Friday, March 16, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Scene 4: Threat of Lions! (Part 2)
THE SPIRIT OF PROSTITUTION
My beloved children, there’s no room for the old covenant to be in your hearts anymore. You must die to the law so that you can be faithful to only Me! You must give up your affair with the Sabbath! You must let your mistress go! For I am your real Sabbath! Turn around and see how I am not only illuminating the darkness of your “Sabbath walk”, but I’m also calling you back to the “harvest fields” where you can begin to experience true intimacy and rest in Me.
This spirit leads you to pay for
something I have already paid for!
something I have already paid for!
My beloved child, I saw the shock on your face as you turned around and saw that six young women were leading the “Sabbath walk” you had been on. By their careless demeanor and frivolous attitude you knew that something was terribly wrong with the direction of this “walk”. You were horrified to see that the people blindly followed their “leaders”.
I know that you didn’t understand what these six young women represented because “prostitution” is an ugly word that adults whisper about behind closed doors, but would never apply to themselves. The word is offensive because it suggests unfaithfulness to your mate. It implies that you’ve sought fulfillment of your legitimate needs for intimacy outside of the marriage relationship. It means that you’ve chosen false intimacy through illegitimate means over the real thing.
My beloved children, these six young women represent the “spirit of prostitution” that leads you to mistakenly believe that you still have to pay for something that I have already paid for! This spirit deceives you into thinking that you will find fulfillment for your legitimate needs for intimacy with Me through illegitimate means—striving to obey the Ten Commandments.
Don’t you see that the old covenant law has absolutely no power to save you from your human dilemma of trying to be righteous by the things that you do? It will always lead you right back to the “woods” where you began this futile journey. In fact this spirit makes you think that you’re actually going somewhere, and that Adventism’s lofty teachings are your “hedge” of protection against the lies of the enemy. But you are looking in the wrong place. For the law only serves to remind you of how sinful you really are. That’s why it’s called a “ministry of death” (2 Corinthians 3:7).
My beloved children, your fear of being lost causes you to cling to your false savior, the Sabbath…instead of clinging to Me. You idolize and worship the 7th day, slavishly striving to obey the Sabbath of the 4th commandment. For you the “Sabbath” has become an idol—your golden calf that is a substitute for a real relationship with Me. Instead of finding true intimacy with Me, you strive, out of fear, to obey a poor facsimile (the law of sin and death) of the real thing.
Can’t you see that it’s futile to trust in your obedience instead of My obedience for you? When you focus on the letter of the law as I see you doing on your “Sabbath walk”, you are being unfaithful to Me! I know why you refuse to let go of the old covenant and fully embrace the new because letting go of your “affair” with the “Sabbath” causes you inner panic! My cross and my grace threaten to strip away from you your need to repeatedly pay for something I have already paid for!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Scene 4: Threat of Lions (Part 1)
The "Threat of Lions" scene of the dream
THE VEIL THAT BLINDS
My dear children, when the silence of your “Sabbath walk” was suddenly broken by the terrified cry of a “child”, pleading for help because they had seen a “lion”, no one missed a step or seemed concerned about their welfare. No one seemed to care why the “child” wandered off the “path” you were on, and ventured into the “dense bushes” that you believe are your “hedge” of protection against the deceptions of the enemy.
I saw how intimidated you were by the arrogance and pride in the scoffing voices that echo the real message of the “elders” when “children” point out such things as “lions”. I saw how your heart wants to please and fall in line with the adults around you, and you shrink from the possibility of being singled out by the scornful rebuke of another “elder”.
I know it's hard for you to understand how people’s hearts become calloused and cold so that they don’t want to even consider the possibility that “children” can “see” things more clearly than their “elders. It's pride that does that. It makes adults confident in their “elderly wisdom” so that they don’t want to consider the possibility that “children” can recognize a “lion” when they see one, because there’s no “veil” blocking their ability to see.
My beloved children, it makes me sad to see that you who are “elders” in Adventism’s “house” are far more concerned with “putting a ‘child’ in their place” than trying to understand why you can’t see the “lion” yourselves. It appears that you would rather be right and let the “lion” go free to possibly harm other “children” than admit that you've been wrong, and that a “veil” covers your hearts and minds, preventing you from seeing the spirit of fear (the “lion”) lurking in the shadows of Adventism’s “hedge”.
I know you believe that you’re on the right path, and that this path is all there is. You believe that you’re walking according to the Sabbath truth that has been handed down to you by your “elders” in the “house” of Adventism, and that there is no additional “truth” that you lack. For these reasons it will be difficult for you to acknowledge that there are “lions” on this “walk” that Ellen White did not see. Since you believe the only real dangers are the ones that she wrote about, and that the “house” of Adventism teaches, you are not prepared to face the fact that you have put your trust in the wrong “hedge” of protection, because a “veil” covers your minds and hearts…
My beloved children, when you turn your eyes away from the direction in which you have been told to look, it’s a small act of rebellion that frees you to see the “lion” hiding in the shadows of Adventism’s “hedge”. Immediately you leave the "Sabbath walk", but there are things that you almost stumble over in your haste to escape the spirit of fear… the rituals and rules of the “Sabbath walk” that seem to take precedence over the needs of "children"...
As soon as you are "free" from the "Sabbath walkers" you immediately discover that there’s no room to run on the wilderness trail because the procession of people take up the whole width of the road. That’s what legalism does. It leaves no room for you to experience My grace because you’re always trying to relate to Me on the basis of your level of obedience… of how well you perform.
