Healing and inner peace come from confession, not from concealment. From heart-to-heart connection, not from a theological analysis. When Adam and Eve tried to hide their sin from God, He asked: “Where are you?” God knew where they were hiding. He wanted them to admit and to acknowledge that they were hiding so they could step into and live in His glorious light.
I’ve discovered that when Christians come together to humbly put away pretense and to be compassionately honest with each another, we begin to see God’s beautiful light shining in and through one another. When the truth is spoken with heart-felt love, when falsehood is set aside, when pride is laid down, when sin is sincerely confessed, and when mercy and forgiveness are freely given — people experience the presence of the living resurrected Jesus and are overcome with awe and healing.
That kind of Christian gathering is very difficult to find. I experienced it during the Jesus Movement. Afterwards I searched for it around the USA and found mere glimpses of it here and there.
After decades The Salvation Army asked my wife, Ernie, and me to start a non-traditional church in a dangerous East Nashville neighborhood. God gathered a diversity of people. We set aside the traditional sermon and allowed anyone present to share as they felt led by God’s Spirit. It was a glorious experience that lasted for almost 10 years until a new Salvation Army leader shut it down.
Ernie and I are so grateful for that decade. It trained us and others how to allow God the Holy Spirit to freely flow among people. Since then, we look for every opportunity that we can find to open up with people and connect heart-to-heart with them. It’s often in twos or threes, but sometimes more. Several times each week we experience that kind of connection. It’s awesome.
I wrote a book about our experiences of Spirit-led heart connection. It’s called “Beyond Church — An Invitation to Experience the Lost Word of the Bible — Ekklesia.” Give it a google.
Is spiritual awakening coming? Both the Jesus movement and the charismatic movement were killed by church control and religious TV shows that trained charismatics and Jesus Freaks to become passive audience members dependent on a human preacher or teacher. Before that they were actively Spirit-led and part of a supernatural move of God. But wait and see. God the Holy Spirit will break free from controlling, quenching religion and move mightily within human hearts again!
Heart-to-heart connection requires patience, compassion, and love. God’s still working on me to develop those qualities in me.
Patience waits for what is real. It doesn’t passively accept a counterfeit deal. If you’re looking for patience, you’ll need to wait awhile.
Patience grows in the soil of contentment. (Philippians 4:12) Find inner peace and you will discover patience.
Heart-to-heart, Spirit-led community will help you find your inner place of holy hush. It will calm your anxious rush. Contentment grows rapidly in Spirit-led community!
Patience discovers that delay is often God’s loving way of aligning you with His perfect timing. If you want to experience Jesus in a deeper way, find brothers and sisters who will ask “Where are you?” and not reject you when you come out of hiding. Begin to open your heart to people and compassionately listen to them when they open their heart to you.
When you can’t see
Keep on looking
For things unseen.
When you can’t hear
Keep listening
For hope to speak.
When you’re lonely
It is only
Because you’re not
Aware of God
Who is present
Right where you are.
(Hebrews 11:1)
Patience waits
And waits
And still waits
Until . . .
Because it trusts
Confidently
That God will
Come through.
Waiting on God
Allows Him to
Supernaturally
Produce patience
Inside of you
As the fruit of
His Holy Spirit.
(Galatians 5:22-23)
In our time
Of instant
Communication
There’s little
Dedication
To patient
Meditation.
“Be still and know
That I am God.”
(Psalm 46:10)
Free Gas for Your Think Tank -- Short Reflections, Lasting Encouragement 