The Noble Mind of Man
God has made men noble (Acts 17:11). The mind of man seeks understanding, based on knowledge. His mind will search for the true order of things and dig deeply for the foundations of which came this knowledge. When the mind is satisfied that none of these things come from his own vain imaginations then acceptance comes into his heart (a true approving) and truth is established. And “blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves”. (Rom 14:22b). The noble man’s truth will become like a sure peg on his wall on which many other truths can be hung.
Ignoble men love their own imagination more than the labor of the mind which establishes truth. These men develop superstitions and believe fate and other forces control their lives. Their minds remain simple and undeveloped, turning to fables instead of searching for truth. Their own fears guide them, in contrast to the curiosity of the mind which leads the noble to establish truth. Because the ignoble mind is not satisfied by the establishing of truth, it finds relief in its own imagination’s inventions. But this relief, brought by the inventions of the mind, is not acceptance. And time tests the imaginations of the mind, proving them false. There is not peg on the wall of the ignoble man’s heart, and no peace that reigns there . . . only fear that his false comforts will be discovered.
Fear then becomes a tool in the hand of the enemy. Satan uses fear to lead a man into deception. The ignoble man will then begin to love his deceptions and the reward of sin; pleasure and self-acceptance. He will develop his own standard whereby to measure himself because he finds Mine too hard. This man will not be transformed into My image by the renewing of his mind, but instead will develop justifications for remaining in his own image. This is the very reason I will say “I don’t know you” to some who now serve Me, for they refused My glory, loving their own instead (Mt 7:23 & 25:12). But the noble man quests after the knowledge of God and thereby will be filled, and satisfied. Amen.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
walking in the Spirit
Being in the Spirit
1/28/09
I’ve been having a quiet time with the Lord and He was speaking to me about Romans chapter 8. One thing He pointed out was that the walk of the Spirit is one in which a person’s mind is controlled by the Spirit. “Those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (vs 5). Since our own nature does not understand the thoughts from God, it rejects them (Rom 8:7 & 1 Cor 3:14). The key is to wait on God for understanding of His thoughts, brought by His Spirit. So we must have a victory over our tendency to “think our own thoughts” in order to walk in the Spirit.
The Lord then spoke about “hidden manna”, or those thoughts that are spiritual food. In Revelation 2:17 it is mentioned as a gift to those who overcome the teaching of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans. In short words, the Balaamites taught that it was OK to compromise with the world, and so they had a worldliness in their lives not consistent with the gospel. The Nicolaitans taught that it was OK to be spiritually and physically immoral. They did not rid their lives of idols, and so their lives also had sin in them.
We have the holy scriptures and are privileged more than any other people to know God’s ways. By causing our minds to submit to the scriptures first, we will find that our obedience changes our way of thinking. Our minds will be full of “life and peace” (Rm 8:6). This is the foundation for overcoming the habit of having our own thoughts and living in our own understanding. It is painful putting to death by the Spirit the ways of our own heart and mind, but is rewarded by receiving God’s spiritual food for us; hidden manna. Hidden manna, or thoughts from God, are what we are seeking.
Our enemy wants us to believe that putting to death our fleshly way of thinking has no reward. He tells us that God doesn’t speak to us and things will always remain as they were. He wants to drive us away from the Spirit and back into the comfort of thinking our own familiar thoughts. After all, putting to death the flesh is painful. But what satan tells us is a lie, for the scriptures say that when we come to God we must believe that He exists and is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him (Heb 11:6). God will reward us with His thoughts, His views on the matter we are asking about. Let us press in to God today and wait to hear from Him, for that is truly following and walking in the Spirit.
1/28/09
I’ve been having a quiet time with the Lord and He was speaking to me about Romans chapter 8. One thing He pointed out was that the walk of the Spirit is one in which a person’s mind is controlled by the Spirit. “Those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires” (vs 5). Since our own nature does not understand the thoughts from God, it rejects them (Rom 8:7 & 1 Cor 3:14). The key is to wait on God for understanding of His thoughts, brought by His Spirit. So we must have a victory over our tendency to “think our own thoughts” in order to walk in the Spirit.
