The God Who Speaks - December 2007

Hello dear readers,

Phew! I’m sitting on the airport runway awaiting my final flight of the year. It will be good to get home. This will likely also be the final newsletter of 2007, so if I don’t pop in later this month, have a blessed Christmas.

Just so you know, I am praying that all who read this (including those to whom might forward this issue) would experience a fresh visit from the Lord in this Christmas season. He comes to us in many ways; often in disguise… imagine worshiping before a first-century refugee couple’s baby!

Sometimes he comes to us in dreams. I recently had a “Jesus-dream” that I thought I should share simply because the message is so central to our gospel. I’m also hoping that it will trigger visitation dreams for many of you.

In my dream, I was at the Orthodox Monastery, just arriving at a “Not by Bread Alone” seminar with Archbishop Lazar and Ron Dart (two of my mentors). A third fellow approached and while still in the dream, I recognized two points:

1. He was a simple priest in plain robes. His introduced himself as “Father Mastix.” In the dream, I was aware that mastix is the biblical Greek word for “scourge” and is symbolically used for “suffering” or “affliction.” I knew that this very tender, compassionate priest was not here as a scourge to inflict pain, but rather that he had endured scourging and affliction himself.

2. I was also aware that this “wounded priest” (a book title I’ve been playing with) was Jesus himself. He was far more gentle and humble than I could ever imagine.

When he came, Father Mastix / Jesus shared two very important points—he exhorted me to take care to remember them. When I woke up, I realized they were identical to a message that one of my prophetic intercessors had sent me two days earlier. He said to me:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

a. From the beginning the Father’s heart and intentions toward the Son were exactly the same... not a moment exists where this is not true. God is Love.

b. From the beginning the Father’s heart and intentions toward all of His sons and daughters has been the same. God is Love.

I was to remember these points, but I can also say that I deeply FELT them as the Lord conveyed them. His demeanour was the ultimate humility that comes from deep brokenness. I felt strongly that while God is truly transcendent and infinitely complex, the One I met and the message He brought represent the Gospel that He has revealed to me and authorized me to share.

So, there it is. Here’s a prayer that I would suggest for the month of December:

“Father, please give me eyes to recognize your visitations this month. Help me perceive your presence even when you come disguised as a baby, a peasant, an immigrant. Whether I’m awake or asleep, my heart welcomes you! Let me be the inn where you find rest amidst the insanity of holiday consumerism. Stay in the humble manger of my heart. Come, Lord.”

Blessings to you all,

Brad Jersak

For my internet homepage: www.bradjersak.com

For my latest articles: www.clarion-journal.ca ( e.g. my review re: Meg Tilly's novels)