THE RIVER OF LIFE

Aug. 19, 1998

"There is a river whose streams flow forever from my throne. For my river is the river of my Spirit. Many have traveled up and down it. You have tasted of lush gardens and fertile trees. My waters are calm. Have I not said that peace flows like a river? Rest...Rest...amidst the banks. I direct the course of this river. As I've said, it flows from my throne, and it is the river of life. I will take you to many places in this river. For there are times of refreshing when the waters flow deep. There are other times when the waters recede. There are times when the waters are raging, and they are strong, and you must hold on to the stern of your vessel.

While you're in my river, make certain that you stay within its course. Follow it as it winds around the corner, and you are brought into new territory. Set your boat aside, and scope-out the scenery. The lay of the land, and the landscape have changed. You see, I bring you down my river to stay in it, and partake of it. But down the course of it, the scenery will change. Your circumstances will change. And these circumstances can color the shape you have as you experience my river.

Continue down my river, and press on through other lands. I want to bring my people to new places in my river. I want them to experience the things of my Spirit as never before. I want them to go to new heights in my Spirit. Stay within the course of the river, and do not drift down other rivers. For there are other streams which are not of me--they are not pure and peaceful. They can carry you to places you don't want to go to. I will help you, and will direct your vessel down the course of my river."

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. Rev. 22:1-2

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God. Ps. 46:1

Stephen Hanson

STAND UPON THE WALLS

Aug, 14, 1998

"STAND, STAND, STAND upon the walls of this generation. My watchmen, you need to stand and look out. You need to look out into my body. Spend your time in prayer looking out into my body. Cry out for those who have fallen; for many have fallen in these battles. You need to warn them of what you see, for there is crying and hurting going on. There is division in my body. You ask for things which you want; you pray to me for your desires, but you ask wrongly. You ask for reasons to fulfill your own desires. When you stand upon the walls, look out into the surrounding area.

MY WATCHMEN, WARN THEM OF APPROACHING JUDGEMENT. You must warn them of what lies ahead. For I am a God of justice, and I must execute my decrees. I care about the smallest child. I am a God of mercy and compassion. But when my words have gone unheeded for so long, I must carry out my plan. For justice cries out, and this nation will see my hand. Shall I come back with a whip or with tenderness? Many people have forsaken my ways--they have followed after the "gods" of their own making. They have followed the stars, and all of the ancient practices. These things cannot bring them life. You are racing towards judgement, and it is going at an incredible speed. If you could slow down, then you could perhaps hear the cry--the cry for this nation, the cry for repentance, and the cry for coming back unto Me, for that is the cry of the Father."

Stephen Hanson

THE FATHERS

Aug. 12, 1998

"The church needs leadership-leadership which is of a new order. It is about to enter into the time of the Lion. For too long, has it been without shepherds. There will continue to be a need for my eagles to spread my word. But it is time for the Fathers to step forward. It is time for her to be governed rightly. For my body needs to know where she is going. Every part needs to work together. I have divine order set in my kingdom; the universe and everything in it has an order. There are stars and planets which are set in their motion, and there are seasons appointed for man to live out his days. There is a need for order in the smallest of things--in how an atom is made and set-up. If I have set order in my creation, would there not be a need for it in my body?

It is time for you to come out. for I have been training you, and preparing you. Come out and do the work I've called you to. Be there to guide and direct, and help my body come unto maturity. And help work with my prophets, and together you will stand upon this generation and equip the saints for my return."

Stephen Hanson

VARIOUS FORMS

Aug. 11, 1998

"For I speak to one man or woman in part. Here a part, and there a part. For I am working together a plan. It is a plan to bring my body together. It is a plan to make you dependent on not only Me, but on each other. For no one person has the whole vision. No one person has "everything" for my body. For I only give some of what I want given to individual members. Lest in your pride, you would become "puffed-up". You would become an arm unto yourself. You would become out of proportion to the rest of the body. But I have set in the body members individually differing from each. There are various forms of teaching, there are various forms of pastoring, and there are various forms of evangelizing. For if this is true of these, would it also not be true of the prophetic? For no one person is alike. And if in turn, each person is different, then the employment of that gift is different. For in this way, do you not only become dependent upon Me, and each other, but the manifestation of that gift, and of that office, is in such a way implemented to show the varied sides of Me.