Although there’s no room to run on the wilderness trail you discover there’s enough room to run on the “shoulder” that borders your “Sabbath walk”. That “shoulder” of green grass represents My grace that is freely given to all my children. But you can’t recognize My grace until you leave the illusion of safety—your Sabbath walk”! Then later you remember how you were able to run with such lightness… That’s because I carried you on My shoulders! But neither you nor the other Adventists on their walk could possibly understand that kind of freedom…
My dear children, as you march to the drumbeat of Adventism’s “walk” you don't miss a step or fall out of line for fear of finding out that something might be hidden in the shadows of Adventism’s “bushes”. So for many of you, rather than face that spirit of fear, it's easier for you to retreat into denial and pretend the "lion" doesn’t exist—something you’ve learned to do all too well growing up in the “house” of Adventism.
How my heart breaks to know that when you come to the end of your “Sabbath walk” and face the “woods” again, “lions” will suddenly be unleashed against you, because in the natural realm things will suddenly be revealed about Adventism’s “house’ that exposes it as being godless—its “truth” empty, its claims bogus, and its spirituality Spirit-less. It won’t just be one “lion” but many "lions" who will launch an unexpected spiritual attack on you. These “lions” represent the many voices of the enemy who are determined to steal, kill and destroy the last remnant of faith and spiritual life in you.
My beloved children, I know that you will be filled with much fear, hopelessness and confusion, when you discover the awful truth that your “leaders” have led you astray! You’ve been deceived into thinking that your “Sabbath walk” was your protection against the deceptions of the enemy—especially against receiving the mark of the beast… Your hopes and fears will come crashing down when you discover that your “Sabbath walk” has only been an illusion of safety and rest.
Some of you will run into the dense “bushes” from which the enemy launched his attack. This means that you will leave Adventism's path because you will believe the lies of the enemy. You will decide that there is no God, and that everything is useless, and that there is nothing more than this life after all. As you move towards the “lions” the enemy will try to destroy you last flicker of faith.
For others of you, the only way of “escape” from the “lions” will be to run back into the dense “forest” from which you grew up in. You will hope to revisit and re-enter the safety of that childhood innocence, hoping to regain your faith, but you won’t find safety and rest there either.
Although it will seem that you’re utterly defenseless and alone against the attacks of the enemy, and that there is no safe place to run to, I will be there watching your every move. You won’t recognize Me because the spirit of fear will overwhelm you, but I won’t leave any of My children defenseless! When I reveal Myself, the enemy will recognize Me, and he will immediately stop his attack on you as he slinks back into the safety of the dense “bushes” from which he came.
My dear children, My path is hidden from you because you choose to rely on Law to find Me. My path is invisible to you because you attempt to obtain it through your obedience to old covenant ways. The Sabbath that you believe you honor is the very veil that makes you stumble in the darkness. It prevents you from seeing Me and finding rest in My grace!
THE VEIL THAT BLINDS
My dear children, when the silence of your “Sabbath walk” was suddenly broken by the terrified cry of a “child”, pleading for help because they had seen a “lion”, no one missed a step or seemed concerned about their welfare. No one seemed to care why the “child” wandered off the “path” you were on, and ventured into the “dense bushes” that you believe are your “hedge” of protection against the deceptions of the enemy.
I saw how intimidated you were by the arrogance and pride in the scoffing voices that echo the real message of the “elders” when “children” point out such things as “lions”. I saw how your heart wants to please and fall in line with the adults around you, and you shrink from the possibility of being singled out by the scornful rebuke of another “elder”.
I know it's hard for you to understand how people’s hearts become calloused and cold so that they don’t want to even consider the possibility that “children” can “see” things more clearly than their “elders. It's pride that does that. It makes adults confident in their “elderly wisdom” so that they don’t want to consider the possibility that “children” can recognize a “lion” when they see one, because there’s no “veil” blocking their ability to see.
My beloved children, it makes me sad to see that you who are “elders” in Adventism’s “house” are far more concerned with “putting a ‘child’ in their place” than trying to understand why you can’t see the “lion” yourselves. It appears that you would rather be right and let the “lion” go free to possibly harm other “children” than admit that you've been wrong, and that a “veil” covers your hearts and minds, preventing you from seeing the spirit of fear (the “lion”) lurking in the shadows of Adventism’s “hedge”.
I know you believe that you’re on the right path, and that this path is all there is. You believe that you’re walking according to the Sabbath truth that has been handed down to you by your “elders” in the “house” of Adventism, and that there is no additional “truth” that you lack. For these reasons it will be difficult for you to acknowledge that there are “lions” on this “walk” that Ellen White did not see. Since you believe the only real dangers are the ones that she wrote about, and that the “house” of Adventism teaches, you are not prepared to face the fact that you have put your trust in the wrong “hedge” of protection, because a “veil” covers your minds and hearts…
My beloved children, when you turn your eyes away from the direction in which you have been told to look, it’s a small act of rebellion that frees you to see the “lion” hiding in the shadows of Adventism’s “hedge”. Immediately you leave the "Sabbath walk", but there are things that you almost stumble over in your haste to escape the spirit of fear… the rituals and rules of the “Sabbath walk” that seem to take precedence over the needs of "children"...