The Lord then spoke about “hidden manna”, or those thoughts that are spiritual food. In Revelation 2:17 it is mentioned as a gift to those who overcome the teaching of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans. In short words, the Balaamites taught that it was OK to compromise with the world, and so they had a worldliness in their lives not consistent with the gospel. The Nicolaitans taught that it was OK to be spiritually and physically immoral. They did not rid their lives of idols, and so their lives also had sin in them.
We have the holy scriptures and are privileged more than any other people to know God’s ways. By causing our minds to submit to the scriptures first, we will find that our obedience changes our way of thinking. Our minds will be full of “life and peace” (Rm 8:6). This is the foundation for overcoming the habit of having our own thoughts and living in our own understanding. It is painful putting to death by the Spirit the ways of our own heart and mind, but is rewarded by receiving God’s spiritual food for us; hidden manna. Hidden manna, or thoughts from God, are what we are seeking.
Our enemy wants us to believe that putting to death our fleshly way of thinking has no reward. He tells us that God doesn’t speak to us and things will always remain as they were. He wants to drive us away from the Spirit and back into the comfort of thinking our own familiar thoughts. After all, putting to death the flesh is painful. But what satan tells us is a lie, for the scriptures say that when we come to God we must believe that He exists and is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him (Heb 11:6). God will reward us with His thoughts, His views on the matter we are asking about. Let us press in to God today and wait to hear from Him, for that is truly following and walking in the Spirit.
Friday, January 23, 2009
pouting
Pouting
1-23-09
“God is answering our prayers for His Spirit to come in power. He is answering our prayers for healing, deliverance, and the salvation of nations. But it is not coming the way we thought it would. It is coming as a preparation for victory over the evil spirits who steal, kill, and destroy. The armor is mighty, and wards off slander, hatred, and malice.
Man did not think a day of evil would come upon the earth. As evil came he thought “surely it will not come near me, for I honor the name of Jesus with my life.” These men thought any intrusion into their lives by evil was a test of Me and My love for them, not realizing that it was their enemy, and they should be prepared to stand. The enemies are in the Promised Land to teach My people how to war against him, the enemy of their soul (Jud. 3:1-4).
I hear pouting. I hear reviling. I hear insolence amongst those with My name. For they are covered with the mantle of fear and no longer believe for My promises to come to pass in their lives. Yet I am training them to stand in victory. It is a victory so great that others will be healed also. It’s a victory so thorough that the enemy will relinquish the lost inheritances to the Bride of Christ.
Man has looked at the casualties of this war and become bitter at God. His name is in the courts of the hearts of men daily, for the accuser brings Him there. The evil one stirs up strife and Christians seeks relief from the stress this causes daily. God is listening. He is listening for who will honor His name. Who will reverence God under such dire circumstances? Is it for nothing that you suffer? Is God without care over your suffering?
There were men long ago who thought it futile to serve God. They pouted also. But God heard others who feared Him, who talked amongst each other about His mighty name. He wrote their words down for all the generations to read, so great was their devotion to the truth. And on the day of evil when confrontations between spirits and men came into their lives, they stood, and leapt with healing in their wings. (See Malachi 3:16 – 4:3). For always the Promises have been to those who revere the name of the Lord (Dt 28:58-59). Those who stand on the truth of My Name, “Faithful”, are a glory to Me. They are My jewels, these who do not complain against me. They sanctify My Name amongst the Gentiles and the Jews, the Christians and the non-believers. To them come the promises.” Amen
1-23-09
“God is answering our prayers for His Spirit to come in power. He is answering our prayers for healing, deliverance, and the salvation of nations. But it is not coming the way we thought it would. It is coming as a preparation for victory over the evil spirits who steal, kill, and destroy. The armor is mighty, and wards off slander, hatred, and malice.
Man did not think a day of evil would come upon the earth. As evil came he thought “surely it will not come near me, for I honor the name of Jesus with my life.” These men thought any intrusion into their lives by evil was a test of Me and My love for them, not realizing that it was their enemy, and they should be prepared to stand. The enemies are in the Promised Land to teach My people how to war against him, the enemy of their soul (Jud. 3:1-4).
I hear pouting. I hear reviling. I hear insolence amongst those with My name. For they are covered with the mantle of fear and no longer believe for My promises to come to pass in their lives. Yet I am training them to stand in victory. It is a victory so great that others will be healed also. It’s a victory so thorough that the enemy will relinquish the lost inheritances to the Bride of Christ.
