Ephiphany Came Softly
January 22, 2009The other night, while driving home from work, (I’m still adjusting to a second shift schedule) I heard a preacher on an AM station who was discussing a planned event for the latter part of May. The saints of that fellowship are planning to spend three days, shut up inside the building, fasting and seeking the L0rd. The desire is to shut out all distractions from the world, set aside personal agendas, and with one accord, seek the Lord Jesus. To hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches as 2009AD plays out before us. Upon hearing this, I was both rejoicing and discouraged. Rejoicing that a body of saints is this focused upon the things of God and discouraged in that such an event should seem so out of the ordinary. Kind of like when we read in the book of Acts and then ponder the current state of the church.
Today we have more information at our disposal than any other generation. It’s possible to become caught up in the endless chatter; both from the world and from those proclaiming the gospel, to the point that we unwittingly allow the continuous stream of input to replace coming before the Lord and seeking him in all sincerety. We must turn off our personal spin-machines, diligently search the scriptures, and seek the Lord Jesus who is always as close as the mention of his name. To understand of the bigger picture, receive true discernment in this deception-rich environment when sound doctrine is often discarded in favor of an agenda, and to know the will of the Lord for our lives. We cannot follow from afar; depending on teachers or the institutions of logic, and expect to be properly prepared for the events unfolding before us.
Ephesians 5:17 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
This is not a post that was planned, but the urgency of this seems to be mounting. The preacher on the radio, caused a reflection on my part as to just how little many of us, including myself, seek the will of the Lord in all sincerety. We have a plan, we have a career, we have a multitude of excuses as to why we must continue doing what we’re doing. We reason amongst ourselves, settle for a form of godliness, and conform to each others expectations instead of striving to be more like Jesus. We can remember the days, when we were first born of the Spirit; how many outside of the household of faith didn’t understand the transformation that had taken place. As we begin to draw closer to the Lord, an increasing number of professing saints will likewise not understand, and we’ll find a diminishing number of venues where we seem to fit in. Yet we need to be close to Jesus; regardless of what others are doing, or we’ll be taken away by the array of deceptions that are coming upon the earth. II Thessalonians 2:3
Well, I’ll close for now. I know that this theme has become routine, but the importance of it just keeps coming up. We are all in need of increased understanding concerning these issues. The times that Jesus described as being the most perilous in the history of the world are upon us and we cannot navigate this on our own. More than ever, we must come before the Lord Jesus with thanksgiving in our heart and “hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
I Kings 19:11-12 “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind and earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.”
I wish to all, a blessed day in Jesus.
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JANUARY 23, 2009 (12:25)Hello again. I just thought to share this latest post from Michael Boldea:
AS PROMISED (Mike Boldea)
It contains a dream that the Lord gave him recently and the content should reveal to us all the need for us to be abiding in the Lord Jesus closely.
Grace County 
Hi Timbob,
I believe that there will be more such prayer meetings like the one you mentioned as this world gets worse and worse and we draw closer to the coming of the Lord. In such unstable times that we live in with a shaky economy and sin running rampant, the Lord is our only hope and anchor. May we all feel the call to draw closer to Jesus through prayer, linking our inability with His great ability.
Blessings,
Carol
Interestingly, you started the post by discussing a fellowship of believers coming together and shutting themselves off from the world, in order to seek God, but you ended with a verse about someone who shut himself off from the world, without any fellow believers, in order to seek God. I wonder which is more important, the fellowship, or the isolation?
Hi Carol. I saw a comment made a while back that framed the positive side of adversity which you have alluded to here. We are in some crazy times, but if the result is peple seeing the temporal nature of this world and coming to faith in Jesus, it’s awesome to be sure. I look at the manifesting circumstances as an open door and I pray that more of the saints will set aside the sideshow issues and come together in one accord.
Thanks for taking time to stop by. Have a blessed day in Jesus.
Hi M Patterson. I really think that we need both as each one presents unique circumstances. While I personally find my most awesome moments in Jesus while in a prayer closet, corporate gatherings of the saints are equally needful. We’re in strange times and every opportunity to fellowship should be utilized. Likewise we are encouraged to pray without ceasing, which includes a lot of alone time.
Thanks for stopping by and causeing me to think on this. It may become a topic for a future post. Have a blessed day in Jesus.
I love that I Kings set of verses. I recall meditating on it many years ago. It seems many refuse to believe in God because He doesn’t “answer” them or He doesn’t “do” something they want Him to do, but they have missed it. Often, it’s the humble attitude we present that places us in a state of quiet meditation that allows us to hear His calling (in a personal or corporate setting). Thanks for the reminder!
I used to do something similar to those you mentioned above – shut myself off from the outside world – no phone, no internet, no telly, etc. and fast for a few days in order to hear God. The Bishop taught me this. He said that sometimes he would rent a hotel room for a few days and stay there away from everything and anything that would take him away from God and meditate, pray and fast.
Hi tree63. This is indeed something that sidetracks many as they place “conditions” on their coming to Christ. A lacking of godly fear, which is in essence disbelief. May we all strive to ensure that Jesus is truly first in our lives.
A couple of weeks ago, I read something by David Reagan that told of how many Christians are in disarray these days because Jesus isn’t first. Often its career and/or family first. Sometimes even an obsession with sportsor a particular area of interest becomes more important to them than Jesus. In conversations, these things always seem to leak out as a persons conversation will always be directed by the contents of their heart.
Thanks for taking time to offer up your thoughts. Have a blessed evening in Jesus.
Hi Code. I think I’ve mentioned CR, the saint who gave his heart to Jesus in November of 2007. He’s grown a lot in the past year and spent a lot of last week fasting. It’s amazing because he can pour through information much more thoroughly than I can, and yet realizes the need to just come before the Lord Jesus and seek him.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Iwould love to rent a hotel room for a few days and just seek the Lord. Have a blessed evening in Jesus.