As soon as you are "free" from the "Sabbath walkers" you immediately discover that there’s no room to run on the wilderness trail because the procession of people take up the whole width of the road. That’s what legalism does. It leaves no room for you to experience My grace because you’re always trying to relate to Me on the basis of your level of obedience… of how well you perform.
Although there’s no room to run on the wilderness trail you discover there’s enough room to run on the “shoulder” that borders your “Sabbath walk”. That “shoulder” of green grass represents My grace that is freely given to all my children. But you can’t recognize My grace until you leave the illusion of safety—your Sabbath walk”! Then later you remember how you were able to run with such lightness… That’s because I carried you on My shoulders! But neither you nor the other Adventists on their walk could possibly understand that kind of freedom…
My dear children, as you march to the drumbeat of Adventism’s “walk” you don't miss a step or fall out of line for fear of finding out that something might be hidden in the shadows of Adventism’s “bushes”. So for many of you, rather than face that spirit of fear, it's easier for you to retreat into denial and pretend the "lion" doesn’t exist—something you’ve learned to do all too well growing up in the “house” of Adventism.
How my heart breaks to know that when you come to the end of your “Sabbath walk” and face the “woods” again, “lions” will suddenly be unleashed against you, because in the natural realm things will suddenly be revealed about Adventism’s “house’ that exposes it as being godless—its “truth” empty, its claims bogus, and its spirituality Spirit-less. It won’t just be one “lion” but many "lions" who will launch an unexpected spiritual attack on you. These “lions” represent the many voices of the enemy who are determined to steal, kill and destroy the last remnant of faith and spiritual life in you.
My beloved children, I know that you will be filled with much fear, hopelessness and confusion, when you discover the awful truth that your “leaders” have led you astray! You’ve been deceived into thinking that your “Sabbath walk” was your protection against the deceptions of the enemy—especially against receiving the mark of the beast… Your hopes and fears will come crashing down when you discover that your “Sabbath walk” has only been an illusion of safety and rest.
Some of you will run into the dense “bushes” from which the enemy launched his attack. This means that you will leave Adventism's path because you will believe the lies of the enemy. You will decide that there is no God, and that everything is useless, and that there is nothing more than this life after all. As you move towards the “lions” the enemy will try to destroy you last flicker of faith.
For others of you, the only way of “escape” from the “lions” will be to run back into the dense “forest” from which you grew up in. You will hope to revisit and re-enter the safety of that childhood innocence, hoping to regain your faith, but you won’t find safety and rest there either.
Although it will seem that you’re utterly defenseless and alone against the attacks of the enemy, and that there is no safe place to run to, I will be there watching your every move. You won’t recognize Me because the spirit of fear will overwhelm you, but I won’t leave any of My children defenseless! When I reveal Myself, the enemy will recognize Me, and he will immediately stop his attack on you as he slinks back into the safety of the dense “bushes” from which he came.
My dear children, My path is hidden from you because you choose to rely on Law to find Me. My path is invisible to you because you attempt to obtain it through your obedience to old covenant ways. The Sabbath that you believe you honor is the very veil that makes you stumble in the darkness. It prevents you from seeing Me and finding rest in My grace!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Scene 3: A Familiar "Walk" (Part 2)
• Read Part One of this message
• The "Familiar Walk" scene of the dream
AN ILLUSION OF "REST"
As you drew closer to the long procession of people suddenly the wilderness trail appeared familiar. You felt safe because you recognized this road by the familiar dense bushes that grew on either side of it, and you felt that you knew where you were.
Growing up in the house of Adventism, you learned to walk spiritually by what you saw in the natural—being guided by what felt familiar and comfortable. You did not learn true spiritual discernment, or else you would have seen that you were walking on an imitation of My path in a simulation of living free in Me, just like a zoo is a simulation of life in the wild. You could not see that Adventism is an "enclosure" carefully constructed like the Whipsnade Zoo to resemble the real environment animals were created for.
Many of you in the house of Adventism are still "children"—you have not been taught real knowledge about Me, My Father, and the ways of My Spirit. Instead, your spiritual "elders" have handed down to you all kinds of fears of leaving their company and their "path," tossing your heart here and there but always keeping you walking "in line" with the church.
The "dense bushes" your spiritual forefathers planted along the "path" of Adventism appear to provide a tall "hedge" of protection, but they are only an illusion of safety. These are the man-made teachings of Adventism which obscure the light of the gospel, preventing you from seeing the truth of who I am and the reality of your "Sabbath walk." To your eyes, the doctrines that have developed as Adventists have "walked along" through the years appear "dense" and Biblically-thorough. But you cannot see that the path of Adventism aims to keep you a child in understanding, returning you to the woods from which you started, never questioning its "tall and lofty" beliefs or what was under the leaves covering the floor of the forest.
My beloved children, you are walking your “Sabbath walk” shoulder to shoulder in perfectly horizontal, straight rows of six—you are walking this "Sabbath walk" in your own strength and power and without Me! With perseverance you keep your feet on the familiar path as you seek to be justified by your works instead of through faith in My finished work alone!
As I look at your striving to form perfectly straight lines, and keep in step with the person next to you, I see that your striving has only self at the center. Your striving to obey your hidden lists of rules causes you to forget about everyone else around you, and only focus on the object of your striving—your "Sabbath walk." But your striving is spiritual bondage. It’s the opposite of resting in Me.