Man has looked at the casualties of this war and become bitter at God. His name is in the courts of the hearts of men daily, for the accuser brings Him there. The evil one stirs up strife and Christians seeks relief from the stress this causes daily. God is listening. He is listening for who will honor His name. Who will reverence God under such dire circumstances? Is it for nothing that you suffer? Is God without care over your suffering?
There were men long ago who thought it futile to serve God. They pouted also. But God heard others who feared Him, who talked amongst each other about His mighty name. He wrote their words down for all the generations to read, so great was their devotion to the truth. And on the day of evil when confrontations between spirits and men came into their lives, they stood, and leapt with healing in their wings. (See Malachi 3:16 – 4:3). For always the Promises have been to those who revere the name of the Lord (Dt 28:58-59). Those who stand on the truth of My Name, “Faithful”, are a glory to Me. They are My jewels, these who do not complain against me. They sanctify My Name amongst the Gentiles and the Jews, the Christians and the non-believers. To them come the promises.” Amen
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Receiving no accusation against our brethren
Receiving no accusation against our brethren
1-18-09
Yesterday I was praying for the very many things that bothered me, and finally rested upon some of the relationships that I felt needed the Lord’s “fine tuning.” I prayed for my marriage, and the Lord interrupted with, “If you will not receive accusations against him, he will stand.” I remembered my petty offenses against my husband and felt very bad. “Disunity between people causes destruction of the relationship,” He continued. Then a familiar Bible verse came to mind; “Know no man after the flesh.” (2 Cor 5:16 & Jn 8:15) I was taken aback, wondering how I could stop knowing my husband after the flesh when we know each other so intimately . . . we see each other’s dirt. “You will need to give me grace, a lot of grace,” I prayed, knowing my own critical nature would be hard to overcome. I asked for cleansing of myself, realizing that the Lord was offering me the weapons that would cause our marriage to stand during up-coming battles; not receiving accusations against my husband.
“See him through My eyes,” said the Lord. When you receive satan’s accusations and then complain to Me about things, you are on satan’s side. When you speak accusations to your husband you are being satan’s mail-deliverer. Don’t carry satan’s mail bag around.
You are in a covenant of love with your husband. Let your love cover the flesh: then you will know him by the Spirit. I love the love between a husband and wife. I love the love families have for each other. This kind of love sees the “dirt” on each other and hopes in the other person’s victory, praying for and encouraging the weaker one. This is the love My bride will be full of, not holding offenses against each other but with sincerity of heart praying for and ministering to each other, wanting the weaker members to stand. All righteous works are brought forth from this heart of love.
I am My Body. If there is any doubt as to the Love covenant My Body has with each member then look into My word. If a man feeds his brother, he is feeding Me (Mt 25:31-46). If a man clothes his brother, or invites him under his roof, he has done so to Me. The glory that I had with the Father is what I am bringing down onto My people: that you “be one as we are one.” (Jn 17:22). It is not enough to love only Me, as a Bride loves her groom. You are to love each other just as much, knowing that you are loving Me in doing so. This unity is what causes victory over all the enemy brings against the Church. The gates of hell will not prevail against Her (Mt 16:18).
People have become disheartened, and some have fallen away, because of losses in this life. They wonder where I am, and count Me as unfaithful. Where were their brethren whom I appointed to bring these needy ones a cup of water? To house or clothe them? If it were only I who should care for them would I have counted so great a penalty against those who refused? Man is expecting Me to look holy in their brethren and is offended at the dirty condition of My Bride. But I come in the weak, the unlovely, the mentally fatigued, the sick of mind and body . . . I come in those who are offensive so that they may be encouraged, strengthened, and healed. Those who falter need a cup of water.
Those whom you know the closest need you to see what I see in them, not just so that you won’t be offended, but so that you will have My word to confute the enemy’s lies with. Every time you see as I see you become My mail-carrier, delivering messages from My heart. If men, women, and children will put away their offenses and pray and minister to one another, then My Body will overcome all and stand in Her place. You see, My Church is My Bride, and I am waiting for Her to make Herself ready.” This is what the Lord said to me. Amen.
