Vivid and impacting, I want tot tell you about it.
Religion wears dress clothes to the beach.
Ezekiel 2-3
Ezekiel 2:8 but you,
son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious
house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
On a Boardwalk at the end of the pier out in the deeper water was a very homey
Tahiti shack. A true surf house gathering place on the end of the pier. Grass roof, surfboards, signs, seating, it was welcoming and inviting. The ocean was gleaming behind and around it with a
grass awning, a pick nick table with four sides and seating around it.
A come on in and hang out feel. Much like this. God's Presence is a wide open House of Loving kindness.
I spoke with a woman who was ready to give birth but was doubting and fearful.
We were with child, we writhed in labor, but we gave birth to wind.
We have not brought salvation to the earth, and the people of the world have not come to life. Isa 26:18
We have not brought salvation to the earth, and the people of the world have not come to life. Isa 26:18
She was lying on a bench holding her stomach
and rubbing it fearfully. She was
physically ready for the baby but was fearful of the outcome, as if she could not birth
the baby. The shack was ready and
waiting for people to come. It was inviting
and warm, with a cool breeze blowing smoothly off the ocean. I was thinking, “This was a place people
would want to come and hang out.” And then, "So where is everyone?".
Sitting across from
me at the table under the awning was a “pastor guy”. I say
“pastor guy” because he had a dress shirt on sleeves rolled up, was ridged and
not in the flow of the environment surrounding him. He did not see the potential of the pier,
the shack or the wonderful situation in the sun. He
looked annoyed, parochial, and perturbed; completely out of character for a place
like that.
As I spoke with him, I was rejoicing in the “readiness” and “awesomeness
of the environment” and was thinking
“where are the people?” Throwing off the
idea that things would succeed, he was filling the environment with doubt and a
faithless perception with every statement that came out of his mouth. I looked at him
and then at the shack thinking, “Wow, this is awesome and ready for
people”. “So where are they, I
thought. He said, "No, it’s not ready,
they won’t come anyway". Everything I
put forth in faith and hope and affirmation he threw off and rebuffed. I got angry with him and his ridiculous view
of things. He could not see what was in plain sight. Nor did he have a heart for the pregnant woman or the people who could come and enjoy the shack.
His words and perspective influenced the woman. Her fear and doubt rose and became anxiety and
fear. I saw all this and I spoke to “the
pastor guy” and encouraged him that indeed God was working and things looked
ready, inviting and it was wonderful. I
was forwarding a trust God message in the cool breeze and glistening diamonds coming off the ocean in the sun. But I also mixed it with my own sense of
disbelief that this person was resisting and negative in such a simply
beautiful and inviting environment.
I was shocked by the lack of faith when this place looked so
good. The resister was a staunch church
type guy who displayed himself as carrying some authority. As if he was going to “get things right” and
“straighten out the mess” he forced his view into the environment. My sense was he was an outsider, meaning he
did not have a stake in the project he was just there to make sure everything
lined up with his faithless and religious understanding.
He spoke negatively and had influence on the woman who was lying on a
bench right next to him. She was having
a “fear” attack prior to the birth and he was definitely encouraging a lack of
faith and fear. The church guy seemed
to represent the old, the faithless, the religious, the church without passion
and love for God.
Nearly a year later, I heard about a friend who had dream that corresponded with this one. In it he spoke these words. "Have the Baby and live."
Jesus is working to strip away religion from the hearts of his pregnant and beautiful Bride of Christ. He has created beautiful settings for us full of the Spirit with warm and inviting grace flowing like rivers. He has put us in touch with our hearts and has deposited encouragement there that will with the water of the Word of Scripture and the powerful workings of the Spirit will change the environments we live in into the birthing place of beginnings flowing from Jesus.
Have the baby and live.
Religion is easy to spot. It has a reason why all of the tender and childlike things of God cannot be. It can rest next to pregnant Saints full of hope and joy and love for a birth and call out everything wrong, reason for failure and infuse doubt and discouragement like a poison drink.
Religion wears dress clothes to the beach.
Those who intend to birth things from the secret place and deposits from God's heart have to learn to.....
"Love without hypocrisy" Romans 12:9
hyp·o·crite
[hip-uh-krit]
noun
1.
a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
2.
a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.
Have the Baby and Live
I've never heard a baby described as a hypocrite! In God's Kingdom they are not put down but lifted up.
Tap into the places of peace and rest the Father has already set aside for you and let your heart and a child like grace move your feet and faith.
2And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4"Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.…
Matt 18:3
Is Jesus your beginning? Is he where all your pursuits will end up? Is your life a surrender fest of glory and faith? Do you long with a uncontainable longing to know the Father, Son and Spirit?
Live from the Heart and Have the Baby!
What is he
doing in your life? share your story, encouragement. I'd love to
partner with you to bring glory to the Lord Jesus.
jreynolds@mycapstone.org
Here are some blog articles that you may be interested in...
Supernatural / Testimony / Prophetic / Spirit's Work
1) 2014 What is the Spirit saying?
https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8154761678889975282#editor/target=post;postID=5163393029928222453;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=37;src=postname
2) An Angelic Visitation
https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8154761678889975282#editor/target=post;postID=6181407195797126360;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=3;src=postname
3)Time for a Healing Story - Distance Healing Testimony
https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8154761678889975282#editor/target=post;postID=7347375296000899068;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=30;src=postname
Some others on Jesus back to the Center.... Use the search feature for key words
1) You Fascinate me Jesus, So why are you considered so irrelevant?
2) No One Can Love You Like I Do
Thank you for reading. Please comment. Let the dialogue begin!
jreynolds@mycapstone.org
Here are some blog articles that you may be interested in...
Supernatural / Testimony / Prophetic / Spirit's Work
1) 2014 What is the Spirit saying?
https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8154761678889975282#editor/target=post;postID=5163393029928222453;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=37;src=postname
2) An Angelic Visitation
https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8154761678889975282#editor/target=post;postID=6181407195797126360;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=3;src=postname
3)Time for a Healing Story - Distance Healing Testimony
https://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8154761678889975282#editor/target=post;postID=7347375296000899068;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=30;src=postname
Some others on Jesus back to the Center.... Use the search feature for key words
1) You Fascinate me Jesus, So why are you considered so irrelevant?
2) No One Can Love You Like I Do
Thank you for reading. Please comment. Let the dialogue begin!
With Love in HIS awesome CULTURE OF LOVE
Brother Jeff
Jeff Reynolds. Sr. Leader
Capstone Christian Fellowship
jreynolds@mycapstone.org
jeff@jeffreynoldsministries.com
www.jeffreynoldsministries.com
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