I have been sick for the last 8 days, and let me tell you, I’m sick of being sick.
This entire week, I’ve had to sit here on my top bunk, sweat drenching my blankets, completely drugged on Dramamine and Tylenol PM and anything else that might give me some rest.
A few days ago, I finally had enough of my hopeless day-dreaming of home and all the things I would do when I get there and what I would eat and how I would feel and who I would see. I finally decided being sick wouldn’t distract me from my purpose here.
So, I listened to a podcast from Cornerstone in Simi Valley, California. It’s entitled “A Hope in all Things Being Made New.” It’s all about Heaven, which is always a nice thing to dream about. I was reminded of a lot, so get ready to read!
“Until you believe that Heaven is better than right now, you will always struggle placing your hope there.”
In order to have a heaven centered mindset, we need to stop thinking of Heaven as a constant church service. Instead, we need to open our eyes to the things of this world, and understand that He promises to make all things new. That doesn’t mean He’s necessarily going to do away with His designs, but instead, He’s going to remake it all to be qualitatively better.
I firmly believe that He’s given us our desires that we think we can be satisfied here in this life only to prove us wrong by satisfying them fully in Heaven.
We think we’re satisfied with life when we climb that mountain or surf those waves or jump out of these planes or paint with those colors, but oh buddy, He’s got higher mountains with better views and clearer waves that don’t hurt when they crash on you and a free fall that brings the most incredibly perfect combination of courage and joy and colors that we’ve never even seen before.
When our minds are set there, something changes.
It’s like in Super Mario Bros. when you put in that cheat code to acquire an infinite amount of lives.
Once you start living with the understanding that you can’t lose, you begin to play the game a whole lot differently.
As sons and daughters, we have to realize that our home is somewhere else, and when we do, this life becomes a little bit different than it was yesterday. Actually, it becomes a lot different, all kinds of different. My King says that we have every opportunity to live in freedom… Who the son sets free is free indeed, right?
So why is it that we are still standing with our hands resting on our broken shackles?
When my Creator comes back on a stallion in the clouds with fire in His eyes and His head righteously crowned and His identity etched into His thigh and every knee finally bows, every work that my King has started will be finished. (Revelation 19)
Friends… That means no more sex trafficking.
That means no more prostitution.
That means no more abuse.
That means no more children being raised up in perversion.
For those who have already bent their knee to Him, it’s going to be a good stinking day.
When I begin to recognize that this whole battle that I think I’m in Thailand to fight already has a promised victory, I start to fight a whole lot differently. For the next two weeks and two days of ministry, I get to walk with beautiful feet knowing that this perversion that I see is only temporary. This wreck that I see around me will be set right.
“Once God’s people begin to get heavenly minded, watch out.”
When He sets us free, we have to stop walking around like we’re still chained to our sin.
When He sets us free, we need to stop living through a legalistic mindset.
When He sets us free, we need to give up our ideas of what an extraordinary life would look like, because those ideas aren’t even the beginning of what He has planned.
When He sets us free, we need to drop our addictions and get addicted to Him and join His story.
When He sets us free, we need to stop being like a dog who keeps returning to his vomit. (Proverbs 26:11)
When He sets us free, we need to stop feeling guilty. (Romans 8:1)
When He sets us free, we need to start feeling righteously convicted.
When He sets us free, we need to stop leaving church services like the rich young ruler in Matthew 10 (ashamed and frustrated) and we need to start leaving church services like Zacchaeus in Luke 19 (ready and willing to change things).
When He sets us free, we need to turn around and look at our chains
and spit on them
and dance a freedom dance
and sing a wild song
and live with an understanding that we get to someday marry the Bridegroom.
Heaven is a wild place, and I for one am tired of keeping that a secret.
PS: It’s 11:15pm here in Thailand, and the Holy Spirit just gave me the most intricate and ridiculous vision I’ve ever had in my entire life, so of course I had to share.
I watched a video on Branden O’Leary’s facebook wall today (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sFRoWIC92I). I decided to just do it. I asked God to take me in to the most holy of holies.
He took my soul home for only a short period. I stood at the gates just pacing and getting ready to burst through them, hoping for and anticipating the familiarity in my Beloved’s face. There was sand covering the ground, but it didn’t stick to my feet. As soon as the gates opened, I ran in. I saw my King on His throne and my Beloved on His right. I fell face down, and there was snow completely surrounding me, but it wasn’t cold. It wasn’t sharp or uncomfortable, just refreshing.
I looked up and they were running toward me, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all approaching me. Which I can’t, by any means, explain in words… I can’t put any of this into words to the extent that I saw it, so bear with me here.
They poured their love over me, and I just said, “I love you so much.” That’s all I could say. I just kept saying it, over and over, and He looked at me and said, “Shelby, I know you do. That’s why you’re here. But for now, you need to rest in the Spirit and do what He asks. He’ll lead you back to me, and you better believe I’ll be counting down the days until you’re home.”
I opened my eyes, and remembered then just where I was. I looked down and my notebook was drenched in tears and snot (no shame). As I breathed in deep, I could still smell Him. Guys, God smells so good. He smells like rain.
You know when you go outside and you can just smell that rain is coming? That’s kind of how He smells.
I can’t get over the love that I just saw in my Beloved’s eyes. I know this is a crazy concept for a lot of people to grasp, but it was so real.
He is so real.
Also, pretty sure Heaven’s going to have all of the seasons going on at the same time. Just saw that little number out of the corner of my eye… people get ready.