1-18-09
Yesterday I was praying for the very many things that bothered me, and finally rested upon some of the relationships that I felt needed the Lord’s “fine tuning.” I prayed for my marriage, and the Lord interrupted with, “If you will not receive accusations against him, he will stand.” I remembered my petty offenses against my husband and felt very bad. “Disunity between people causes destruction of the relationship,” He continued. Then a familiar Bible verse came to mind; “Know no man after the flesh.” (2 Cor 5:16 & Jn 8:15) I was taken aback, wondering how I could stop knowing my husband after the flesh when we know each other so intimately . . . we see each other’s dirt. “You will need to give me grace, a lot of grace,” I prayed, knowing my own critical nature would be hard to overcome. I asked for cleansing of myself, realizing that the Lord was offering me the weapons that would cause our marriage to stand during up-coming battles; not receiving accusations against my husband.
“See him through My eyes,” said the Lord. When you receive satan’s accusations and then complain to Me about things, you are on satan’s side. When you speak accusations to your husband you are being satan’s mail-deliverer. Don’t carry satan’s mail bag around.
You are in a covenant of love with your husband. Let your love cover the flesh: then you will know him by the Spirit. I love the love between a husband and wife. I love the love families have for each other. This kind of love sees the “dirt” on each other and hopes in the other person’s victory, praying for and encouraging the weaker one. This is the love My bride will be full of, not holding offenses against each other but with sincerity of heart praying for and ministering to each other, wanting the weaker members to stand. All righteous works are brought forth from this heart of love.
I am My Body. If there is any doubt as to the Love covenant My Body has with each member then look into My word. If a man feeds his brother, he is feeding Me (Mt 25:31-46). If a man clothes his brother, or invites him under his roof, he has done so to Me. The glory that I had with the Father is what I am bringing down onto My people: that you “be one as we are one.” (Jn 17:22). It is not enough to love only Me, as a Bride loves her groom. You are to love each other just as much, knowing that you are loving Me in doing so. This unity is what causes victory over all the enemy brings against the Church. The gates of hell will not prevail against Her (Mt 16:18).
People have become disheartened, and some have fallen away, because of losses in this life. They wonder where I am, and count Me as unfaithful. Where were their brethren whom I appointed to bring these needy ones a cup of water? To house or clothe them? If it were only I who should care for them would I have counted so great a penalty against those who refused? Man is expecting Me to look holy in their brethren and is offended at the dirty condition of My Bride. But I come in the weak, the unlovely, the mentally fatigued, the sick of mind and body . . . I come in those who are offensive so that they may be encouraged, strengthened, and healed. Those who falter need a cup of water.
Those whom you know the closest need you to see what I see in them, not just so that you won’t be offended, but so that you will have My word to confute the enemy’s lies with. Every time you see as I see you become My mail-carrier, delivering messages from My heart. If men, women, and children will put away their offenses and pray and minister to one another, then My Body will overcome all and stand in Her place. You see, My Church is My Bride, and I am waiting for Her to make Herself ready.” This is what the Lord said to me. Amen.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wisdom
Wisdom
1-16-09
“And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light” (Lk 16:8).
This morning the Lord began talking to me about His kingdom, and said “Christians have no idea about what the Kingdom is because they have cast off wisdom.” The above verse came to me, and I wondered about the contrast between those in the world, and the children of light to whom the Kingdom was to come.
The Lord continued, ”If a person can lose the Kingdom by being foolish then know that I am bringing instruction to the Body of Christ. My church is destined to display wisdom to the world.” He was referring to the parable of the foolish virgins (Mt 25:1-13) and Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (3:10,11). I listened as He continued;
“Wisdom can be a tool in man’s hands to work what he thinks is My will. This will cause him to develop his plans and strategies, and design all his thought patterns to accomplish his goals. But My wisdom takes in all needs, using the skills of many souls so that the Kingdom’s true works will be accomplished and righteousness maintained. Wisdom doesn’t have a narrow focus and will not offer satisfaction to those who want to focus on just one thing. My wisdom, true wisdom, is broad, and yet detail-oriented. It is careful and not care-free or careless. If a man will not integrate his skills with the rest of the members of the Body he will not come to the knowledge or understanding which leads to wisdom. For wisdom is hidden in knowledge, and knowledge comes from experience. And experience is the gift I give each member of the Body according to the needs of the Body. If the Body will care for its members through its members then the Body will learn the care of the Kingdom. But if a Body member neglects its function and maintenance it will become useless.
