Becoming familiar...

I received a word from a brother in Christ that the Lord is looking for a people who will become "familiar with the unfamiliar."  It came during a divine appointment that brought our two families together in prayer... a time when the Spirit answered very clearly the request, "Come Holy Spirit."

So what does it mean?  Before we jump to the "obvious", as I initially did... I want us to look at the following:

Familiar - "well known; on a family footing, comfortable"
Unfamiliar - "not well known, outside the family, uncomfortable"

If there is a family that is more diverse, more unlikely, more dysfunctional, and more apt to fight than the Family of God - the Church... I have not seen it. 
We have become so comfortable inside the church walls that we find ourselves turning more to argue within those walls than to focus our energies outside the Body to those who desperately need Christ.

I believe that all prophecy is good for edification, exhortation, and comfort. (1 Corinthians 14:3) So...

I see three things that this word was saying.


Edification: we are to become well known with the not well known.  In other words we are to get to know well that which was not known.   How do we do this?...  Through revelation... and specifically the revelation of Jesus Christ, for revelation means- "things before unknown."  This is a call to both return to the Word of God with a new and deeper desire for its truth and also to seek the face of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ like we never have before.

Exhortation:  We are to stand on family footing with those outside the family.  We have not truly demonstrated the love of Christ outside the walls of our Church building.  While we may reach out we rarely draw in.  Do we open our homes to the unsaved?  Do we invite them to meals? see to their needs? give expecting nothing in return?  Who's house is it?  Who truly provided for the meal?  Is it not Christ who gives all things?  How will the know the love of Christ if they do not see it through us.  Is He not the Good Shepherd Who leaves the 99 to find the 1?  Did He not eat with "sinners" and touch the unclean? 

Comfort:  We are to become comfortable with the uncomfortable.  He IS the God of all comfort.  The Holy Spirit IS the Comforter.  Through Christ we can claim that which might make us uncomfortable as the very thing in which we will find comfort.  I may not look like you... talk like you... worship like you... enjoy the same food as you... BUT if you are a follower of Jesus... if you are a blood bought believer in the Lamb of God... I can find comfort and be comfortable with you because we are brothers.  And whatever might make us uncomfortable now... will join us together in comfort for all eternity.


Become familiar with the unfamiliar for the Lord is looking to make possible the impossible through a people given completely to Him.

SDG