The Clouds Parted

The past few days I haven't been feeling great, good enough to function, but not great. As as I sitting in my fog yesterday morning, it was as if the Lord parted the clouds in my mind and transported me into a beautiful day. Instantly light was shed on my heart and mind and I saw everything in my life the way it should be. I was overjoyed and greatly motivated. The Lord went through a host of different issues with me that can be summed up by the scriptures listed below.

Psalm 97:11
Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.

Romans 8:14
because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Psalm 25:15
My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Proverbs 8:34
... Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily
at my gates, waiting beside my doors.

The Parable of the Talents
Matt 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.

26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

The Lord clearly impressed me to follow Him "to the exclusion of all else." Just as Israel followed the Lord out of Egypt in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, so we are to follow the Lord. The sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. We are to separate ourselves from the world. The word "church" as it is translated in Greek is "ekklesia." Literally, that means nothing close to what people today call "church." Ekklesia literally means "the called out ones under authority" or something very close to that. Note especially "the called out ones."

We have been called out of this world system, out of babylon and her harlot church which is ruled by the nico (conquer) laitans (you) (Rev 2). Yes, we are in the world but we are not of it. We admit that we are aliens and strangers here with a kingdom that is not of this world.

The Lord is coming soon for us, when exactly I have no idea. What I believe the Lord has impressed upon me is that while we watch and wait for His return daily we are to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12) as Paul said and to employ the "talents" the Lord has revealed to us by faith (Matt 25). We are to do these things with much thanksgiving and rejoicing always. We are to have faith in God, pray and ask for what we need, then believe we have received what we asked for (Mark 11:22-24, James 1:8).

Also, I've been put on an internet "fast" again (meaning no worldy "news" of any kind) for 30 days other than what I need to do for work. Again, the world is falling all over itelf to "stay connected" which is why you can't drive by a car without seeing everyone with a cell phone sewn permanently to their face or walk by someone on the street who isn't "texting." Meanwhile, the Lord has pointed me in the exact opposite direction with the instruction: disconnect. I am 100% positive that I can follow the Lord to the exclusion of all else, without a crack-berry or cell phone or Ipod permanently attached to my face and come out in the end light years ahead of the people I see around me. That is to say, I believe that if I do what the Lord has instructed me to do, I will benefit. These things are written here today so that you too may benefit.

We will find the Lord when we seek Him with all our heart. The enemy and the world are found in the noise and chaos of the world. Our Lord is found in stillness and quietness of spirit. He speaks to us in a still and quiet voice. I recently watched the new "karate kid" and one line in the entire movie really stood out to me. Jackie Chan said to his apprentice "there's a big difference between being still and doing nothing." To that I say AMEN. Let's be still and hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches today.

grace and peace