Pull back the curtains!

I feel like God wants me to share with you a recent conversation with Him (2/4/10). This is a word - not only for us as individuals - but for the church as a whole. Here it is . . .

L – Ok God. Here I am – ready to write. What did you want me to write? What did you want to say?

G – Listen carefully. What do you hear?

L – Physically or spiritually?

G – Spiritually

L – Peace, joy, love, patience, kindness . . . :) The fruit of the spirit.

G – Yes – but what else?

L – (open my ears Lord) Rain?

G – What kind of rain?

L – Gentle rain – like a gentle spring rain – tapping on the window panes. I can’t see it – but I hear it – just outside – tap, tap, tapping – inviting me to come see.

G – Well –go look!

L – I pull back the curtain . . . . but I don’t see what I expect. I am scared – suddenly scared – like there was something outside the window – hideous and evil – that was imitating the gentle rain – it was imitating it – allowing me to feel peaceful that there was a gentle rain just outside the window – but there wasn’t – it was a lie – it was something evil. When I opened up the curtains though – it ran away. I was scared and shocked at first because it wasn’t what I was expecting to see. I was expecting to see the gentle drops of rain falling and sliding down the window glass – expecting to see the wispy clouds overhead – sending down the nourishment for the grass and trees. I was expecting to smell the clean freshness that the rain brings with it. However – it wasn’t any of the above. It was dark, ugly, hideous, and full of fear. IT was full of fear – and of evil. But it was more afraid of me – once it saw me – once it saw that I saw it was there – it ran – bolted – away from the window. I didn’t see where it went –but it went away fast and far. Now there is nothing outside my window. No light – but no darkness really – just nothing. Grey. Nothing. I close the curtains again (they are burgundy/scarlet velvet. ?? hmmm. . . ) So God – what was that?!

G – There is coming a temptation to man – to my church. It’s a temptation to feel comfortable – to be comfortable in your surroundings and in what you hear and expect. But things are changing. The winds are changing. What is outside those windows and behind the curtains – are coming. If the curtains are closed – if my people cannot see outside – they will be caught unaware. They will “feel” as if everything is ok. They will “feel” and “hear” that it sounds alright – it’s normal. “This is what to expect this time of year – this springtime. We always get these kinds of rain showers this time of year. Don’t you just love to hear the gentle rain?” (they will say) But tell them it’s not. It’s a lie! They won’t believe you . . . unless they look for themselves.

OPEN UP the CURTAINS Lori! Open up the curtains – BEFORE this comes. If the curtains are open – the enemy won’t even bother with that window. He can’t be sneaky and trick them with the window exposed. HE will be exposed. He loves the dark – He loves the shadows – so keep your windows exposed. Pull back the curtains and let the light in!

Yes – this is the springtime (coming up) –the time for rain showers. And yes – rain will come – but not yet. This year will be different. The rain will not come at the usual time or in the usual places – it will be different – because I have a different crop to harvest this time – this year. It’s a tougher crop – that requires a lot more water – and so I am gathering all the water I need to dump on this crop at just the right time. I can’t spread it out too thin – but I have to deluge this crop – to soften it – to loosen it – and to keep it SOAKED at all times. I can’t take the chance that it will dry out even in the least! In doing this – the water will reach way down deep – to the deepest parts beneath the very thick crusty exterior – the thick crust on top. Underneath all that crust and dry earth, is fresh, soft, and tender dirt . . . and seeds . . . LOTS of seeds!!! No one knows they are there – but they are – and there are LOTS of them!! They were planted there years and years and even generations ago – by your fathers and your father’s fathers. They’ve been waiting – underground – hidden – waiting for this time – for someone – something to be able to reach them. And I CAN! I WILL! I am so excited about this Lori – soooo excited about this. But the enemy is on guard and wants to lull my people to sleep – He wants to lull them into thinking that the rains will come as they always have – that they don’t have to do anything to get ready – “Sure – the rains will come. They always have. I’ve never had to even think about whether there would be rain in the spring. It’s always there and has always happened.” they will say. But tell them this. . . .GET READY NOW!!! There is no more time to waste. You must get ready NOW.

The months are coming down to the time when I will need my workers to be ready – ready with their buckets, ready with their rain gear, ready with their picks, and hoes, and other tools to get the water that is coming deep down into the ground. Help me soak this ground – help me till this ground – help me break up the hardened areas and get the water deep, deep down to where it needs to be. I NEED this harvest to come! I need this harvest to ripen. I need those seeds to be watered. But who will do it – especially if they are comfortable in their houses, behind their closed curtains, doing as they please. The enemy is sneaking up. OPEN YOUR CURTAINS! I came and ripped the curtain (the veil) in the temple – I didn’t do that so that the curtain could be closed again! OPEN your curtains! See the world as it is now! Don’t rely on “what you hear” and on what you think you know (is associated with what you hear) – see for yourself! Open the curtains NOW!

L – God – Help me to keep my curtains open. What does that mean? Does that mean that I am to keep my eyes open to you? To others around me? To what exactly? How do we keep our curtains open.

G – Lori – my people have shut me out. They live their lives as if they are on my side – as if they have included me in their lives “Yes – I love God. I go to church. I’m praying about this . . . or that.” But they don’t even invite me into their homes. They go in, shut the door and close the curtains. This is dangerous (and it makes me sad). I want to be a part of their lives – ALL of their lives. I want to walk and talk with them, teach them, laugh with them, heal them, and so much more. But they have shut me out.

So . . . . have you shut your "curtains"? What do you need to open up - to God? What to you need to ask God to show you? Are you looking outside your "house" - your comfort zone - your church? Have we (as the church) tried to close the veil/curtains to the outside world - happy and content in our "house"? There is a world out there that needs Jesus - and WE are the representatives of Jesus to them! Are you willing to do that - to be His representative - even to those that are "hard and crusty"? Are you willing? Are you ready? If not . . . I would encourage you to GET READY! Open your curtains! OPEN THE CURTAINS CHURCH!! Stop being lulled by your comfort and routines - stop being lazy - stop being selfish - stop being distracted - and open your curtains to see what is really going on outside! The enemy is out to kill, steal and destroy - and He will do whatever is necessary to keep God's children from knowing what's really going on! Open the curtains and let God show you! Do NOT close what God has already opened!!

Open your eyes and ears today to the deeper things of God!

L :)