My beloved children, your "Sabbath walk" is an idol that has replaced Me! Your eyes look straight ahead. Your heads turn neither to the left or right. It’s as if your eyes are plastered over so you cannot see your own flesh and blood. It’s as if your minds are closed so you cannot hear the cry of a child. It’s as if you are shackled by invisible chains that bind you and keep you stuck in "childhood", preventing you from moving forward into the fullness of life that I want you to have in Me.
My beloved children, I know that you believe that your doctrines are your "hedge" of protection against the deceptions of the enemy, but it’s only an illusion. You are walking your "Sabbath walk" according to the "teachings of men" that you learned in the house of Adventism, instead of walking in love and truth as I have commanded you to walk.
Your "Sabbath walk" is not safer than the apparently barren wilderness outside of Adventism, even though it appears to be. The reason you feel safe on your "Sabbath walk" is because Adventism is a spiritual environment that has dulled your discernment, teaching you to ignore real dangers lurking in the shadows of your "bushes" and lulling you to sleep instead. It is an illusion of rest! But at the appointed time I will permit the "lions" to come out and wake you from your illusion!
• The "Familiar Walk" scene of the dream
AN ILLUSION OF "REST"
As you drew closer to the long procession of people suddenly the wilderness trail appeared familiar. You felt safe because you recognized this road by the familiar dense bushes that grew on either side of it, and you felt that you knew where you were.
Growing up in the house of Adventism, you learned to walk spiritually by what you saw in the natural—being guided by what felt familiar and comfortable. You did not learn true spiritual discernment, or else you would have seen that you were walking on an imitation of My path in a simulation of living free in Me, just like a zoo is a simulation of life in the wild. You could not see that Adventism is an "enclosure" carefully constructed like the Whipsnade Zoo to resemble the real environment animals were created for.
Many of you in the house of Adventism are still "children"—you have not been taught real knowledge about Me, My Father, and the ways of My Spirit. Instead, your spiritual "elders" have handed down to you all kinds of fears of leaving their company and their "path," tossing your heart here and there but always keeping you walking "in line" with the church.
The "dense bushes" your spiritual forefathers planted along the "path" of Adventism appear to provide a tall "hedge" of protection, but they are only an illusion of safety. These are the man-made teachings of Adventism which obscure the light of the gospel, preventing you from seeing the truth of who I am and the reality of your "Sabbath walk." To your eyes, the doctrines that have developed as Adventists have "walked along" through the years appear "dense" and Biblically-thorough. But you cannot see that the path of Adventism aims to keep you a child in understanding, returning you to the woods from which you started, never questioning its "tall and lofty" beliefs or what was under the leaves covering the floor of the forest.
My beloved children, you are walking your “Sabbath walk” shoulder to shoulder in perfectly horizontal, straight rows of six—you are walking this "Sabbath walk" in your own strength and power and without Me! With perseverance you keep your feet on the familiar path as you seek to be justified by your works instead of through faith in My finished work alone!
As I look at your striving to form perfectly straight lines, and keep in step with the person next to you, I see that your striving has only self at the center. Your striving to obey your hidden lists of rules causes you to forget about everyone else around you, and only focus on the object of your striving—your "Sabbath walk." But your striving is spiritual bondage. It’s the opposite of resting in Me.
My beloved children, your "Sabbath walk" is an idol that has replaced Me! Your eyes look straight ahead. Your heads turn neither to the left or right. It’s as if your eyes are plastered over so you cannot see your own flesh and blood. It’s as if your minds are closed so you cannot hear the cry of a child. It’s as if you are shackled by invisible chains that bind you and keep you stuck in "childhood", preventing you from moving forward into the fullness of life that I want you to have in Me.
My beloved children, I know that you believe that your doctrines are your "hedge" of protection against the deceptions of the enemy, but it’s only an illusion. You are walking your "Sabbath walk" according to the "teachings of men" that you learned in the house of Adventism, instead of walking in love and truth as I have commanded you to walk.
Your "Sabbath walk" is not safer than the apparently barren wilderness outside of Adventism, even though it appears to be. The reason you feel safe on your "Sabbath walk" is because Adventism is a spiritual environment that has dulled your discernment, teaching you to ignore real dangers lurking in the shadows of your "bushes" and lulling you to sleep instead. It is an illusion of rest! But at the appointed time I will permit the "lions" to come out and wake you from your illusion!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Scene 3: A Familiar "Walk" (Part 1)
The "Familiar Walk" scene of the dream
BELOVED'S UNFAITHFULNESS
I saw your sense of relief as you drew closer to the procession of people ahead of you on the wilderness trail. You felt "safe" joining them because the road seemed "familiar". You felt sure they were on a “Sabbath walk”.
My beloved children, this "Sabbath walk" is the “walk” of Adventism. It began in 1844 when the early Adventist leaders assumed illegitimate authority by proclaiming the day when I would return for My children. They took My Father’s name and used it to proclaim a message that He had not given them—as if it was from His mouth, when it was not. When the founders refused to acknowledge their error and face the truth that they had been wrong about October 22, 1844, they shut the door of their hearts and minds to the Spirit of Truth, and opened themselves up to be further deceived by the enemy...
Rather than submit to My Spirit of Truth, they created their own truth about Me, failing to recognize Me for who I truly am. In their ardent fervor to preach about My Second Coming they failed to see that they walked away from My gospel! All they had left then was the religious performance and regimentation of perfecting their "Sabbath walk”. As a result of holding on to these false beliefs about Me, you who have come after them have remained stuck in “childhood”—stunted by fears and unable to return to the narrow path which alone would lead you to the growth, maturity and harvest in Me that I created you for.
