It's been 4 1/2 years since God began this time of revealing. Revealing my falseness. My mask. My fakeness. My idols that I cling to, my flesh, my coping mechanisms instead of turning to Him. My doubts and unbelief.
Oh how I desire for others to know REALITY. Jesus. Life. Unmasked. Jesus.
I have found Truth in Jesus. I have found Truth in words He spoke:
Luke 4
14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. 15 And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.
16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives,
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set free those who are oppressed,
19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
20 And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
When I read these words, my whole being resonates to these words:
"anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor"
That was me. Poor. Less than adequate. Small in worth. Barren. Unproductive. Unfavorable.
"sent Me to proclaim release to the captives"
That was me. Captive. By sin, Satan, the world, the flesh, temptation. I was held captive by my past, my thoughts and feelings. Captive to fear, anger, control, depression- etc!
"recovery of sight to the blind"
That was me. Blind. I could find NO WAY out of the darkness.
"set free those who are oppressed"
That was me. Oppressed. By sin, Satan, the world, the flesh, temptation. I was oppressed by my past, my thoughts and feelings. Oppressed by fear, anger, control, depression- etc!
"to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord"
My favorable year came in 2000. That was the year Jesus saved me from hell.
My favorable year came in 2008. That was the year Jesus revealed to me just exactly what happened to me with Him, on the cross.
That was the year He:
Made me aware of what His true riches are- Himself.
Released me from captivity- set me from oppression- made me aware of ALL He accomplished for ME on the cross, in His death, in His burial, in His resurrection and even in His ascension to the right hand of the Father.
Now, my hearts desire is to focus on Him- not things that encumber me or sin that entangles me. My hearts desire is to hear the whole gospel preached, taught and lived! My hearts desire is for others to live in His love, His joy, His peace, His patience, His kindness, His gentleness, His goodness, His faithfulness and His self-control. For all of Him to flow through me in His fullness. For the broken to be healed, captive to be set free from-
fakeness, masks-
But I do not hear this preached from the pulpit. They tell us to follow Christ, pick up our cross, deny self but never are we told what any of that means to God.
We can't deny self if we don't know what self is. We can pick up the cross when we don't know what that is. We can't follow Christ when we can't ever ever really do it- without Him.
I hear so much untruth taught in church and preached from the pulpit. I hear focus being taught on the wrong thing or emphasized too much on one thing.
Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
Doesn't it start with His healing the believer? That's how He started His ministry- flat out telling the people what He came to do.
Heal. Restore. Reconcile. Unite. Make whole. Redeem.
Where is the pastor and church whose emphasis is on what Jesus came to do? What He did and continues to do? How can I tell someone he saves you from eternal hell but not daily hell? Put your mask on and do the best you can till you die?
NO!!!!! We need churches and pastors that are willing to take the mask off- be real! Preach whole gospel.
Oh how I long for this day.
My heart longs for this day.
Colossians 1
25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to Hispower, which mightily works within me.
He has revealed a great mystery through Paul, to us. Christ in us. That is how we are overcomers. Christ- Love, Himself. Peace, Himself. Joy, Himself.
The Healer, lives in me. Has made me alive. United with me. Given me Life, His Life- abundant Life. Cleansing Life. Freedom. Set free to TAKE OFF THE MASK and
be...just be....BE who He created me to be.
Preacher, preach this and you will see believers set free and transformed.
