When the Lord spoke to me in prayer and told me I was a sheep of His pasture, it wasn’t flattering. Instead, I was slightly offended because I considered myself to be intelligent. But the Holy Spirit is very patient in His instruction. After a few instructive incidences, the more often I would approach a situation in lamb-like innocence, this position would actually give my mind more intelligent options!
For example, one day I was standing in Starbucks. Next to me in the line was a man who was obviously homeless, holding a paper sack backpack with numerous eating utensils hanging from its sides. I felt the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit tell me to speak to him. “Well, it looks like you’ve traveled quite a journey to get here!” I said.
He joyfully replied in perfect English, “Many times God will take a short journey and extend it, like Moses did with the people of Israel. Their journey to the Promised Land could’ve been done in three weeks time, but instead it got stretched into 40 years.” He could see by the look on my face that I was taken aback by his statement, so he continued.
“God will make the journey just as long as it needs to be, so that His perfection is done in your life,” he said. I asked him if he needed any money, but he said, “No, I’ve been taken care of,” then smiled and pointed his finger to the sky.
My first mental impression of this homeless guy was that I needed to help him. But in reality, because I approached him in innocence, he ended up helping me. Wow! The discovery of new intelligence brought about by innocence! Later, I contemplated that maybe he had been an angel. But whatever the case, he sure did bless me by that counsel.
I am not talking about just having a “open mind,” but in the sense of making a decision through the processing of these options: if it is based on love, joy, kindness, and of a good report ~ then it is “innocent”.
Any negative, critical, evil, or derisive things are not innocent and I would not consider it to be anything I want to be connected with or listen to. There are many Scriptures in the Bible that go into much more detail in their instructions concerning this process. It would be good for each of us to search them out. Let them become a part of the “learning to be in a sheep” process.
But now comes the real mindblower about intelligence ~ and I mean one’s personal intelligence. The more innocent your approach to the science technology industry, or even the management of one’s household, the more your mind will “throw out the red carpet” to welcome new innovations, discoveries, and all of the things that faith draws to us! But for this process to actually occur, we must first choose to be a trusting sheep of His pasture.
The first thing in this relationship is that we must know the ways of the Good Shepherd. They are the voice of innovation. Learning to hear and recognize the voice of the Father speaking to you is probably the most valuable asset you will ever have as His innocent sheep. For years, many people may have tried to control you. Or perhaps those whom you’ve been in a position to rule over, have spoken against you personally. Instead of wanting you to hear the voice of God for yourself, they prefer for you to go through them.
Please, oh please, hear the melodic tunes of the New Renaissance that is happening in the earth today. I believe San Francisco will be the city of these songs, just like Florence, Italy was the birthplace of the First Renaissance! For this to occur, there must be a group of sheep that truly hear the voice of God ~ whether it goes with or against the grain of current intellectual thought.
Every day, I join in prayer with hundreds of people around the world, to pray that heaven comes on the earth. For this prayer to be answered, we must approach God in the spirit of faith and with hearts of true innocence. Please join us daily for prayer on the Periscope app about 12 noon West Coast time.
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