Friday, October 7th at sundown marks the beginning of Yom Kippur. For those who haven't studied the Jewish calendar, this day marks the most important event of the year....the day when the high priest takes the blood of the sacrifice and goes into the Holy of Holies. It was a day of determination and a passing of judgement on the nation....would God extend mercy or not. During the week preceding this day, the Hebrew people would be careful to forgive all those who have wronged them over the past year. They did this because they did not want anything to hinder their prayer for mercy and their prayer for blessing on their life and nation.
I have started a practice in my life to seek the Lord, especially more diligently during this time. And I have been so blessed to hear from the Lord. This blog is to encourage you to press into the Lord, especially during this time.
Last year during Yom Kippur the Lord gave me a dream that was divided into three segments. The first part of this dream I was in a large church auditorium. The worship team had just taken the stage and began to sing. The song was to the tune of "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" but the words were different. The words were....Let me be your perfect servant, Holy Spirit smile on me...instead of...Joyful, joyful we adore thee God of glory Lord of love. When the worship team started to sing, immediately I got up and began to worship the Lord. But the congregation didn't stand. They were uninterested and dull hearted. I began asking in my heart what is wrong, why won't they stand. I began trying to encourage others around me to stand, but only a few responded. This discouraged my heart, but I kept trying to encourage others to stand.
The scene then changed in the dream, I was no longer in the church. In this scene I saw a golden statue of a woman that was nude. I was looking from the side The scene then changed again and the Lord's hand was on my heart. I felt the Lord's favor and His reassurance that He was with me. And that was the end of the dream.
Now the interpretation...much of the church is dull and not responding to the call of God to walk in holiness and purity. Why you ask? Because they have been joined to idols. The golden statue symbolized idolatry. This dullness of heart has frustrated those in the church who have responded to the call and are serving him with all they know how. And God is saying to those whose heart is right, that He is with you, his hand of favor is on you, and He will stand with you in this season. Don' be weary in well doing, because you shall reap if you faint not.
There is more to be said about the dream, but for now this is what I need to get out. The Lord bless you as you pursue Him during this season.
David
David,
ReplyDeleteWhen the scene changed, and you were no longer in "the church", but instead, looking at the golden statue of a woman...I believe you were seeing what the "the church" has become in the eyes and hearts of many...an idol, her nakedness representing shame instead of the righteousness of Christ, and her gold, like the golden calf made by Aaron, a substitute for the Word-made-flesh in us.
He is looking for a place (persons) in which to dwell. He comes to dwell within us as Lord and King. Sometimes I come away with the sense the church, in all her "glory", is "pimping" Him out for a quick rush of His presence, making the world come back to them to taste Him again...and it grieves my heart.
So the frustration for those who hear the Spirit's call to come away with Him, out from the comforts and immaturity of the wilderness to crossing over into the fullness of Christ--our own bodies being the temple.
"You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see." ~Rev 3:17-18
Are we willing to let go of all we think is good in order that we may see the face of God...and rise up limping and leaning on Him alone?
Are we willing to get on our faces and wait for Him to move?
Or do we keep striving to make things comfortable so the people continue doing "church" instead of being church?
I believe as in Eli's day, the glory is departing. God is moving. We must follow.
It's time the church knows who and Who's she is, and begins to live like it--everyone of us a king, a priest, a minister--equipped and encouraged to lay down our idols and look to Him, to count the cost and follow in our everyday lives--seeking first His kingdom and righteousness. He must be the only light we carry, and the only light we care to have shining upon us.
As we each yield to His fullness, we become one with Him and each other. And when we gather, sharing all things, each preferring the other, each ready to give a word, a hymn, a psalm, a prophecy, a tongue /interpretation, a teaching, etc. for the edification and equipping of each other, all ministers of the gospel, all sent, all loved and all loving each other, then the world will look and see, not a naked, deaf and mute statue, but the living Word of God made flesh in the Bride...the love of the Father made manifest on the earth as it is in heaven.
I say this all in love, and with a heart that yearns to see the Bride arise, spotless and without wrinkle, with doves' eyes for the Lord, carrying a lamp full of oil with an endless supply to light the world around her.