I teach men responsibility, leading to authority, in earthly matters. These same lessons are no less valuable in spiritual matters. A Christian should build on the lessons learned in the world, knowing that the Kingdom operates on the same principals. Resist the temptation to live outside the structure of this life, for all I bring a man in this life will lead him to godliness. It is not spiritual to be careless, and wisdom will not come to the irresponsible.
Many think that the Holy Spirit will do everything for them: drop complete and complex teachings in their heads which will then convert lives to holiness when that man has not studied My word; breeze by with prophecies that reveal the deepest insights into My nature, and that without the saint spending time to get to know My nature; break off family curses by one word when yet no change is exhibited by the one called to stand in the gap for his family. Do you see that Man has a responsibility to develop his gifts, to add to his knowledge, to sacrifice his Christian-comfortable life for one that’s involved in his family dysfunctions? And that all this for My glory?
The mystery of godliness isn’t that the Holy Spirit is mysterious. The Holy Spirit will always seem mysterious to those whose thoughts are carnal. Yet the Holy Spirit works within a man to form godliness. Wisdom is not birthed from pages of ancient scribes, and passed along to those who read them. Wisdom in an instruction gained by the experiences of life, and the fruits of wisdom are the seeds planted for future generations (Lk 7:35). The Church will leave a heritage for the generations to follow, but only if the children of light return to wisdom. When a man will care for what is not his own, then will more be entrusted to him (Lk 16:12). If a man will sojourn in this world and care for all I bring to him, then he will gain the Kingdom. Why is this so? Because wisdom is gained by caring for that which is valuable to a man. As he bears his experiences forward in his life he will multiply wisdom, planting seeds for the next generation’s harvest. And this man will be entrusted with My Kingdom.” Amen
1-16-09
“And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light” (Lk 16:8).
This morning the Lord began talking to me about His kingdom, and said “Christians have no idea about what the Kingdom is because they have cast off wisdom.” The above verse came to me, and I wondered about the contrast between those in the world, and the children of light to whom the Kingdom was to come.
The Lord continued, ”If a person can lose the Kingdom by being foolish then know that I am bringing instruction to the Body of Christ. My church is destined to display wisdom to the world.” He was referring to the parable of the foolish virgins (Mt 25:1-13) and Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (3:10,11). I listened as He continued;
“Wisdom can be a tool in man’s hands to work what he thinks is My will. This will cause him to develop his plans and strategies, and design all his thought patterns to accomplish his goals. But My wisdom takes in all needs, using the skills of many souls so that the Kingdom’s true works will be accomplished and righteousness maintained. Wisdom doesn’t have a narrow focus and will not offer satisfaction to those who want to focus on just one thing. My wisdom, true wisdom, is broad, and yet detail-oriented. It is careful and not care-free or careless. If a man will not integrate his skills with the rest of the members of the Body he will not come to the knowledge or understanding which leads to wisdom. For wisdom is hidden in knowledge, and knowledge comes from experience. And experience is the gift I give each member of the Body according to the needs of the Body. If the Body will care for its members through its members then the Body will learn the care of the Kingdom. But if a Body member neglects its function and maintenance it will become useless.
I teach men responsibility, leading to authority, in earthly matters. These same lessons are no less valuable in spiritual matters. A Christian should build on the lessons learned in the world, knowing that the Kingdom operates on the same principals. Resist the temptation to live outside the structure of this life, for all I bring a man in this life will lead him to godliness. It is not spiritual to be careless, and wisdom will not come to the irresponsible.
Many think that the Holy Spirit will do everything for them: drop complete and complex teachings in their heads which will then convert lives to holiness when that man has not studied My word; breeze by with prophecies that reveal the deepest insights into My nature, and that without the saint spending time to get to know My nature; break off family curses by one word when yet no change is exhibited by the one called to stand in the gap for his family. Do you see that Man has a responsibility to develop his gifts, to add to his knowledge, to sacrifice his Christian-comfortable life for one that’s involved in his family dysfunctions? And that all this for My glory?
