When this vision began, I found myself as though I was an usher in a theater. I was standing on the side of the theater, right down in that area that between the stage and the audience. From where I was standing, I could not only see the seating area and the stage, but I could also see everything that was taking place backstage. When this vision started, all of my focus was on the backstage area, and it was not only extremely huge, but it was also packed with people. Everyone was hurriedly trying to get ready, for the show was about to begin. I then perceived that all these people who were backstage were all members of Christ’s church. I was then told that all of these people had been preparing to go on stage to act out everything that they believed to be right. Needless to say, there was much tension among and anxiety among them.
Suddenly someone called out, “The Lord is coming”. From the reaction of all those who were backstage, I realized that none of them had been expecting for Jesus himself to come to this performance. The thing that surprised me about this announcement was none of these people seemed to be expecting Jesus to come, but neither did any of them seem to have any desire at all for him to be there. Much to my surprise, all of these people backstage were all walking around complaining about his coming, and each one was murmuring the same words, saying, “I have got my rights! I got my rights!” At first, I was greatly bewildered, trying to comprehend why these people of God would act in such a manner concerning the Lord’s coming. I then realized that this stage was nothing but a platform for each one of these people to act out his own beliefs, as well as his own judgments of others, and his own opinions of how others should live their lives as Christians.
Suddenly all of the lights in the theater were turned completely off; that is, except for the lights that shined on the stage area, as well as the lights that were back-stage. I then realized that I had not even had a chance to even observe just how big this theater really was. I assumed that if the backstage and stage area were any indication of how big the sitting area was, then it must at least number in the thousands. It was so dark that I could not see anyone who was sitting anywhere in the arena. This really disappointed me because did not know how Jesus was going to come, and I wanted to be sure that I saw him when he got there. Regardless of size of the sitting arena, I then assumed that the theater at the very least was close to a sell out, if not a sell-out, because of the enormity of the production and the massive number of people who were partaking in it. Then the curtain opened for the first act, and the first thing that I noticed was that the entire stage had been covered in beach sand.
I do not know how to explain how this happened, but for the opening act, all of the people who were backstage, which certainly numbered in the thousands, were all able to come out on stage. I then noticed that each one was also carrying a banner that said, “Christian”. Then all those who were on stage began to greet each other, hug each other, and tell each other that they loved them.
Then I saw this wolf walk up on stage, and I could not believe how poorly disguised he was as one of the brethren, but he just moved around on the stage also greeting and hugging all of the brethren, and telling them how much he loved them. Then all of sudden this wolf began to preach, declaring how he thought God ought to be worshipped. Many of the people who were there said that they did not believe that was the right way that God wanted to be worshipped, so they did not pay any more attention unto him. But there was this portion of people who had agreed with what he said, and they then announced that they believed that this man truly knew the “right” way in which God desired to be worshipped, and so they followed the wolf. When they had separated themselves into their own little group, the wolf then drew a line in the sand that completely compassed their little group.
I then observed as another wolf, with a slightly different, but still poor disguise, as he came up on the stage. I observed him as he did almost exactly the same thing as the first wolf did; greeting, and hugging, and speaking smooth words until he seemed to be accepted by some. Then after a short time, he also began to declare that which he believed was the “right” manner in which God should be worshipped. Again, many disagreed that his way the “right” way, so they did not pay any attention at all unto him. But just like the first wolf, there was a portion of the people who did believe that the words that he had spoken were truth, and they followed after him, surely thinking that they were walking in the “right” way. Then after they had separated themselves into their own group, the wolf then drew a line in the sand that completely compassed everyone who was in that group.
