Sunday, September 14, 2008

Smiling on the Outside




Late last night I was on Face-Book, a medium of great interest to many demographics, only because someone wanted me to include them amongst my friends. I did not know this person at all, and in trying to maneuver around in Face-Book which is very awkward for me, only because I’m hardly ever there, I saw a chat thing pop up and my son wanting to chat.

My son lives out on his own and not far from us in the same city. Because of the sensitive nature of what he wanted to talk to me about, I will not go there, other than to ask those who know me at least through this medium of the www, to please pray for my son, as our Father would speak to you.

What happened last night seems to be just one of many cascading continuations of what Papa is making real in my heart these recent days. So often I feel as if my heart is going into a melt down, sensing how much He cherishes me.
As I said to my wife, how can I NOT cherish you, or our son, or our daughter, or those around me in light of what I am discovering about being loved and cherished myself?
All the languages of the world could say the word ‘cherished’ and yet not touch me in the depth of how He is defining what cherished really means!

As crushing and painful as it was, hearing my precious son divulge is internal devastation, there was a deep knowing, an assurance this was not meant for death, but for LIFE.
Because of the chat feature on Face-Book cutting in and out, I decided to call him, only because of the nature of what he was sharing with me. He did not answer his phone, but came back on the chat device and said, no, I don’t want to talk on the phone, I only want to talk this way, I said ok.

I believe with all my heart Papa allowed me (in my total, complete helplessness) to speak Life into my son, and sensing that once again the Lord’s indestructible life would soon come forth from this death experience my son was buried in.

He is our Living Hope, or its all just Bull Shit!!

As I have reflected on what Papa wanted to say to me about this hellish night mare last night, he brought back to my remembrance this story. This part in particular is what gripped my heart for my son; “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." All that he can NOT see right now, only because of who God my Father is, can I see for my son, and on the basis of that alone, I can by His spirit in and through prayer, begin to see that anything and everything that would try and keep him buried alive, will be pushed aside as the Father’s life not only raises him from his death, but into the fullness of his awaited Birth-Right.

Right from the get-go when I was apprehended of the Father, a dimension of his heart that seemed to become a very natural expression of Him in me as me, was ‘encouragement’. If there was ever a time to be an encouragement to His body, which is the Church, is now.
I know this is not some isolated thing being spoken to me alone, I know the same spirit is nudging, prompting many to BE His encouragement to those being awakened from the Matrix sleep of religion through out the earth.
This transition of grace I have likened to in the following; "Having gone through the portal of grace and into His family, we are ALL adjusting to what is REAL, and discovering for the very first time, what really is normal.”

His spirit is working now, in you in me, no set of circumstances or situations are able to stop, prevent Him from making His heart known, and trust me on that.
He is ‘opening’ closed eyes to behold Him right where we are.

I love this heralding trumpet sound of grace coming from the heart and lips of our dear brother Paul; “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
There are so many times Paul referrers to himself as, “I Paul the prisoner of Christ Jesus, not the prisoner of Rome
.”

Dear friend, brother, sister, you are NOT a prisoner of your circumstances or situations in light of the Truth, my prayer for His body, the Church is to SEE, and in seeing, we are FREED!

All of creation is standing on tip-toe, with baited breath and beating within their heart is a knowing, the long awaited manifest sons of God are coming to liberate them from their imprisonment.

Rich


7 comments:

Tracy Simmons said...

Rich, what a gift you have been given that your son would confide in you like this....beautiful.

I will pray for your son and also that you will have continued wisdom and love to pour out into him.

Anonymous said...

Rich,
My heart is truly touched by this blog. Your absolute openness for Father's outpouring Love and Grace is so evident in each of your words. I can hear your longer, your yearning and also your receiving and embracing.

My heart also goes out to your son. Although I do not know the details, just know that I will be praying for you and him. May he feel and know that Father's Presence so indwells him and that he is filled with peace, direction, guidance, grace and healing admist his pain and turmoil.

Blessings,
~Amy :)
http://amyiswalkinginthespirit.blogspot.com

Rich said...

Tracy,

I have been an MIA for a long time while professing to being a Christian.
My Father is lovingly removing the inner cateracts from me eyes to see what He has freely given me, and my son is one of the treasures he wants to love through me.

For a very long time, He has encouraged me to know this, "Despise not the day of small beginnings".
My son's generation is rife with something that is so exciting me, I am beside myself in rapture.

This generation is sick to death with form without the substance.
That which by and large has been proclaimed, passed off as life e.g. christianity is disgusting to them.
They like the little boy failing to realize he was thinking out loud when he said, "Why is the emperor walking around naked mommy".

By the grace of God my Father I refuse to be anestezzised again, settling for form instead of Him being the Living subsatnce!

I am endebted to the Father's great love for me and my son, and to you for praying His best in this unfolding transformation...thank you.

Rich said...

Amy,

I am truly rich in having such precious friends, siblings as you and others I am permitted to know this side of our heavenly home coming.

Papa is using the same spirit within your words to etch ever more deeply into my heart unseen, unknown demensions of His heart for me, that staggers me, and out of this is being birthed a knowing He IS so trust worthy.

As things unfold and where permitted I will post what unfolds...thank you!

Tracy Simmons said...

Rich I so agree with you....this next generation, it seems to me, is being prepared for REAL LIFE and not the cheap imitation offered by so many both inside and outside the church!

Ruth said...

Hi Rich,
It's always so great to pop by your blog. I have been thinking of you and wondering how you are doing!
You have always been a source of encouragement to me to continue to pursue and delve into the Father's love to discover and rediscover it's richness ! thanks for that. thanks for always reminding me ! How is your foot ? I would love to think of your son and will be praying for him also. Blessings, peace & love in Him, Ruth

Rich said...

Ruth,

I am doing well thank you, still on the mend. As I mentioned a while back, I was off for 5 weeks with my injured right knee, followed by 3 weeks of holidays after that.
I went back to work this past Monday to full hours only to discover when I went to physio on Tuesday, having been re-assed, I was not ready yet to work a full 8 ours, so I worked from past Tuesday until this past Friday only 4 hours a day. This will continue for 2 more weeks at 4 hours a day, then moved up to 6 hours a day after that, until I am ready to work a full 8 hours.

It has been a blessing in disguise though, Father has opened up my heart to receive of Him and I have been channeling this flow from His heart to mine into prayer and in writing.

You remain a constant blessing to me as well, even though I may not comment on your blog writings, I read them and you are in my heart before our Father in prayer.

This came to me tonight in listening to Papa in what you shared here.

But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."

I am discovering the reality of His words, I have such gracious and loving siblings I am so deeply indebted to!