This word is submitted by Bob Steward (alephs1@juno.com)

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               Repentance & Looking to God

I saw a vision of large group of people, crowded together, holding up & 
opened over their heads - black umbrellas. I didn't actually see the people 
but only a plethora of black umbrellas, very close together.  Then I looked 
up and saw & felt raindrops landing on my face. This water was so refreshing 
and I was sensing so much love from God. What a joy I was having in this 
rain!! It seemed to me that this rain was coming from God and that He wanted 
to saturate us with this rain.

Again, I looked at the huge cluster of opened black umbrellas, I asked
Father God, "How are the people going to receive the rain You are showering 
down on us? What do You want me to do to have them lower and close their 
umbrellas?"

It was then, that I noticed that I, too, was holding an umbrella, but
mine was down & closed. As my attention was drawn back to the black
umbrellas before me, I saw, one by one, each umbrella being lowered and
closed, and each person fixing his & her gaze upwards to allow the
raindrops to fall on their face. Quickly, the people were saturated by
the water as they just stood there with joyous expressions on their faces
while being refreshed by God's rain. 

After pondering about 'what was God showing to me', He revealed to me the
meaning.  The opened black umbrellas, the people were holding up to keep
dry, were the 'fears', 'doubts', 'unbelief', and 'pride' that prevented
them from receiving all that God was raining down on us. The 'rain' was
God's Word that He is speaking to us, namely -- wisdom, love, encouragement, 
understanding, discernment, compassion, & kindness, and much more, to help 
us, heal & deliver us, refreshen & guide us, counsel & give us insight. 
All to cause an ever-increasing intimacy in our relationship with Him.

I believe that God is saying to us, "Trust Me. Turn from and renounce
those 'things' which are preventing you from fully surrendering to and
following Me. I desire for you to have intimacy, closeness, fulfillment,
and friendship with Me. Allow My Word to saturate you, cleanse you,
refreshen you and cause you to be full of joy. I love you and have given
Myself up for you to make you holy, cleansing you by the washing with
water through My Word, to present you to Me, as a radiant church, My
bride, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and
blameless." 

The Lord also says, "I have set you free from all your all your sins,
(those things which are hindering you from being My disciples), by My
shed Blood.  So I say, Humble yourselves and cast away the black umbrellas 
and be refreshed by My Word & filled with Me."