I then observed a third wolf, and again with the same poor excuse for a costume on, he came up on stage, and he also did exactly as the first two wolves had done, with the same exact results. Then there was a fourth, a fifth, as well as several more wolves who had all disguised themselves in same manner as saints on stage, and they imitated all that the saints had done. This continued until all of the people who were on stage had been divided into different groups; and I noticed that each group had drawn a line in the sand that compassed only their group. I also observed that no longer were any of these people carrying banners over them which read, “Christian”, but rather they were now carrying banners over them that identified the group which they belonged, which was also meant to identify the right manner in which they believed God ought to be worshipped. I saw banners that covered about every denomination that I had ever heard of, and then some that I had not even heard of. I then observed that all of these people still seemed to be friendly towards each; that is, until someone said some-thing or did something that crossed the line (the line drawn in the sand), that is, that disagreed with that which they believed to be right. Then they treated each other as though the other group did not even exist. I then observed that when one of these groups spoke seemed to acknowledge the other group, it was only to evil of them and to make accusations against what they believed. About the only thing that they could agree on was to say, “At least we serve the same God; and we agree to disagree; and we believe that it is our “right” for us to do so”.
Then, as the curtain was coming down on this act, I heard the Spirit of the Lord speak to me and say that which is written in I Corinthians 1:10 “Brethren, I beseech you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Christian), that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment”. Then the Spirit of the Lord also said, “This is what is right in the sight of the Lord”. Seeing that the theater was so dark that I could not see anyone in the audience, I was anxiously waiting to see what manner of response was going to come from the audience; but there was none; there was no cheering nor booing. In fact, it was so quite that I, as well as all those who had been up on stage, felt strange to hear nothing but silence.
Then, after a few moments, the curtain arose, and the second act began. This time the stage was all decorated to look like a carnival or the fair, except there were no rides, just many different side show booths. I then saw at the first booth that there was a man who was barking out to the other people who were in this act, and he was trying to entice them into playing a game entitled “Three steps to a better marriage”. This barker seemed to be so confident of what he was trying to sell, that guaranteed that if anyone played this game his way, which he promised was the “right way” that this game should be played, then they would surely see immediate improvement in their marriage. I then saw at the booth next to the first one, a game that was called, “Five easy ways to financial success”; and the barker at this booth was backing up each one of these five ways with a bible verse, which seemingly ensured that anyone who played this game would surely be successful. Then at the next booth, I saw a game that was entitled, “Prosper and gain favor and grace with God through the Ten Commandments”; and this hawker was even dressed up as though he was imitating Moses.
The next booth that I came to was called the blame game. Here I saw people walk up to the barker of this game, and they would say such things as, “Well, I did not seek the Lord because I just did not have any time to seek him”. Then this barker stamped this man’s hand with a rubber stamp that read, “APPROVED: Self-justified”. Then another person walked up and said, “Well, I did not ask the Lord to help me because I believe that I am able to help myself; that I have no need for the Lord”. Again, the barker took the same stamp “APPROVED: Self-justified”, and stamped his hand with it. The next person that came up said, “I did not cast any of my cares upon the Lord because I did not have any belief that the Lord really loved me enough to take care of me”; bam, “APPROVED: Self-justified”. The next man said, “I know that I have followed after false doctrines and religious traditions, but I only did so because everyone in my family also did the same”; again, bam, “APPROVED; Self-justified” was stamped on his hand also. The next guy said, “I know that I should have forgiven this man, and not have slandered him, but he really offended me and hurt my feelings; and I feel that I am just in hurting him also”. Again the barker stamped “APPROVED: Self-justified”. The next man said, “I would have drawn near to the Lord, but I was fearful and afraid that the Lord might not draw near to me in return”; again, “APPROVED: Self-justified”. Another man stepped forth and said, “I have not loved my brethren because my brethren have not loved me”. Bam; “APPROVED: Self-justified”.
The line of people at this game was always very long, for it appeared as though every- one who played this game, they always left with a smile on their face, as though their own self-justifications had freed them from the guilt of their sins or slothfulness. But then the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me and reminded me of that which is written in Romans 4:5 “But to him who works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for “righteousness”.
The next booth that I came to was a game called, “The path to a wonderful life is to live life the right way; and the right way is the way that I tell you”, by John Doe. I was observing that all those who were playing this game, they all seemed to be able to win a victory or two, as though the hawker of this game had allowed them to, so that he could get them just where he wanted them; where he could entice them to continue playing this game until they were so confident that they had the victory, that were willing to risk everything that they. Of course, every one there continued on playing, and when all was said and done, they had not only lost all that which they had previously won, but they had also lost all that which they had before they starting playing the game.
