Holy Spirit – Page 33 – Cross Culture Church

Isaiah 40:3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

There is a clear voice of reason crying among many clouded voices that appeals to the conscience of this generation that rests its experience on feeling rather than thinking. And where there is though, is conscience a part of the process? The voice has become the minority that has been forced into obscure places. If truth has the power to remedy the ills of society and there is an important question, why must it be sequestered in the wilderness instead of placed in the public square? The voice of truth cries out, although muffled by the hustle and bustle of the crowd in its rush towards self-destruction. A cry may be a loud proclamation or a grievous lamentation. However, Wisdom proclaims her distressed message loudly because she has been forced into unoccupied places. The wilderness journey of truth has led her on a path where only those who seek after her may find her. She is not lost but rather rejected—exiled among the nomads who take the road less traveled and are ridiculed by the crowds of fools rushing in where angels dare to tread.

All voices sound alike to those who are hearing impaired. A foreign language is mere babble and gibberish to one who cannot interpret the strangeness of unfamiliar words. But when we speak the same language, senseless communication can spread through its mutual sharing. The world is on the process of becoming one language and one mind, similar to the days when the Tower of Babel was erected. It persists on television, radio, and other forms of media with a message that none can miss. The outsiders are those who disagree, reason on a different level, and can no longer assimilate with the rest of society. As a result, they exist on the fringes; banished to the wilderness to cry out among themselves.

Repetition has the power to wear down the resistance of the will. Brainwashing occurs when one seeks justification for a thing because he feels that if it is endorsed by many, it must be true. Our generation is being brainwashed without even knowing. This is not what the majority once believed, but it is what they have come to know. The shift occurred gradually and strategically, forming a mass mindset directly opposed to the Word of God. This is the “great delusion” and “spirit of error” prophesied in days past. Yet, in the isolated places away from public opinion, the voice of God calls, making an appeal to any who would listen with their hearts to what their ears may never hear. Deep within the soul is that place of dissatisfaction where nothing fits correctly.

When we come out into the wilderness to hear the Word of the Lord, we are changed. But not only are we changed, the wilderness becomes a place of provision for us. The Psalmist writes that “He turns a wilderness into pools of water, and dry land into watersprings” (Psalms 107:35), where we can be both nourished and refreshed. God does not always follow the way of convention. The desperate soul will not be satisfied with the crumbs of knowledge that may fall from the table as a result of science, technology, religion, or any other source. The desperate nature of the soul will be in pursuit of seeing and knowing the Lord, and it is the voice that cries in preparation for Him to make a highway in the wilderness on which the Lord Jesus Christ will blaze with His glory.

With all of the uncertainties facing our future and the surmounting challenges with the smothering appearance to even snuff out every bit of life that yet remains, the Light continues to burn. There is hope awaiting our embrace. This hope has more to give us than what we are able to contribute. Yes, we are to preserve the spirit of optimism in spite of the challenges. We are to remain positive for the sake of our own countenance. But sometimes it is hard when it appear as if the last shoe is about to drop. What if the worst possible situation we would imagine was to occur? Would it still be within our abilities to speak of good things awaiting us on the other side of it? If we are attempting to manage our own lives independent of God, we would be fatalists in deep despair or optimistic dreamers living in a fantasy world created by our own imaginations. It is time to be honest with ourselves. Things are getting worse. People are becoming more desperate, and our security is being threatened. Yet God stands in the midst of this present darkness and confusion with an eternal truth. If may have been ignored by those who in their affluence we able to manage the day-to-day activities of their lives. But now, more questions are being asked than answers made available. He makes His Presence known through His Son, Jesus Christ. The age old declaration now is beginning to make sense; “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” We need to know the way to which we by our own efforts are unable to find. This is not some common path easily seen by careless persons who would ignore the requirements of God and not explore the dimensions of His love. It is the Way that leads to the Truth. Not just any truth, but the absolute Truth that is hidden in Christ. Anything other than this is the devil’s lie with the intent to deceive by having one so preoccupied with the false that they will never come to know the real truth.

Our issue is not just a matter of having our immediate problems solved and our current questions answered. There are some fundamental issues unknown to most that must be addressed if our issues are to be permanently resolved. The deepest problem is a matter of faith. What we believe and in whom we believe must be made clear. Then there has to be some evidence given expression through our lifestyles that we earnestly believe. It should not be passive faith, but rather active faith. The Spirit of God is beckoning us to draw closer to the flame. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Throughout the year 2011, we will be addressing the subject of spiritual intimacy. We need to know what it means to be close enough to the Lord in order for Him to reveal more of Himself to us. Only then will life make sense because the Source of life will determine our future. We are excited about what God will do among a people committed to knowing Him through His Son in an ever increasing way. We challenge you to draw closer to God than you have ever been drawn before. The Holy Spirit is willing to draw those who set their hearts to in His direction. He alone has the will and ability to make you whole and preserve you for that Great Day when we will know even as we are known.

Article: “Wilderness Crying”

2011 “The Year of Spiritual Intimacy”