"In their ardent fervor to preach about My Second Coming they failed to see
that they walked away from My gospel... My 'Coming' trumped My Cross!"
The sin of Adventism’s “house” is like the sin of Adam and Eve—it has resulted in countless generations of my beloved Adventist children becoming victims and perpetrators of spiritual abuse. Since you have been profoundly affected by the company you have been “walking” with in Adventism, following behind those who came before you, you have failed to realize that you have joined in the same cycle of spiritual abuse that began with your spiritual parents.
My beloved children, I see your hidden list of rules, and how your “Sabbath walk” is the filter through which you interpret My love. You constantly seek My approval through your performance-driven behavior, because you are afraid I will reject you if you don't “march” perfectly. The less-than-perfect things that you do offer you no reprieve, but You won’t let Me change the motives of your heart.
It makes Me sad to see the deep wounds that fear and shame have left upon your soul. I see how you stifle your true feelings about Me because you’ve been taught to place greater value on what you’ve been told is truth than how you truly feel inside your heart. I see how you are afraid to let others on your “Sabbath walk” know how you really feeling inside. You’re afraid that if they know you’ll be left alone, because they won’t want to have anything to do with you anymore.
But that’s not true, My beloved children. Let Me become real to you through the hug of a fellow traveler who struggles with the same fears as you. Let Me become real to you through their understanding eyes and their caring ears. Let Me become real to you through legs that are willing to walk beside you, and shoulders that I’ve prepared to receive your tears. How My heart grieves for you, My beloved children, because I am the only One who can heal the deep wounds you have received in the “house” of Adventism.
Just as early Adventists adamantly refused to deal with the bitterness of their disappointment, confess their mistake, and repent of their errors, I see that you are walking in their footsteps and refuse to face the same truth. In the same way that I called early Adventists to die to their own selfish desires and fall upon Me, I am calling you, My beloved children, to die to your own selfish interests and fall upon Me instead. It breaks My heart to see you “walk” down that same familiar path.
___________________________________________________________________________
Next: Part 2 of the message for the third scene...
BELOVED'S UNFAITHFULNESS
I saw your sense of relief as you drew closer to the procession of people ahead of you on the wilderness trail. You felt "safe" joining them because the road seemed "familiar". You felt sure they were on a “Sabbath walk”.
My beloved children, this "Sabbath walk" is the “walk” of Adventism. It began in 1844 when the early Adventist leaders assumed illegitimate authority by proclaiming the day when I would return for My children. They took My Father’s name and used it to proclaim a message that He had not given them—as if it was from His mouth, when it was not. When the founders refused to acknowledge their error and face the truth that they had been wrong about October 22, 1844, they shut the door of their hearts and minds to the Spirit of Truth, and opened themselves up to be further deceived by the enemy...
Rather than submit to My Spirit of Truth, they created their own truth about Me, failing to recognize Me for who I truly am. In their ardent fervor to preach about My Second Coming they failed to see that they walked away from My gospel! All they had left then was the religious performance and regimentation of perfecting their "Sabbath walk”. As a result of holding on to these false beliefs about Me, you who have come after them have remained stuck in “childhood”—stunted by fears and unable to return to the narrow path which alone would lead you to the growth, maturity and harvest in Me that I created you for.
"In their ardent fervor to preach about My Second Coming they failed to see
that they walked away from My gospel... My 'Coming' trumped My Cross!"
The sin of Adventism’s “house” is like the sin of Adam and Eve—it has resulted in countless generations of my beloved Adventist children becoming victims and perpetrators of spiritual abuse. Since you have been profoundly affected by the company you have been “walking” with in Adventism, following behind those who came before you, you have failed to realize that you have joined in the same cycle of spiritual abuse that began with your spiritual parents.
My beloved children, I see your hidden list of rules, and how your “Sabbath walk” is the filter through which you interpret My love. You constantly seek My approval through your performance-driven behavior, because you are afraid I will reject you if you don't “march” perfectly. The less-than-perfect things that you do offer you no reprieve, but You won’t let Me change the motives of your heart.
It makes Me sad to see the deep wounds that fear and shame have left upon your soul. I see how you stifle your true feelings about Me because you’ve been taught to place greater value on what you’ve been told is truth than how you truly feel inside your heart. I see how you are afraid to let others on your “Sabbath walk” know how you really feeling inside. You’re afraid that if they know you’ll be left alone, because they won’t want to have anything to do with you anymore.
But that’s not true, My beloved children. Let Me become real to you through the hug of a fellow traveler who struggles with the same fears as you. Let Me become real to you through their understanding eyes and their caring ears. Let Me become real to you through legs that are willing to walk beside you, and shoulders that I’ve prepared to receive your tears. How My heart grieves for you, My beloved children, because I am the only One who can heal the deep wounds you have received in the “house” of Adventism.
Just as early Adventists adamantly refused to deal with the bitterness of their disappointment, confess their mistake, and repent of their errors, I see that you are walking in their footsteps and refuse to face the same truth. In the same way that I called early Adventists to die to their own selfish desires and fall upon Me, I am calling you, My beloved children, to die to your own selfish interests and fall upon Me instead. It breaks My heart to see you “walk” down that same familiar path.
___________________________________________________________________________
Next: Part 2 of the message for the third scene...