Then the next booth that I saw was like a game that I first played at the fair when I was a kid; a game where you paid a dollar and got to throw two softballs in your attempt to knock over six milk bottles that had been stacked upon each other. The reason that I thought that this was a similar game to this game that I had played when I was a child was because I saw all of these stacks of balls placed on a counter at the front of the booth, just as they had done with this other game. But when I began examining this game to see if it was indeed this game, I saw a man come out and stand in the middle of the back of the booth, facing towards the front of the booth. Then the hawker began to yell out, “This man has been accused and judged to be a child molester”; and without him saying another word, it seemed like everyone then stepped forward, picked up some balls, and began throwing them as hard as they could at this man. I immediately discerned from the noise that these balls were making as they hit this man that they were not softballs at all, but rather stones that were appeared to look like softballs.
After all had finished throwing their stones at this man, he was then dragged out and another man was brought in who stood in the same place as the other man had. Then the barker began to yell out that if there was anyone there who had been offended at all by this man, whether by any word that this man had spoken previously, or because his appearance did not meet their approval, or because he had weaknesses and sins, then come forth and take your best shot at him. After this man was also dragged out of the booth, then another man was brought in; and the barker began to accuse this man for the beer that he drank and the cigarettes that he smoked, and immediately many people eagerly stepped for-ward to throw stones at him. I saw another person brought forth and stoned because he ate fried foods.
I then watched as a young girl was brought forth, accused and then stoned for fashion she chose to wear her clothes. Another man was accused and stoned for being gay; another man was accused and stoned for being of this world; another was stoned for being in the wrong political party; another was stoned for not agreeing with the traditions of others; another was accused and stoned for his religion, another for his race, and another for his nationality. And then there was the man who was accused and stoned for rooting for the wrong team. Then there was the teenage boy who was stoned for not living up to his parent’s expectations. There was a man who was accused and stoned for making a bad decision, and many others were accused and stoned for just making a mistake. There was a teenage girl there that was accused and stoned for not following her parent’s instructions. And of course, there was a young woman there who had been accused and stoned for committing adultery. But the stoning that aroused my curiosity the most was the one about a man who had been stoned many times before for the same offence. But evidently the barker must have gotten great pleasure out of seeing this man suffer for his sin, so he had him brought back out, and he was stoned all over again.
As I continued to watch all of these stonings take place, I suddenly realized that everyone who was there throwing stones, as well as all those who were just standing around, they all appeared to have the same bruises on their own bodies as all those who I had just seen be stoned. Some of their bruises appeared to be so faded that it was if they were almost healed, but somehow I felt as though seemed none of these bruises would never be completely healed. Then there were also bruises on everyone that were so fresh that it appeared as though they themselves had been stoned in the past hour or so. Of all the barkers that I had seen in this act, it was without a doubt that this barker was the best I had seen; for he was able to get everyone to participate in a game many times over in which they themselves had also been hurt in many times over.
I then observed that every time one of the participants hit the person who he was throwing, then that same barker would walk over and give them a piece of paper that was entitled “Official certificate”; and on this certificate was written, “This certificate is your official certification that gives you righteous justification and excuse to judge, or to accuse, or to speak evil, or to condemn, or to find fault with, or to murder, or to slander, or throw stones at all those who have offended you, or defrauded you, or hurt you, or that have sinned against you in any manner”. Of all the booths that I saw displayed in this act, this game, by far, seemed to be the one that people most enjoyed playing; seeing that it is the favorite sport of the self-righteous.
As curtain began to fall on this act, I was wondering who this barker was that could so easily deceive the people of God into participating in a game in which every time they played, they were only condemning themselves. How could this barker so easily entice these so called Christians to play a game where they so willingly and eagerly desired to inflict such pain on those who Jesus Christ came into this world to save, having suffered and died for all men. Then the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me and said, “It is just a sport for Satan to kill, and to steal, and to destroy the lives of all of the saints. It is also only a sport for those who have been deceived by him to do inflict the same pain on those around them”. Then the Spirit of the Lord said, “Truly, everyone who has judged without mercy is also going to be judged without mercy; seeing that God is going to judge them with the same judgment that they have measured and judged others by”. As the curtain came down, again I neither heard any cheering or booing; just an eery silence that seemed to swallow up the entire theater.