The mystery of godliness isn’t that the Holy Spirit is mysterious. The Holy Spirit will always seem mysterious to those whose thoughts are carnal. Yet the Holy Spirit works within a man to form godliness. Wisdom is not birthed from pages of ancient scribes, and passed along to those who read them. Wisdom in an instruction gained by the experiences of life, and the fruits of wisdom are the seeds planted for future generations (Lk 7:35). The Church will leave a heritage for the generations to follow, but only if the children of light return to wisdom. When a man will care for what is not his own, then will more be entrusted to him (Lk 16:12). If a man will sojourn in this world and care for all I bring to him, then he will gain the Kingdom. Why is this so? Because wisdom is gained by caring for that which is valuable to a man. As he bears his experiences forward in his life he will multiply wisdom, planting seeds for the next generation’s harvest. And this man will be entrusted with My Kingdom.” Amen
Friday, January 9, 2009
The Sandman Cometh
The Sandman cometh
1-9-9
Has the Lord ever run a phrase through your spirit over and over, but you just didn’t “get it”? This last week He has been speaking “the Sandman cometh” to me. I didn’t understand this phrase until the Lord gave me a dream on the 7th. In this dream sand was blown into my home at a rapid rate of speed, and I had to work fast to call others inside and close the door. I could see the “Sandman” in this dream. He was a monster, not a nice man who helped people go to sleep. The words “the Sandman cometh” had been spoken as a warning of something about to happen.
This dream was about a spirit which causes spiritual slumber. Our enemy’s motive is to steal the works we do for God: our harvest. It is the season that the Lord is looking for our fruit from the seeds He planted in our hearts. Will we continue in our calling and using our gifts until we have something to give Him, or will we slumber?
Slumber is also representative of forgetfulness. Though our God never forgets, we often do. Spiritual slumber can cause a Christian to forget the good intentions of his heart and lose motivation to finish the work he began. In addition to forgetting what we are doing, we can forget who we are. Past victories, and the dreams waiting to come to pass can seem so distant to us that they eventually seem unreal. This happened to the Israelites over and over . . . they simply forgot God’s purposes in their lives and who they were to Him.
Though none of us wants to forget past victories, who we are in God, or God’s plans for our lives, there is a rest that comes with sleep which draws the natural man to it. Life is full, and often stressful. Sometimes we want to just “tune out” and rest our minds. We engage in mindful recreation and participate in things that relieve the stresses in our lives. But there is a better “rest” appointed to us. It is the Sabbath rest, one which restores our souls without causing us to forget. On Christmas I had received a word of prophecy about this rest, and feel led to repeat from it here. In our times of rest we should appreciate our works, just like our heavenly Father did when He finished creating the heavens and the earth. He saw that His works were “good” (Gen 1:31). This was His first rest, yet there is another rest we read about in Hebrews. Until God enters His second rest we are given a covenant of the Sabbath in which we rest. If we rest once a week, it will keep us from the temptation to enter spiritual slumber. If we appreciate our works, our lives, and all the Lord has blessed us with we will not sleep the slumber of forgetfulness. The appreciation of our works will also keep our motivation for them fresh and alive, and we will bear much fruit for the Lord. Amen.
1-9-9
Has the Lord ever run a phrase through your spirit over and over, but you just didn’t “get it”? This last week He has been speaking “the Sandman cometh” to me. I didn’t understand this phrase until the Lord gave me a dream on the 7th. In this dream sand was blown into my home at a rapid rate of speed, and I had to work fast to call others inside and close the door. I could see the “Sandman” in this dream. He was a monster, not a nice man who helped people go to sleep. The words “the Sandman cometh” had been spoken as a warning of something about to happen.
This dream was about a spirit which causes spiritual slumber. Our enemy’s motive is to steal the works we do for God: our harvest. It is the season that the Lord is looking for our fruit from the seeds He planted in our hearts. Will we continue in our calling and using our gifts until we have something to give Him, or will we slumber?
Slumber is also representative of forgetfulness. Though our God never forgets, we often do. Spiritual slumber can cause a Christian to forget the good intentions of his heart and lose motivation to finish the work he began. In addition to forgetting what we are doing, we can forget who we are. Past victories, and the dreams waiting to come to pass can seem so distant to us that they eventually seem unreal. This happened to the Israelites over and over . . . they simply forgot God’s purposes in their lives and who they were to Him.