So...use what has been given to you, to build-up the body, and to equip it. For the days are hastening for my return. Show your individual gifts unto my body. Realize that you are only a part of my ultimate plan. For then you can display the varied aspects of my image unto the world. And they would see Me in the midst of a fallen and depraved world."

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." I Cor. 12:4-6

Stephen Hanson

BE WATCHFUL

Aug. 7, 1998

"I've asked each of you to stand in Me. If you have done all that you can to do, then stand. No longer can you stand on your own merits. For your merits are as nothing unto Me. RECOGNITION, RECOGNITION, RECOGNITION. How much of this do you want? The one who I esteem is he who is meek and lowly of heart. I am sifting, I am sifting my body now. I am examining each and every one of you. I am looking at your motives, and inward desires of your heart. Much of what I see leads me to think that you are still children. For when your desire continues to be ones for building your own kingdoms, then I will not use you. You scale the wall, and you climb-up as high as you can go. You look back down, to see how far you have come. I am dropping a line for you to come up higher. The climbing will not be easy, but know that my hand is upon you. Where many of you are at this point, is a place where you can view. View the surrounding area. For I have brought you up higher so that you can see things better. This is a time to be alert and watch. This is a time when many can fall. This is a time when many will take pride in where they have come. Throw your anchors into the cliff. Set yourselves securely into my rock. Let not your fear of falling hinder you. But be watchful in where you are. This is my holy mountain. You have come to a place where you can watch. Cry out to Me and I will answer, and you will see the heavens open-up. Again I say, be watchful in this hour.

Stephen Hanson

WILL YOU BE READY?

August 4, 1998

"As you sit and wait for my coming, know that there will be a falling away of many people. For there are many in my churches which are scoffers. They would say, 'Where is his coming which he has promised?' Have not things gone on as they always have?' For that time will come like the lightning flashes across the sky. The Son of Man will appear. You will meet each other in the air. But are you really ready for Me? For the sun will turn dark, and the moon will turn to blood, before that great and terrible day.

Be prepared for the day which is coming. Rend your hearts before him, and prepare your place of worship. Many people will be caught unaware of this time.

Those four horsemen--they are coming; for they will bring about the things that need to happen upon this earth. What will be the sign of my coming? I will tell you:

1. You will see a falling away of worshiping me in some of your churches.
2. You will see children disobedient to their parents like never before.
3. You will see many false Christ's and teachers.
4. The love of many grown cold.
5. An increase in occult activity
6. An increase in natural catastrophes

You will see brother against brother, sister against sister. For a man's foes will be those of his own household. I tell you, that that day is upon us. It is here, and it grieves my heart. Seek me with your whole heart, and worship me in Spirit and in truth. Do not just have a form of godliness, but have true godliness. For true religion is visiting the poor,and taking care of the needs of others. It is not just going through the motions of church. My time is ripening for these things to happen. Will you be ready for my return? Will you bend your knee and worship me as never before? Do not let bad relationships continue. If you have a fault with your brother, settle it now. For these things will be as weights upon you. And you must run the race without these things at your side. Know that I am refining my church and making her ready. The furnace will get hot, but the effects will produce a greater holiness. I want my bride ready for my return, and I want her equipped for those things which are coming. Will you be ready?

