Lady Michaela is right. The Bible says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he
that keepeth the law, happy is he." (Proverbs 29:18) I used to think that "vision" here meant like heavenly visions, prophecies,
stuff like that, but you can see even by its context that's not what God is saying. Substitute "goal" for "vision" and you
have an idea, or better yet "challenge". We need a goal, a challenge, a reason to live. Without it we will die, even as God's
word says. Yet if we "keep the law" we can be rejoice, because our "vision" or "goal" or "challenge" is to be holy as He is
holy, perfect as He is perfect. And in trying to keep the law we realize the folly of it. We are incapable of keeping the
law and beg for mercy before God. He then reveals to us His mercy in Jesus Christ, who kept the law for us, died for our sins,
and by His Spirit enables the law to be kept in us. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." "Be not conformed
to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of
our Faith." Life becomes unbearable when we take our eyes off of the Author of life. Therefore "All ye who are weary and heavy
laden, take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for My yoke is easy and My burden light."
Do not think that Goths are simply useful to God. I believe they are NECESSARY! Just as I think
prophets, apostles, evangelists, preacher/teachers, and other ministries are necessary, so also do I believe that Goths are
called to a special purpose in Him. For that reason, perhaps, there is such closeness to thoughts of death. The weight is
unbearable; the idea of being so called is frightening. Consider a child of 12 growing up as a Christian and learning about
the gifts of the Spirit and reading what God has to say about prophecy and prophets (and false prophecies and false prophets).
He is terrified. I was that child and for years asked God to give me other gifts BUT NOT PROPHECY. I didn't want the responsibility
attached to that function. Then I learned that teaching God's Word by His Spirit is the very essence of prophecy. God snuck
it in on me. I still fear the function and the responsibility, but can more easily bear it.
I was listening to a Chonda Pierce DVD (do a google search on her and you can listen to some
of her clips). She's a comedian for the Lord. One thing that she drives home is that at the foot of the cross we are all equal;
we are all the same. There we realize that we need His forgiveness, the shedding of His blood for our sins. There we aren't
concerned with denominations or nationality or race or anything other than "God be merciful to me, a sinner". And it is there
God performs His most awesome miracle. He takes that sinner at the foot of an old wooden cross, stained with the blood of
His Only Son, and molds them into that Body of Christ, over which Jesus is the head. God is calling His people to return to
the foot of the cross, to realize that we are all little more than manure without Him, yet glorious treasures with Him, that
we are all different; because that's the way HE made us. And there we are united into the Bride of Christ, blushing, bashful,
but virtuous and holy before God and the world.
(The previous article is actually the contents of an email I sent out to a beloved brother
in the Lord. When he replied I read over its contents again and realized this had to be made available to all who come
here. David Brollier aka "sonburst")
