is available for all ...
regardless of what the Church Proper does or does NOT experience.
That is good news for the hungry of heart.
Verily, verily, I+ say unto you,
unless a grain of wheat
falls into the ground
and dies,
it remains alone:
but if it dies,
it produces much grain.
John 12:24, NKJV
Within these Words of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST lies the secret to Pentecost, that great movement of the HOLY SPIRIT which engulfed the lives of the once fear-filled disciples.
HE+ tells us how to escape loneliness. HE+ tells us how to bear much fruit. HE+ tells us that HE+ has set in motion the way for us to experience Pentecost.
HOW do we accomplish this?
First, we set ourselves in the way, the path, HE+ directs. That involves some activity... yes, activity... on our part. We must fall to the ground, step 1. How hard is that ?
Then, we make a choice, step 2. We choose to die to Self. How hard is that ?
VERY HARD !
Indeed, we are willing but the flesh is weak and does not want to die. So... how do we "make" ourselves "die to Self ?"
We call upon The LORD for help. Will HE+ help us die ? YES, most assuredly HE+ will because it is His+ Will for each one of us. [ This is one place that His+ Will is not mysterious nor hidden to us. ]
We are "alone" until we die out to Self. Most of us know that our spouses cannot "fill" us up. Most will come to realize that our children cannot fill us up and will, sooner or later, leave the home nest. Some have even discovered the truth that our jobs, careers, work, education, etc., cannot fill us up. Our identity in these things is vaporous at best.
We sadly discover this when we retire or are forced out of our positions by corporate down-sizing, re-organization, our health, or some other contingency. We discover quickly how important and necessary our skills are to the business, company, agency, organization, hospital, or school: they can survive very well without us.
However, Our LORD JESUS CHRIST never, ever down-sizes. HE+ does not have a "retirement" package! Even if our health plummets and our circumstances change drastically by events we cannot control, we NEVER lose our importance to our work for the Kingdom of GOD.
Indeed, in many instances of major change, we hunker down even moreso with Our LORD and do the unseen foundational work of prayer and focused, single-minded commitment to Our LORD... so vital for victories in spiritual warfare.
We embrace death to Self. It is the only way given to produce fruit for JESUS our LORD... just like HE+ said.
+ + +
In the Name of The FATHER
WHO begot us,
And HIS Only-Begotten SON+
JESUS CHRIST WHO+ saves us,
And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT
WHO sanctifies us.