When the curtain rose for the next act, I saw several different groups of people who were sitting at round tables, and each person had a Bible opened in front of him. After I had listened for a moment, I realized that a different topic from the scriptures was being discussed at each table. I then focused my attention on the group that was sitting closest to me, and I discerned that they were discussing the doctrine of “once saved always saved”. I then listened as each person shared his own opinion of what he believed to be the “right” interpretation, and each person would use the scriptures themselves to try and back up that which they believed. As soon as someone would hear an interpretation that did not completed disagreed with what they themselves believed, they would almost immediately interrupt the person who was sharing to express their disagreement. Everyone there seemed very confident that the opinion that he believed was right because he was a able to take a verse of scripture, apply his own understanding to it, and bring forth that which he was sure was the truth. It was not long before much strife, contention, and arguing broke out at this table, seeing that everyone seemed willing to defend to the death that which they believed to be right. I noticed that everyone at this table was talking at the same time; and this made me realize that there was not one person in this group who really desired to learn the truth of this matter, for no one had any intention but to defend that which they believed to be right.
I then focused my attention on the other groups, and I heard one discussion taking place about the rapture; another group was discussing tithing; another group was discussing speaking in tongues. But all of the groups had become just like the first group in that each person was using the scriptures to back up the interpretation which he believed to be the “right interpretation”. By this time, there seemed to hardly be any agreement among any of these groups, only arguing and strife. Every time someone would use a scripture to back up his own “righteous” opinion, then you could see others already flipping through the scriptures to back up their own interpretation. Then suddenly, the curtain went down leaving everyone on stage still arguing and defending their own opinions and interpretations. Still, there was not one peep of noise that could be heard coming audience; no cheers, nor jeers. Only silence.
After a few moments, the curtains again arose for the next act, and the first thing that I noticed was what looked like podium right in the middle of the stage, and it stood about 8 feet off the floor; you had to climb a small set of stairs just to stand at it. Again, the rest of the stage was again packed with people. As I was trying to figure out the purpose of this podium, I then observed as a man walked up the steps, stood at the podium, and then proceeded to declare all of the righteous works that he had done. When he was finished, another came to the podium who then began to boast about how often he prayed and fasted, as well as how much money he gave to his church. Then a woman came to the podium who spoke of her involvement in a soup kitchen, as well as the role that she thought that women should take in the church. Then another man came up who spoke in detail about the importance that tradition had in his church. The first thing that I became aware of listening to these people was that they were all speaking of those things which were precious and dear to their own hearts. The second thing that I noticed was that no one else there really seemed to care at all what these people esteemed to be the treasures that they lived their entire lives by; for while they were speaking, all the rest who were on stage seemed to be engaged in small chit chat with those around them.
I then continued to listen as person after person came to the podium, all declaring that which they believed was the right way for a Christian to live. There was one man who came to the podium who, before he spoke the first word, seem to roll out a laminated scroll that continued nothing but documents that reached from the top of the podium to the floor; and it contained his college diploma, two seminary degrees, several counseling certificates, as well as certificates from every one day seminar that he had ever attended. He did this in his attempt to validate himself before the others as though he was the one there who was best qualified to teach how others should live a Christian life. After him came a man who tried to preach his view of the place that he felt like the church should have in society. Again, not one person on stage seemed to be listening, as all seemed to be still engaged in small conversations around the stage. After that man left, a woman took her place at the podium, and she began to exalt herself by comparing herself with the Proverbs 31 woman, not even realizing that Proverbs 31 is not even speaking of a fleshy woman. Still, no one paid any attention to her. There was a man who got up and boasted of his religious doctrine, calling it his old time religion. There was another man who boasted of how many people he had won to Christ; and another boasted of how big his church was, and yet another who boasted of how well his church was hooked into the most modern technology. The people kept parading to the podium for quite some time, with each one boasting of their own goodness, or the strength of their own will-power and determination, or their own intelligence, or their own righteous works.
