel this is an urgent message from the Lord and we should be seeking Him about our part in building an ark of His presence in our own spheres of influence. He will show you. Together, we all have a part to bring to it. I believe that many lives be influenced by it.

One of the more humorous confirmations I received about this word (after God gave it to me) was on an evening that I rented a movie called Evan Almighty. I didn't have my glasses on when I picked the movie, but I could tell by the title that it might be good. But the real treat came as I watched it; it turned out to be all about this guy who is called by God to build an ark! Don't you just love the way the Lord speaks?

These days, the Church has been involved in prayer more than ever before. And this is what we are called even more to today. This is the march of the saints. We march and win our cities and the nations on our knees. If you don't belong to a house of prayer in your city, pray about joining one. If there isn't one, pray about starting one. Who knows, maybe you will feel the call to be an ark builder yourself!

Leslie Herrier
Email: leslieherrier@yahoo.com


Leslie's Bio:


Leslie Herrier has been an intercessor for key ministries for the last ten years. A graduate of Harvest Rock Church's ministerial school, Harvest International, she has been involved in powerful intercession with such leaders as Lou Engle for the nation and for the Body of Christ. In 2004, she joined Streams Ministries International where she worked as Editorial Assistant for two years and was closely involved with intercession there also. She has ministered in many churches in countries such as France and Mexico, with a heart to inspire believers to reach their full potential in Christ and to engage the Holy Spirit at a higher spiritual level. Regional intercession in these and other countries has been the very passion of Leslie's life and the fuel for her ministry. Leslie now resides in Ventura, California, where she is involved in teaching and prayer ministry.


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