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Scene 2: The Desolate Wilderness
"The Desolate Wilderness" scene of the dream
LOVER'S FAITHFULNESS
I saw your moment of relief quickly turn to panic when you caught a glimpse of the large procession of people passing you by as they continued on their “wilderness” journey. You had no idea that they represented past generations of Adventists who have been travelling down this same wilderness path since 1844.
Even though you didn’t know who they were, or where they came from, or where they were going, you were eager to join them because you didn’t want to be alone anymore. You, and the people who fell in line behind them on the wilderness trail represent this present generation of Adventists, all hoping to find a sense of “closeness” and “family” after you join the procession of Adventists on their wilderness “walk”. In fact, every generation of Adventists since 1844 has walked down this same wilderness path, seeking the same feelings of “closeness” and “family” as you, My beloved child.
However, those desires for “closeness” and “family” that I created and put in your heart can only truly be met in Me. That is why I’m calling you into the desolate wilderness, My beloved child. I am drawing you with cords of loving-kindness because My heart’s desire is to be with you. How I long to have “closeness” and intimacy with you, like I had with Adam and Eve before they tasted the fruit of disobedience!
I’m calling you—every one of you, My precious children—into the wilderness. As a Lover, I seek you out so that I might allure you into My presence. I want you to hear the gentleness in My voice as I tenderly place my arms around you, and remind you that I am betrothed to you forever in love and righteousness. With My blood I have engraved your name on the palms of My hands. I have clothed you with My garments of salvation, and covered you in a robe of My righteousness.
I’m not calling you into the wilderness to chastise you for your inability to remain faithful to Me, My beloved. No! I’m calling you into the wilderness to assure you that I will always remain faithful in My commitment of love to you. Righteousness is My belt, and faithfulness is the sash around My waist. I will maintain My faithful love to you forever, and my covenant with you will never fail. Although you may reject Me, I will not reject you! Even when you are unfaithful to Me I do not cast you aside and look for a new bride. Never!
There is no interruption in the flow of love that comes from Me towards you, because I have swept away your sins like a cloud. Like the morning mist, they have disappeared. That is why I see no flaw in you, for you have stolen My heart! I rejoice over you because you are My bride. I have called you by name because you are Mine. I delight in you, My beloved child.
Now I wait for you to respond to My call of love upon your heart. Will you pick up the cup I offer you to drink in the darkest and loneliest deserts of your life? Will you accept your Lover’s invitation and come away with Me into the wilderness so that I can heal your brokenness?
My beloved, when I drank the bitter cup of suffering, it was you that I had in mind. When a cruel spear tore at My flesh and opened up My side, it was for you, My bride. I tasted death and sorrow for you so that I can make you fruitful in the “land of your suffering”. How I long for you to share in My cup of joy, because I know your joy will be complete when you finally come to rest in My love!
___________________________________________________________________________
Next: The message for the third scene...
LOVER'S FAITHFULNESS
Wilderness "walk" of Adventists
Even though you didn’t know who they were, or where they came from, or where they were going, you were eager to join them because you didn’t want to be alone anymore. You, and the people who fell in line behind them on the wilderness trail represent this present generation of Adventists, all hoping to find a sense of “closeness” and “family” after you join the procession of Adventists on their wilderness “walk”. In fact, every generation of Adventists since 1844 has walked down this same wilderness path, seeking the same feelings of “closeness” and “family” as you, My beloved child.
However, those desires for “closeness” and “family” that I created and put in your heart can only truly be met in Me. That is why I’m calling you into the desolate wilderness, My beloved child. I am drawing you with cords of loving-kindness because My heart’s desire is to be with you. How I long to have “closeness” and intimacy with you, like I had with Adam and Eve before they tasted the fruit of disobedience!
I’m calling you—every one of you, My precious children—into the wilderness. As a Lover, I seek you out so that I might allure you into My presence. I want you to hear the gentleness in My voice as I tenderly place my arms around you, and remind you that I am betrothed to you forever in love and righteousness. With My blood I have engraved your name on the palms of My hands. I have clothed you with My garments of salvation, and covered you in a robe of My righteousness.
Your fruitfulness in Me
There is no interruption in the flow of love that comes from Me towards you, because I have swept away your sins like a cloud. Like the morning mist, they have disappeared. That is why I see no flaw in you, for you have stolen My heart! I rejoice over you because you are My bride. I have called you by name because you are Mine. I delight in you, My beloved child.
Now I wait for you to respond to My call of love upon your heart. Will you pick up the cup I offer you to drink in the darkest and loneliest deserts of your life? Will you accept your Lover’s invitation and come away with Me into the wilderness so that I can heal your brokenness?
My beloved, when I drank the bitter cup of suffering, it was you that I had in mind. When a cruel spear tore at My flesh and opened up My side, it was for you, My bride. I tasted death and sorrow for you so that I can make you fruitful in the “land of your suffering”. How I long for you to share in My cup of joy, because I know your joy will be complete when you finally come to rest in My love!
___________________________________________________________________________
Next: The message for the third scene...
Monday, January 16, 2012
Scene 1: Path Through the Woods
The "Path Through the Woods" scene of the dream
A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
"The spring season of the year is the time when everything in the natural world awakens to new life. It is the life that I designed My creation to have so that seed-bearing plants and trees would bear fruit with seeds according to their kind (Genesis 1:11-13). The spring season of the year is a time of much change and new growth. It is the time when you can see new shoots spring forth from the ground and buds unfold their delicate leaves on the trees. The old creation has been exchanged for the new (2 Corinthians 5:17)!