Though none of us wants to forget past victories, who we are in God, or God’s plans for our lives, there is a rest that comes with sleep which draws the natural man to it. Life is full, and often stressful. Sometimes we want to just “tune out” and rest our minds. We engage in mindful recreation and participate in things that relieve the stresses in our lives. But there is a better “rest” appointed to us. It is the Sabbath rest, one which restores our souls without causing us to forget. On Christmas I had received a word of prophecy about this rest, and feel led to repeat from it here. In our times of rest we should appreciate our works, just like our heavenly Father did when He finished creating the heavens and the earth. He saw that His works were “good” (Gen 1:31). This was His first rest, yet there is another rest we read about in Hebrews. Until God enters His second rest we are given a covenant of the Sabbath in which we rest. If we rest once a week, it will keep us from the temptation to enter spiritual slumber. If we appreciate our works, our lives, and all the Lord has blessed us with we will not sleep the slumber of forgetfulness. The appreciation of our works will also keep our motivation for them fresh and alive, and we will bear much fruit for the Lord. Amen.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Peas and Carrots
Peas & Carrots
1-1-09
I have a garden in my back yard that the Lord occasionally uses as an illustration for things He wants to teach me. Being winter, I have had dreams where the Lord has shown me bulbs that I planted, poking their heads out of the soil. In these dreams He pointed out that there is growth during the resting periods of our lives, symbolized by the earth resting in the winter. He also has spoken about the winter of our lives for those of us who are entering middle and older ages. It is a time of bringing forth a harvest regardless of any restrictions brought on by our physical age.
In my most recent dream the Lord showed that I had pulled up my vegetable garden at the end of the season, being winter. Though there were still peas pods on the stalks, I put them aside to become compost because the pods were old-looking. Yet, an angel talked to me later, asking why I had done this. After awaking from the dream I remembered that the prior day I had done the very thing that was in the dream. Though I knew that old pods can contain good peas, I had put them aside for compost. I then went out to the garden and retrieved the pea pods, shucked them and cleaned them for cooking. There weren’t many, but what I had picked were good, and completed my harvest. The Lord spoke to me saying, “You planted those.” In 1 Cor 9:10 it is written that we plant and care for the soil “in the hope of sharing the harvest.” I had given up hope.
The day before taking out my vegetable garden I had been weeding my vegetable garden, and pulled up my carrot crop. These carrots had been planted too late in the season to grow big, but I had cooked the small carrots for dinner that night. However, some of the carrots were “too small for me to bother with” and so I discarded them on the compost pile. Later, when I went out to retrieve the pea pods, I also found these “too small” carrots and brought them in with my peas. The Lord spoke about the carrots, saying that “Even though things don’t grow as well in the cold, you should not discard them”.
I spent my quiet time listening to the Lord speak, not about peas and carrots, but about things I had sown in my life in hope of a harvest, only to finally let go of. I was at the edge of hope, and about to bury some talents, and other things that appeared passed their time of fruitfulness. My waiting had not brought the fruit I had hoped in, yet. So I was applying the lesson of “letting go” of these things, and had lost sight of their purpose in God’s kingdom.
The Lord brought me to read about Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law (Gen 38). She had been married to two of Judah’s sons, but neither had conceived a child in her, and each had died. Her role, or calling in life as a wife and a mother were unfulfilled. Her father-in-law Judah promised her a third son when the son grew old enough to marry. When the time had passed for the son to marry Tamar, she deceived Judah himself to lay with her, and she conceived a son. When Judah found out that he had fathered a child by Tamar he said “She is more righteous than I” (Gen 38:26) and did not condemn her. After reading this the Lord said simply “She knew who she was”. Tamar did not let discouragement deter her from her calling in life to continue the lineage of God’s family. It was important that Perez be born. Tamar named her son Perez, which means “breaking out.” She had overcome circumstances in her own life to finally bear a son, and she passed this heritage on to her son Perez. Though Perez’s twin put his hand out of the womb first, he withdrew it and Perez was born first.
What was in Tamar that prompted her to lay with the patriarch of God’s family? Tamar never gave up hope of bringing God’s seed to the earth. Hope. Circumstances defy it, and time wears it thin. But Tamar knew who she was; a daughter appointed to bear fruit in God’s kingdom. She did not lose hope of fulfilling her role, and overcame disappointment after disappointment to play her own part in the fulfillment of God’s will. And perhaps most importantly for those who are struggling with how we see ourselves, Tamar did not take on the esteem of others as being who she is. Though getting old, she saw herself as worthy of child-bearing.