To be honest with you, I was saddened to see these people speaking of those things which they valued the most, and the truth was that there was no one else that really cared about anything that was being spoken of. Everyone there seemed to be so enamored with self that they could not hear anything that did not seem to be beneficial to self. It was almost as if the person who came to the podium did not even exist in the eyes of the others who were on stage. When the curtain went down on that act, again there was not any applause or jeering; only a silence that suggested that all those who were in the audience cared no more for what they had heard than those others who were on stage. It was then that the Spirit of the Lord spoke two words to me, and I immediately recognized both of these words as coming from the scriptures. The first word was that which is written in Psalm 39:5 “…Truly, every man at his best state is altogether vanity (worthless; vain). I then realized the truth of about all that I had just seen and witnessed in this act, as well as all of the other acts; that man at his best state, devoting himself to any doctrine or counsel whereby he believes that he can do or say anything right of himself, is of no worth at all. Yet, it is of these very things that the people of God gather into the treasures of their heart to live their lives by. Even then, they only have great value to “self”, because everyone else is also absorbed in “self”; and self-righteous means that which is right to one’s own “self”.
The second word that the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me was that which is written in I Peter 1:24 “All flesh is as grass, and “all of the glory of man” is as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and it’s flower falls away. But the word of the Lord endures forever”. What does a man glory in except those things which he believes and does for himself? And what man believes or does anything that he does not believe is right?
Suddenly, the lights came on throughout the theater, and I was shocked to see just how huge this theater actually was; far bigger than anything that I had imagined. It was more like a football stadium in size than a theater. But I was then even more shocked to see that out of all the seats in that theater, there was only person sitting there. He was sitting about 20 rows back and right in the middle seat. I do not know how I knew, but I knew that it was Jesus. He had truly come, and he had been sitting there throughout the entirety of this play, watching everyone play out those things which they believed to be right. Then Jesus stood up and said, “I have seen all the works done here, and I have heard all of the words that have also been spoken; and all that I have seen is vanity, and all that I have heard is vanity; vanity of vanities. This is the act that is, but is not; and that was, and was not, and neither shall it ever be”. A great grief then came on me as I realized that all that which this church had prepared for, as well all that which they truly valued in their hearts, was vain and worthless in the sight of God.
Then Jesus walked down in front of the stage, and turned to walk out the exit that on was the opposite side of where I had been standing. I then realized that the door that Jesus was about to walk through was not really an exit at all, but rather an entrance into another theater. Then I remembered that this was a twin theater. Just as Jesus opened the door, he turned, and motioned to me and said, “Come out of there and follow me”. So I did. When I walked into this other theater, I saw that it was exactly the same size as the other theater; and the seating area, the stage, and the backstage area were all lit up. I then observed that there was a person sitting in about every fifth seat, and many of the people there came over to greet me. I was then told that all of those who were in this theater had come out of the other theater, and that they had all witnessed the same show that I had witnessed, and they were also told by Jesus to follow then into this theater. I then myself sat down, also taking a seat that was about 5 seats from the nearest person.
When I had walked in, I had observed that there was not person at all back-stage. I then observed that the only prop was a large beautiful wooden chair sit-ting in the middle of the stage; and laying beside this chair was a bag that looked similar to the old leather bags that postmen used to carry. It was then that Jesus walked up on stage, and when he did, the theater erupted with great rejoicing and praise. I was then struck by the contrast in which Jesus was received by those in the other theater when they were told he was coming, seeing that I had only heard much murmuring and complaining. Then Jesus, with smiles of great joy sat down in that big chair. And when the cheering had completely subsided, Jesus then greeted everyone of us by saying, “Thank you for believing on me and on my words. Thank you for waiting for me to come to finish the works that I have started. I want to thank you also for enduring my correction, and not loving the corruption of “self”. I want to thank you for believing my word by taking up your crosses and dying to your own desires to be god over your own lives; dying to the lies that have enticed you to believe you can do good of your own self, as well as the lies that have sought to deceive you into believing that you can make your own opinions to be the truth. (I then remembered that which Jesus had said in John 15:5 “Without me, you can do nothing”. Then Jesus said, “Thank you for your patience and your faith”.
