Summer 1993

Vision for Pinecrest
Wade E Taylor

"Who are kept by the power of God through faith
unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time" I Peter 1:5.

This speaks of a "salvation" that is reserved for the last days. I Cor15:26 tells us, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." Thus, it may be that this "last day" salvation has to do with the "redemption of our body."

Our spirit was redeemed at the time of our salvation. Our soul is being redeemed as we take up our cross and follow Him. We receive "touches" of healing, but there is yet to come a greater redemption of our bodies and revelation of His glory.

All that sin corrupted is to be restored. This further redemption that we are yet to be birthed into will equip us to function in a higher realm of spiritual life and purpose.

In our present state of spiritual attainment, many ministries use various means and methods, especially loud or fast music, in their attempt to bring us into a higher realm of spiritual life. However, these only stir our souls and leave our spirits void. Our spirit must be lifted into this realm through Divine intervention. This can take place only though a spiritual birthing.

Many of us find it difficult to rightly respond to Holy Spirit stirrings and movings in preparation for this intervention because we have not been there before and do not understand what is taking place; we are pushing into new territory.

A number of years ago while traveling, I stopped at a ministers home to stay overnight because I could not afford a motel room. I was told the only available bed was in the basement, which was full of storage boxes. This bed was at one end of the basement and the rest-room at the other. Around 3 AM, in the intense darkness of the night, I was unable to find the light switch, but made my way to this rest-room. When I sought to return to my bed, I lost my way among the maze of boxes and accidentally knocked one over, making a loud noise. Then I was afraid to move, so I began to crawl on my hands and knees, attempting to feel my way, but finally gave up and slept on the floor until daylight.

Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions" (John 14:2). This speaks of different rooms, or levels of spiritual attainment that lead progressively upward. At Pinecrest, there is a back stairway that leads from our apartment to the print shop. I can go down these stairs and walk through the print shop in the dark without a light. I have done this so many times that I know the way.

The Lord is telling us that there are many levels of spiritual experience and that we are to leave the one we have settled into and come higher. However, we are often reluctant to do so because we have become very accustomed to the spiritual "room" we live in. We have become so "at home" in our present spiritual experience that we are able to comfortably navigate through every aspect of it, even when it is spiritually dark.

As we attempt to move into a new "room" (a higher level of spiritual experience), we begin to bump into things (Treasures of Darkness, Isaiah 45:3)and as a result, go back to the more familiar place (lower realm) where we are more comfortable because we have arranged all our gifts and blessings in a particular order and know how these function and how to move among them.

There is a realm into which the Lord desires to bring us, where we have never been. At this present time, many are being called to leave the place where they have (had) become very comfortable (the Lord has ways to disturb this comfort, and many are being disturbed). We must push into this darkness if we desire the treasures. Even though it may be difficult for a time, we must make our adjustments as we find our way upward into this new level of spiritual experience. The "light" will increase as we progress.

In October of 1959, I received a vision of a higher realm of spiritual life and function. Pinecrest was birthed to bring this vision into reality. After twenty five years of operation, we are still moving towards the full realization of this. But there is always the temptation (which must be resisted) to use a "present means" from a lower realm, where we are adjusted and accomplished through years of experience, to seek to attain this higher goal. It will not work.

Yet, we cannot by-pass the (lower?) realms of spiritual experience. Rather, we must grow through them. I almost failed to graduate from High School as I was unable to stand before anyone and speak. While attending Bible School as a student, we experienced a major visitation of the Lord. During this time, I made an absolute fool of myself as I responded to the "fountain of new wine" which appeared as a part of this visitation. Under the effects of the new freedom I was experiencing, I shouted until I lost my voice. I was determined to break out of the mold I had been in.

Not only was I set free from the limiting timidity, but I entered into a profound experience of the manifest glory of God, in which my life was forever changed, as this glory burned itself into my being. From that day, I began to know and understand the Lord Himself, along with many "things of God"(treasures of darkness) that I had been unable to perceive before. All this created a capacity within me that would later qualify me to enter a new room, or realm of spiritual experience.
Paul said, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things" I Cor13:11. He did not say that he by-passed being a child and "reckoned" himself to be a spiritual adult. Rather, he grew though the stages of childhood. A full and satisfying experience of being a child will produce a well adjusted adult.

In a Bible School such as Pinecrest, those who come are on all levels of spiritual experience. There are some who have been recently saved and felt the call of God on their lives, and responded. Also, there are those who have known and served the Lord for many years and are very mature, but desire to come apart to better know Him. Thus, there must be a full course of spiritual food, "milk, meat, and strong meat." Those within each level, or room of spiritual development, must respect and be patient with those who are yet in a lesser realm (room).

During the time of each Bible School graduation, I feel a particular concern that each one who is graduating has been able, while at Pinecrest, to experience to some extent, each of these levels of experience (milk, meat, and strong meat), and that they have grown to the extent that they are able to comfortably move from one level of experience into another, as the need requires. This is a sign of spiritual maturity.

I would like to believe that each one who graduates from the Bible School at Pinecrest has so experienced the Lord that they are "ruined" forever, and will never go back to remain in the lesser, but rather will push on into new "rooms" of spiritual life and experience.