I designed it this way from the very beginning of time. I created the natural world first before I created you, because I wanted the beauty of nature to always be a reminder of My goodness and My faithful love to you—My child (1 Corinthians 15:46). I wanted the natural things that I created to always be a sign—a token of how I AM the Creator who chose to make you in My image and My likeness.
Yes, I made you with the capacity to hear My voice, and have fellowship with Me through My Spirit. I created you so that you could respond to My call of love upon your heart. You were the crowning act of My creation—I created you for My glory!
Just as I have ordained each season in the natural world to come at its appointed time, so I have designed each season in your spiritual life to follow My chosen plan. As you look back on your life, you will recognize some of these times of spiritual awakening. You will remember the tug on your heart each time My Spirit revealed Himself to you as you and I walked through the “woods” together. I remember how your heart burned within you at times when you were deeply touched by My goodness and love. During those seasons of spiritual awakening, your life was being prepared to respond to My Spirit at the next appointed time.
I remember how child-like and trusting you were as you and I walked through the “woods” together. You were delighted as you looked up at the “tall and airy” trees growing in the forest. Not for one moment in your child-like innocence did you ever suspect that those trees symbolized the “lofty” doctrines of Adventism. That’s because you were “raised in the woods”. You were familiar with these “trees”.
I remember how you smiled with joy as the same breeze that caressed your face caused the spring leaves to shimmer in the sunlight. But you never realized that those same leaves would become a canopy so dense in the summer season that they would obscure the “light,” and prevent you and your “family” from seeing Me clearly. You didn’t know that those leaves were like the leaves on the fig tree that I cursed because they were taking all the sap instead of producing fruit!
I saw how you admired the beauty of the green carpet of leaves at your feet as you slowly walked along the winding path through the “woods”. You never once suspected that this covering over the forest floor that appeared so lush and green actually covered up the truth about the foundation of Adventism’s “house” not being built upon Me! That’s because you were still a child of Adventism.
Even though you weren’t aware of My presence, I was with you at all times as you followed the winding “path” through Adventism’s "woods". While My path is a straight path, the path that you were walking on was the “required” path that Adventism had marked out for you by the “trees”. Although you hadn’t yet chosen the Adventist path that was marked out for you by the “trees”, you still followed it through Adventism’s “woods”, because that’s all you knew to do as a child growing up in the “house” of Adventism.
It continually breaks My heart to see that there is so very little room for Me in the “house” of Adventism. Consequently, My grace and truth are made to fit around Adventism’s “lofty” teachings and squeezed between its endless requirements. How I long for you to come to know Me so that your old life could be exchanged for your new life in Me! How I long for the time when you will be overjoyed to be in My presence!
But even though many of you were raised in the “house” of Adventism, I have been faithful to bring about seasons of spiritual awakening in your lives when I saw that you were ready to take the next baby steps in your walk and understanding of Me, and My love for you.
I remember the day your spiritual awakening came. You lost your child-hood innocence when I called you out of the “woods” and brought you into the “open wilderness”. As you stood at the edge of the forest and peered out into the open wilderness, you were delighted to see a large company of people in the distance, because you didn’t want to “walk” alone anymore. You noticed that they were walking in line at a good pace, and you became afraid that if you didn’t hurry up and join them you would be left behind. So you took a shortcut, running as fast as you could to join them on their wilderness path.
Only later when it was too late did you wish that you had chosen a different path. Because you had grown accustomed to the “safety” of the “woods” you thought that the wilderness looked like a far more dangerous place to be by yourself, so you chose to leave My path and join up with people who felt “safe”, and even “familiar” to you. But you didn’t recognize that they were walking away from Me.
For a brief moment you received a glimpse of My love for you, when I stopped you dead in your tracks. You saw the Light that gives light to every person who comes into the world, and your heart desired to follow Me. I remember you thinking that surely they must have see the Light, too, and wondering why they were walking so quickly away from the “harvest” fields that filled the horizon.
In that brief encounter I saw how you wanted to tell “them” about the Light that you had seen resting over the “harvest” fields. You hoped to persuade them to turn around and face Me. So you continued to run towards them, feeling sure that they would listen to you and turn around to see what they were missing... You never realized that after joining them, they wouldn’t be able to “hear” you...
Oh, how I longed for you to know that the wilderness is where I call all my children to be alone with Me! The wilderness is the place where I draw My children into My presence with My deeds of loving-kindness and tender mercies that I have towards them. The wilderness is the place where I give back my children their vineyards of lost fruit (Hosea 2:14-15)! It is in the wilderness where I show them their fruitfulness in Me.
I know all of My children’s hearts. I know that if you sow to please the Spirit you will reap a harvest of righteousness, because you will reap the fruits of walking in Me. But I also know that if you choose not to walk in Me, you will turn your back on Me. Instead of sowing to please the Spirit, you will sow to please the flesh because of your fear of being alone. This will result in your reaping what you have sown—a terrible harvest of unrighteousness (Galatians 6:8). But the biggest “harvest” that you, My Adventist children, are in danger of missing is the harvest of your own souls!
I saw how Jeremiah agonized and wept over the people to whom he had been sent by Me. Yes, he and I both agonized and wept because they had missed the time of their harvest. Spring had turned into summer, and the summer had ended, and they were not saved (Jeremiah 8:20)! Sadly, they had missed the harvest of their own souls!