Then Jesus reached down into the bag, which I then perceived to contain the prayers of these saints who were here, and he pulled out a card. He then proceeded to read aloud that which was written on the card, “Lord, we have been as a scattered sheep for so long; for there has been division and strife among us, and we know that the members of your church should be like-minded, as well as esteeming the lives of our brethren to be greater than our own. But Lord, you have asked us to do that which we have no wisdom of ourselves to do; thus, it is impossible for us to be that body which you desire to have. If you are willing at this time, would you bring your flock together”? I do not know how to explain this, but this prayer seemed not only to be the request of just one of us, but it was as though it was the prayer of everyone who was sitting in that theater. Then Jesus simply said, “Unity, Be”. And suddenly, we all found ourselves sitting no longer sitting five seats apart, but rather, right next to each other. It happened so fast that there no way for any of us to see how Jesus did this. He simply spoke it, and it was. Not only were all so stunned at how the Lord did this, but we were also stunned in that we all felt as though we had known each other for all of our lives; as though we had all been best friends.
Then Jesus reached down and pulled up another card and read, “Lord, I know that when you called me that you gave me the belief that you were the Son of the living God; and that you shed your blood to cover my sins; and that you were crucified and raised from the dead, but Lord, will you finish the work that you have started in me and give me that belief which believes that all things are possible?” Again, it was as though each one of us could have written that prayer request, for we had all been asking the Lord to do the same. Then Jesus put down the card and said, “Belief, Be”. Suddenly, everyone in the theater just started touching everyone around them with their hands, and some cases, their fingers, and we were all healed of all of our infirmities and weaknesses. This time, everyone in the theater stood up and cheered; rejoicing and praising Jesus for what he had just done. Though none of us felt like we had any sense of time, we must have praised the Lord for hours after that; not only for the belief that had been given to us, but for all the works that were done as a result of that belief.
Again Jesus reached in and pulled out a card with this request upon it, “Lord, you promised that when you came, you would set us free from all of our bond-ages to Satan’s lies. Would you do so now?” At first, Jesus seemed not to pay any attention to this question as he reached back into the bag and pulled out another card and read it, “Lord, you said that it would be by your hand that you would make us to be kings and priests; would you now make us kings and priests unto you?” Then Jesus looked towards us all and said, “I promised you that when I would return, that I would make all those who remained faithful to my words to be a ruler over all that you have. It is done. Now speak and loose your own selves from your bondages”. Immediately, we all began to say such things as, “Anxiety, be gone”; “All evil thoughts, be gone”; “All fear, come out and be cast into the sea”; “Division and strife, perish”; “Uncertainty, flee”. No matter what we spoke immediately came to past. That which we ourselves had not been able to tame was suddenly tamed through the authority that Jesus had given us over our own tongues. It was simply incredible and amazing; for all that misery and trouble that had so easily ruled over the thoughts of our mind were so easily cast out.
No matter what was spoken, it was done. It was just like how God does things, “Light Be”, and it was; and just like Jesus also did things, “Be healed”, and it was. Wow, who would have ever thought that when the Lord made you ruler over all that which you had, it would have been your tongue? I then remembered that which was written in James 3:2 “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, able also to bridle (rule over) the whole body…8 “But the tongue can no man tame; an unruly evil full of deadly poison”. Again, everyone stood up cheering loudly and rejoicing, praising Jesus and giving thanks to his name; and again, this went on for quite some time. What a contrast to silence that followed all of the acts that I had seen in the other theater.