Let us use the examples of those whose hope was in the Lord as our examples in this life. We should see ourselves as capable, and the seed which we plant as good. When that time of promise is upon us, let us not discard our hope no matter how long we have waited, nor the lack of visible signs of growth. And according to Isaiah 40:31, let the old who hope in the Lord mount up on the wings of eagles. Let them run and not grow weary, and walk and not grow faint. Be encouraged today to not toss off those meager fruits of your labors, but trust in the Lord that what He once gave to you personally He will keep alive for a full and glorious Harvest. Amen
1-1-09
I have a garden in my back yard that the Lord occasionally uses as an illustration for things He wants to teach me. Being winter, I have had dreams where the Lord has shown me bulbs that I planted, poking their heads out of the soil. In these dreams He pointed out that there is growth during the resting periods of our lives, symbolized by the earth resting in the winter. He also has spoken about the winter of our lives for those of us who are entering middle and older ages. It is a time of bringing forth a harvest regardless of any restrictions brought on by our physical age.
In my most recent dream the Lord showed that I had pulled up my vegetable garden at the end of the season, being winter. Though there were still peas pods on the stalks, I put them aside to become compost because the pods were old-looking. Yet, an angel talked to me later, asking why I had done this. After awaking from the dream I remembered that the prior day I had done the very thing that was in the dream. Though I knew that old pods can contain good peas, I had put them aside for compost. I then went out to the garden and retrieved the pea pods, shucked them and cleaned them for cooking. There weren’t many, but what I had picked were good, and completed my harvest. The Lord spoke to me saying, “You planted those.” In 1 Cor 9:10 it is written that we plant and care for the soil “in the hope of sharing the harvest.” I had given up hope.
The day before taking out my vegetable garden I had been weeding my vegetable garden, and pulled up my carrot crop. These carrots had been planted too late in the season to grow big, but I had cooked the small carrots for dinner that night. However, some of the carrots were “too small for me to bother with” and so I discarded them on the compost pile. Later, when I went out to retrieve the pea pods, I also found these “too small” carrots and brought them in with my peas. The Lord spoke about the carrots, saying that “Even though things don’t grow as well in the cold, you should not discard them”.
I spent my quiet time listening to the Lord speak, not about peas and carrots, but about things I had sown in my life in hope of a harvest, only to finally let go of. I was at the edge of hope, and about to bury some talents, and other things that appeared passed their time of fruitfulness. My waiting had not brought the fruit I had hoped in, yet. So I was applying the lesson of “letting go” of these things, and had lost sight of their purpose in God’s kingdom.
The Lord brought me to read about Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law (Gen 38). She had been married to two of Judah’s sons, but neither had conceived a child in her, and each had died. Her role, or calling in life as a wife and a mother were unfulfilled. Her father-in-law Judah promised her a third son when the son grew old enough to marry. When the time had passed for the son to marry Tamar, she deceived Judah himself to lay with her, and she conceived a son. When Judah found out that he had fathered a child by Tamar he said “She is more righteous than I” (Gen 38:26) and did not condemn her. After reading this the Lord said simply “She knew who she was”. Tamar did not let discouragement deter her from her calling in life to continue the lineage of God’s family. It was important that Perez be born. Tamar named her son Perez, which means “breaking out.” She had overcome circumstances in her own life to finally bear a son, and she passed this heritage on to her son Perez. Though Perez’s twin put his hand out of the womb first, he withdrew it and Perez was born first.
What was in Tamar that prompted her to lay with the patriarch of God’s family? Tamar never gave up hope of bringing God’s seed to the earth. Hope. Circumstances defy it, and time wears it thin. But Tamar knew who she was; a daughter appointed to bear fruit in God’s kingdom. She did not lose hope of fulfilling her role, and overcame disappointment after disappointment to play her own part in the fulfillment of God’s will. And perhaps most importantly for those who are struggling with how we see ourselves, Tamar did not take on the esteem of others as being who she is. Though getting old, she saw herself as worthy of child-bearing.
Let us use the examples of those whose hope was in the Lord as our examples in this life. We should see ourselves as capable, and the seed which we plant as good. When that time of promise is upon us, let us not discard our hope no matter how long we have waited, nor the lack of visible signs of growth. And according to Isaiah 40:31, let the old who hope in the Lord mount up on the wings of eagles. Let them run and not grow weary, and walk and not grow faint. Be encouraged today to not toss off those meager fruits of your labors, but trust in the Lord that what He once gave to you personally He will keep alive for a full and glorious Harvest. Amen
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