Oh, My beloved children in the “house” of Adventism, when will you choose to turn around and not follow down that same path?
___________________________________________________________________________
Next: The message for the second scene...
A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
A spiritual awakening
I designed it this way from the very beginning of time. I created the natural world first before I created you, because I wanted the beauty of nature to always be a reminder of My goodness and My faithful love to you—My child (1 Corinthians 15:46). I wanted the natural things that I created to always be a sign—a token of how I AM the Creator who chose to make you in My image and My likeness.
Yes, I made you with the capacity to hear My voice, and have fellowship with Me through My Spirit. I created you so that you could respond to My call of love upon your heart. You were the crowning act of My creation—I created you for My glory!
Just as I have ordained each season in the natural world to come at its appointed time, so I have designed each season in your spiritual life to follow My chosen plan. As you look back on your life, you will recognize some of these times of spiritual awakening. You will remember the tug on your heart each time My Spirit revealed Himself to you as you and I walked through the “woods” together. I remember how your heart burned within you at times when you were deeply touched by My goodness and love. During those seasons of spiritual awakening, your life was being prepared to respond to My Spirit at the next appointed time.
I remember how child-like and trusting you were as you and I walked through the “woods” together. You were delighted as you looked up at the “tall and airy” trees growing in the forest. Not for one moment in your child-like innocence did you ever suspect that those trees symbolized the “lofty” doctrines of Adventism. That’s because you were “raised in the woods”. You were familiar with these “trees”.
I remember how you smiled with joy as the same breeze that caressed your face caused the spring leaves to shimmer in the sunlight. But you never realized that those same leaves would become a canopy so dense in the summer season that they would obscure the “light,” and prevent you and your “family” from seeing Me clearly. You didn’t know that those leaves were like the leaves on the fig tree that I cursed because they were taking all the sap instead of producing fruit!
I saw how you admired the beauty of the green carpet of leaves at your feet as you slowly walked along the winding path through the “woods”. You never once suspected that this covering over the forest floor that appeared so lush and green actually covered up the truth about the foundation of Adventism’s “house” not being built upon Me! That’s because you were still a child of Adventism.
Even though you weren’t aware of My presence, I was with you at all times as you followed the winding “path” through Adventism’s "woods". While My path is a straight path, the path that you were walking on was the “required” path that Adventism had marked out for you by the “trees”. Although you hadn’t yet chosen the Adventist path that was marked out for you by the “trees”, you still followed it through Adventism’s “woods”, because that’s all you knew to do as a child growing up in the “house” of Adventism.
It continually breaks My heart to see that there is so very little room for Me in the “house” of Adventism. Consequently, My grace and truth are made to fit around Adventism’s “lofty” teachings and squeezed between its endless requirements. How I long for you to come to know Me so that your old life could be exchanged for your new life in Me! How I long for the time when you will be overjoyed to be in My presence!
But even though many of you were raised in the “house” of Adventism, I have been faithful to bring about seasons of spiritual awakening in your lives when I saw that you were ready to take the next baby steps in your walk and understanding of Me, and My love for you.
I remember the day your spiritual awakening came. You lost your child-hood innocence when I called you out of the “woods” and brought you into the “open wilderness”. As you stood at the edge of the forest and peered out into the open wilderness, you were delighted to see a large company of people in the distance, because you didn’t want to “walk” alone anymore. You noticed that they were walking in line at a good pace, and you became afraid that if you didn’t hurry up and join them you would be left behind. So you took a shortcut, running as fast as you could to join them on their wilderness path.
Only later when it was too late did you wish that you had chosen a different path. Because you had grown accustomed to the “safety” of the “woods” you thought that the wilderness looked like a far more dangerous place to be by yourself, so you chose to leave My path and join up with people who felt “safe”, and even “familiar” to you. But you didn’t recognize that they were walking away from Me.
For a brief moment you received a glimpse of My love for you, when I stopped you dead in your tracks. You saw the Light that gives light to every person who comes into the world, and your heart desired to follow Me. I remember you thinking that surely they must have see the Light, too, and wondering why they were walking so quickly away from the “harvest” fields that filled the horizon.
Fruitfulness in Me
Oh, how I longed for you to know that the wilderness is where I call all my children to be alone with Me! The wilderness is the place where I draw My children into My presence with My deeds of loving-kindness and tender mercies that I have towards them. The wilderness is the place where I give back my children their vineyards of lost fruit (Hosea 2:14-15)! It is in the wilderness where I show them their fruitfulness in Me.
I know all of My children’s hearts. I know that if you sow to please the Spirit you will reap a harvest of righteousness, because you will reap the fruits of walking in Me. But I also know that if you choose not to walk in Me, you will turn your back on Me. Instead of sowing to please the Spirit, you will sow to please the flesh because of your fear of being alone. This will result in your reaping what you have sown—a terrible harvest of unrighteousness (Galatians 6:8). But the biggest “harvest” that you, My Adventist children, are in danger of missing is the harvest of your own souls!
I saw how Jeremiah agonized and wept over the people to whom he had been sent by Me. Yes, he and I both agonized and wept because they had missed the time of their harvest. Spring had turned into summer, and the summer had ended, and they were not saved (Jeremiah 8:20)! Sadly, they had missed the harvest of their own souls!
Oh, My beloved children in the “house” of Adventism, when will you choose to turn around and not follow down that same path?
___________________________________________________________________________
Next: The message for the second scene...
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