By the time Jesus pulled out the next card, we were just all filled with joy unspeakable and very giddy, knowing that from this moment on, it was impossible for anything to be impossible. We knew that whatever was asked, we were going to see Jesus perform it. The request on the next card read, “Lord, you said once we believed on you, then you would do that which is exceedingly abundantly above anything that we are able to think or to ask; so would you now do that for us?” Then Jesus, with a child-like smile on his face, leaned forward to towards us and said very quickly, “Abra Cadabra”; and suddenly we were all changed. We all had been changed into the bodies of that of a 20 year old; yet, our faces were that of a child of about 6 years old. Then Jesus, still smiling, said again, “Abra Cadabra”, and we suddenly found ourselves in the most beautiful mountain setting, and we were all standing on top of the water of this mountain lake. The beauty of this place was indescribable. Then we all began walking around kicking at the water like a small child would do in a mud puddle, amazed at the feeling of walking on water as though we were walking on ground. Then Jesus again said, “Abra Cadabra”, and all manner of animals and birds came out of the forest, and they all walked out on the water and stood with us, and they began talking with us. Even some of the fish stuck there heads out of the water so that they also could speak with us. It was like being a living part of a fairy tale, where there was no limits or boundaries that could be placed on Jesus and the things which he was able to do for us. As much joy as we had seeing Jesus do all of these things for us, so also did Jesus seem to have just as much joy performing them for us. Then one final time, Jesus, having the countenance of a playful child, said, “Abra Cadabra”; and we were all immediately back in the theater.
Then Jesus reached down in the bag one final time and he read this request, “Father, you said that unless you built your church, all of our labor would be in vain. So would you now build your church like the one described in your word?” Then Jesus looked up and said, “Church, Be”. And immediately a beautiful spirit filled the room, and it began to stretch forth itself as though it was changing itself into some manner of rope. Then we all seemed to be able to discern that it was not the image of a rope, but rather some manner of soft, beautiful yarn. Then we all watched in amazement as this spiritual yarn began to move in and out of our bodies, actually knitting our hearts together in love a love that was more beautiful than the spirit itself. I know that I myself watched this yarn move in and out of me, but the only thing that I felt was a love for my brethren that was nothing like anything that I had ever experienced before.
The effect of this love was not only a feeling of oneness with everyone in that theater, but it was also a feeling of a unity in liberty. I then realized that every-thing that I had ever loved, I always felt like I must have some manner over it, like one of my favorite shirts; or that I must be in control of it, like my job; or that it must have my approval, like my children; or that I must meet their approval, like my parents; or that it something had to be there that was pleasing to me, like my wife. No, it was not like anything that I had known, but it was like this love freed our minds of all our judgments of other, and we delighted in the liberty that we all had to be ourselves without having to do anything with the thought that it had to please someone else; yet, there was no selfishness at all in this love.
In this new love, we were all still individuals, but we loved each other because it had simply become our nature to love each other without any conditions placed on that love. There was neither any worry among any of us as to what God himself thought of us; for we all knew in our hearts that we were loved by God for the individual that he made each one of us to be. There was no distrust among us, nor was there any worry that you might do something that would cause the others to cease from loving you. In fact, there was no desire in any of our hearts to compare or measure ourselves to anyone else; for we all knew that we were loved by all just as we were. There was not one jealous thought, nor any envious thought, nor any thought to find a fault with another, nor was there any manner of evil thought at all among any of us. There was no judging of any kind among us. In this love is no desire to exalt yourself above others because there is no thought of “self” in this love; only communion with all those around you.
Though I have tried to describe this love in the best manner that I know how, I know that trying to describe this love is like trying to tell somebody about how big this rock was that you saw, and in their minds, they are thinking that you saw a boulder; but then when they actually got to see it, they saw that you had been trying to describe Mt. Everest to them. There are no words in any of man’s languages that can be used to describe a love that not only does not exist in this world, but that cannot even be imagined by the thoughts of any man. This love can only be known by experiencing it. Yet, all that was necessary for this love to come upon us was for Jesus to send his Spirit into us. This love brought forth a unity and a oneness among us, yet it was without any controls, or rules, or laws, or limitations. Just as I can not find the words to describe this love, neither am I able to find any words that can properly define the freedom that was in the liberty that was also brought forth by this love. Even though it was liberty, there was still an absolute loving care for one another that went far beyond any of the boundaries that are of any worldly relationship that I have I ever experienced, or that I have ever heard of. Wow, what a church; and all Jesus did was say, “Church, Be”, and it was.
