It occurred to me this morning as I was making a comment and expressing my desire for the church; the body of Christ to wake up, that people are awakened in different ways. The Holy Spirit reminded me that in the natural, some people are awakened abruptly, as when a parent awakens their teenager who has overslept and is going to be late for school. That child may find himself with a pillow up-side the head and a shout from across the room, "WAKE UP", causing him to be jolted out of his slumber and out of his bed. Then there are others who are awakened gently, slowly and patiently with, "Time to wake up honey. It's a beautiful day. Come on sweetheart time to wake up." Spiritual awakening is happening and it is happening in much the same way that it does in the natural. The Lord may awaken some abruptly and it could look like they just got a pillow up-side the head; while others He is awakening gently, slowly and patiently. They are those whose speech is still a little slurred, whose vision is still a little blury and whose actions are a little clumsy. So, when I don't see those that I have been praying for, immediately jump up out of their spiritual slumber, I need not get frustrated and throw a pillow up-side their head or yell, "WAKE UP!" I cannot let it cause me to doubt that awakening is even happening. I just need to wait patiently for their full awakening; when their eyes will see clearly, their speech will be sweet and their actions will gracefully reflect the image of Christ. Like Christ I wait patiently, yet eagerly for those who are waking up and I join Him in saying to them, "Time to wake up. It's a beautiful day. Wake up."
I am not confident in my ability to believe my promise will happen and therefore it is VERY difficult to stand up and shout out at the enemy that he is a liar. Will the enemy call my bluff? Will he see straight through me and know that I am not confident that my dreams will come to pass? It's kind of like a dog knowing when you are afraid of him. No matter how strong and calm you act the dog knows how you really feel on the inside. Here is what I take and have confidence in - MY JESUS! HIS WORD IS TRUE. HE IS TRUE. When what I see shouts out to me I will rise up and shout back even louder...
"MY GOD SAYS WHAT MY FUTURE IS, NOT YOU SATAN! I HAVE FULL CONFIDNECE IN MY GOD AND YOU DEVIL ARE A LIAR. MY GOD . . . To finish reading click on "Call my bluff" under "Home" I would rather die and go to heaven believing for the completely impossible and never see it come to pass, than to live my life believing it won't happen and only see what is possible with man. I'd rather live reaching for the utterly ridiculous than die and go to heaven having experinced only the rational. We do not have to reach to experience what is possible with man but to experience the utterly ridiculous we must believe for the completely impossible. I DO REACH FOR WHAT IS UTTERLY RIDICULOUS TO MAN AND BELIEVE FOR WHAT IS COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE - EXCEPT WITH GOD
Among many things our character shows who we are and what we really believe. It shows whether or not one can trust us and what we have to say; Whether or not they can take the advice we give. Our character speaks louder than our words. We can tell others about Jesus and our walk with Him, and as the popular song says we can even "shout it out loud" but if we hide things, and if we are not honest, our character says we are not trust worthy and people will not believe what we say; they will believe what they see. We can lay hands on people in public or pray for the sick all day long. We can even do it with a sincere desire to see them healed, and those people may say, "They are so bold, they have so much faith, what a great guy/girl;" but if behind closed doors; when we think noone is looking and noone will find out, we decide to do things that we know we should not, things that we said we would not do, our character says we are a deciever. God desires to see a people whose character matches their mouth. Let us be the people God is looking for. Let's let our character line up with our mouth, with our actions in public, with the word of God and the word we love to speak to others. Let our character "shout it out loud!" Let's be men and women of integrity, of character, of God.
Oh how I need God. I want Him. I must have Him. I cannot live without Him. I will die without His presence. I want to be found in Him. I must be found in Him. He has all the answers. He knows me better than I know myself. He saves me. He rescues me. He fills me and delivers me. He is my strength. He is my shield. He is my hiding place, my laughing place, my crying place and my resting place. I burn for Him. I yearn for Him. I search for Him. He is mine and I am His. Without Him I am nothing. Without Him I am void of life. Without Him I am desolate and alone. I am a dry and thirsty land. I run to Him and drink of Him; of His sweet, refreshing presence. And I live....
Is it easy for you to forgive others yet very difficult to forgive yourself? Forgiving yourself is not saying that what you have done is okay but it's knowing and accepting that the price for your sin has been paid in full.
If you want to read more about forigveness go to "Home" and click on "FORGIVING YOURSELF." |
AuthorCompelled by the love of Christ is what I want to be, Archives
January 2013
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