Message

"Misconceptions That Birth Stillborns"
by Rev. Lorraine D. Coconato

Life is full of misconceptions! What is a misconception? The root word is "to conceive," meaning "to form," to become impregnated with," "to receive seed" and "to be inseminated." Therefore, misconception means to "perceive incorrectly, to conceive wrongly, to judge without appropriate understanding."

Are we pregnant yet? So many couples spend endless hours, methods and dollars trying to conceive. They are deceived to believe that man can find a viable and lasting solution for barrenness. Instead of turning to the power of the Lord Most High, they plot, chart and determine their seasons of fertility, leaving them forlorn and dismayed, as their barrenness persists! (See 1Samuel 1 & 2 for a Biblical solution
to barrenness!)

Genesis 1: 11-12 says, "Then God said, 'Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, who seed is in itself, on the earth' and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to it's kind. And God saw that it was good." Nothing can be conceived without seed! Grass seed yields grass; fruit seed yields fruit trees. This is no secret. Similarly, misconception yields misconception and truth, when seeded, yields truth!

A precious pastor, well meaning, recently determined that his church needed to be integrated. His self-determined plan was to pay people of other races to come to his services, twice weekly. Could this seed of wisdom actually be conceived by the Lord?

The predicament of the pastor is plain. His church is predominately filled with people from one racial strata. In trying to remedy this matter, he formulated a plan that seems appealing to the public, as all new attendees of another racial group will be financially compensated for attending Sunday and Thursday services. Yet, if he had called his people to sow seeds of repentance in prayer, humble themselves and turn from the generational bondages, prejudices, isolationism and separatism that had developed over the years between all the racial groups in their territory, the Lord would heal their land and bring all people groups to their sanctuary! Only seeds of prayer and love will beget trees of praise and unity!

Similarly, the Church, at large, has not obeyed the Great Commission. The popular misconception has been that the "anointed" evangelists are to win souls and as for me, "I'm just to be a good person!" The snake of the Garden is still seeding lies and misconceptions!

All God's people are called to "go" and "make disciples!" (Matthew 28: 19). Yet, remembering "seed" theology, only a disciple can make a disciple and only a disciple will be willing to go! Must we reconsider our strategies, agendas and precepts for "kingdom building" so that Jesus can water the seeds of our ministries and build arks that don't sink?

Father, we are humbled at Your patience with Your people, Your Church, Your beloved children. Lord, turn us from our misconceptions. Deliver us from stillborn mentalities that bring ridicule, mockery and "strange fire!" Help us to seek You in all our decision-making, repent of all wrong choices and be led by Your Spirit in Jesus Name, Amen!

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