Then Jesus reached over and pulled out one last card with this request on it, “Lord, I have one desire, and that is that you might give me a new heart and a new mind so that I might be changed into the image of my Father who is in heaven. I would love to have a mind that did not think that it was robbery to think that I could be equal with my God”. Jesus then looked up at all of us, and with tears of joy in his eyes, he then said, “Done”. Then at that very instant, we all witnessed another spirit come forth out of Jesus that was even more awesome in beauty that the other spirit that had brought brotherly love into our hearts. It was as if the first spirit that we saw was as only one color of a rainbow, but this spirit contained all of the colors contained in a rainbow. Suddenly, we all loved our heavenly Father with all of our heart, with all of our soul, with all of our minds, and all of our being. Then we were filled with another manner of love for our brethren that we had not yet experienced, one where we would gladly lay down our lives for our brethren; and this love was so strong, that if you were actually in a place where you it might be required for you to lay down your life for your brethren, there would be no thought in you not to do it.
Then we were all filled with a love for all those who we, at one time or another, had considered to be our enemies. We loved those who hated us; we those who had offended us; we loved those who used us; we loved those who had slandered us; we loved those who were evil and unthankful; and we loved those who persecuted us. Then if that we not enough, we were all then filled with a love for the unlovable; all those who have not met this world’s approval, but have either been outcast, or despised, or neglected, or rejected, or branded in some manner or another. It was then we all knew; we knew that we had been made equal with God through love; unconditional love towards “all” men. There was no desire in any of us to be exalted as God is so that we might be made equal with God. There was no desire in any of us to have any power in ourselves so that we could be made equal with God. There was no desire in any of our hearts to rule over or to have control over the lives of any other; only love. And neither was there any desire in us that said that we must have a name as esteemed and as honored as God’s so that we could be made equal with God. No, no, none of that stuff; for I could now clearly see that all of those desires only came forth from Satan, the very same desires that caused him to fall from his place in God’s kingdom. In fact, it was these same desires that seemed to motivate all those who were acting in the other theater.
When this love had finished filling our hearts, we again all stood, cheering, praising, and greatly thanking our Lord Jesus for all the work that he had just per-formed for us. We sang songs of praise and worship, which went on for what seemed like for many, many hours; but it never got old because of the joy and the life which was now in our hearts and minds. After this time, Jesus stood up and said to us, “You are now my witnesses; witnesses of my love, my goodness, and my power. Now I am sending you out into a world filled with hopelessness, vanity, loneliness, hatred, uncertainty, as well as all manner of wickedness and darkness. I am sending you forth as my priesthood of believers, those who know believe that the only show in town is what I will do for you because I love you. Go, and you know that I will always be with each one of you”.
We were all so excited about the performance that we had just witnessed; and we also knew that we had just witnessed the performance that has no end to it, rather a beginning that would never have an end. We also all had similar feelings, that even though we had just witnessed the power and the love of the Lord in a manner that was far greater than anything that we had ever experienced, we also knew that what we had just experienced was nothing compared to that which was getting ready to come. It was as if we had not only witnessed the real “Greatest Show on Earth”, but also a coming attraction of a show that was going to even be greater. The Spirit then quickened unto me that which Jesus had promised the church, “The works that I do, you will do greater”. Wow.
As I was leaving the theater, I looked back to see how the marquee described what I had just seen. I saw that the marquee on the left side of the theater read, “Mystery Babylon; the false church” Starring all of the foolish who desire to be glorified and exalted as gods”. I then read the marquee that was on the right side, and it read, “New Jerusalem, the church of Jesus Christ”; starring Jesus Christ, and all those who came out of mystery Babylon”. I then thought to myself, “Wow, what a difference there was between the two performances; like the difference between night and day, or should I rather say, like the difference between darkness and light. I then saw this written across the bottom of the marquee, “Coming Soon; very soon: The 144,000 who were redeemed with love and have overcome the world”.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through belief that comes forth from the power of the Holy Spirit.
Mitt