Stephen Hanson

SHOOTING AN ARROW

July 31, 1998

"In my prayer to the Father, I prayed that you would all be one. I prayed that you would be one, even as my Father and I are one. But this oneness has become individuality. You are each doing your own thing. It is as if each of you were in a race with each other. You compete--for you see how far each could shoot his own arrow. If you were to shoot an arrow over a cliff, the other side being far away; Your aim must be good, and you must be able to pull the bow back very far. But not only that, there is the wind to consider. But there are still other things to think about. Now say that you are still there, ready and poised to shoot--and there is a foot bridge which travels between the two cliffs. It wobbles back and forth. There are many people traveling on it. You are ready to let go of your arrow, but it can very easily hit one of them. It could do great harm to them.

Listen to Me, for this is important. The arrow represents my prophetic word; and the person shooting it is my servant. The distance that the arrow needs to travel is my goal. For it must reach its destination on the other side. The wind is the enemy, for he would try and direct the arrow off course. The people on this footbridge, are the people in my church. And below them is the chasm of sin. Make certain that your arrows are accurate. Let them hit the target. Do not let the wind distract you. And make certain that it doesn't hit one of your brothers or sisters. I have many arrows in my quiver, and each one is designed for a specific task. But make sure, you try and hit the target, and that it reaches its destination on the other side."

Stephen Hanson

ASK, SEEK, & KNOCK

July 29, 1998

"ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK, for those are the three things necessary for coming unto Me. When you ask, ask rightly of Me, for I am a rewarder of those who come unto Me. Do not come to Me with impure motives, for I will not listen to you. With asking, comes first the seeking. Seek for me, in the midst of the confusion of this world. For you will find Me when you seek for Me with your whole heart. I am approachable; I am not one who would not let you come into my chambers. Do you see guards standing outside my room? Yes...I am a King, and yes...I have servants and angels who are continually at my throne. But they are willing to be here, and they praise Me night and day. For I created them, and they serve Me. So again, I say, seek Me with your whole heart. Seek Me when you are happy, seek Me when you are sad, seek Me when you are fearful, and come up to my throne and sit next to Me. Seek Me always, for I am always here. And when you knock, continue to knock. For it is in continuing that your persistance will pay off. You have not come to a door which is overgrown with the cares of things. You have come to the door of my inner chamber. Do not be fearful in knocking. For you will be received as one of my own sons and daughters. And you will sit upon thrones in the coming ages. And you will be kings and princes for those ages to come. You will be continually before Me in the presence of my company. Everything will have passed away--behold...everything will be new. Not only new heavens and a new earth, but a heart which no longer fears, and eyes and ears which are continually open before Me. Then you will no longer have to ASK, SEEK, or KNOCK. For all things will have been given to you. But until then, continue doing these things, and your efforts will be rewarded with my abiding presence."

Stephen Hanson

THE FOUNDATION OF MY CHURCH

July 27, 1998

"Everything about my church must be built upon the true foundation. And what is my true foundation? How should the framework be established and built? How should its pitch rise and go into the air? If one were to examine the foundation, they would see some interesting things. You would see Me, my stone, the Chief Cornerstone, there at the bottom. And if a man lays a foundation, must it not be solid? But look, and see...for it is cracked, and it is in much need of repair. There are holes all the way around it. How can the pressure of this building rest upon it? How can its framework rest upon that?

I see much going on within this building. I see music being played, filling the house. And I see teaching and preaching. I see people shouting for joy--for the floor could give way. There is much commotion, and there is excitement. But will this building last? For you ignored your foundation. Have I not said that my house would be built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets? You have ignored this. For behold...a great crash will be heard. For it will not be the sound of sweet music coming from your organ. It will not be the sound of hallelujahs and Amens. It will be the sound of clamor and a great crash. Would it not be wise to go and examine what your church is built upon? I will send you those brothers and sisters for filling-in those gaps. Welcome them as fellow heirs and citizens with you. For if you do, this church will be strong. It will accomplish my ultimate design for this hour. But, if you don't, it will fall, and the sound of it will be heard for miles."

Stephen Hanson