"You shall see the performance of what I have promised. Faint Not!"
I was walking by my dresser and my eye fell upon the Christmas card I received from my little sister. It was a very loving and precious card. And as I glanced at it, I heard those words that I posted above, and was quickened to share them with you.
Whatever it is that you have been standing and believing for, God says you SHALL see the performance of what HE has promised you. After all He is not a man that He should lie!
The significance of the card is that at age 6 God placed in my heart a deep desire for a baby sister to love and share life with. I remember climbing up into my Daddy's lap one evening and telling him and Mom that I wanted a baby sister. I remember Mom sputtering and coughing on the couch. "Mom can't have any more babies," she informed me. ( I was considered a miracle baby, but did not know that.) But with the determination of a 6 yr old to have what I desired, I announced, "Fine! I'll ask God to give me a baby sister."
Now you must understand, we were not a "religious family!" I knew about God and sensed Him in the nature around me, but I did not go to church at that time, as we lived on a farm and weekends were spent doing farm chores. I remember going to bed that night and praying and asking God to please give me a little sister. Guess who got pregnant?!! I recall a conversation with Mom when her belly was quite extended and she said, "What if it is a boy?" I answered, "I didn't ask God for a boy, I asked for a baby sister, so that is what I am getting." (I wish I always had that level of faith now!) Sure enough, Mom had a girl and I got my prayer answered. God gave me a baby sister.
Fast forward 12+ years. Our Dad is in Heaven, and I am radically saved. MY beloved baby sister calls me "Jesus Freak" and has nothing to do with me whatsoever! I come in the front door and she exits out the back. She tells all her friends, "Don't talk to her, she is a Jesus Freak." For SEVEN (7) years, I pray and weep over my little sister. Finally I said to God, "I am going to go out and tell other people's family members about Jesus, and so I expect you to save my sister, as I share your Word with other people's families. Please send someone she will listen to!"
Sure enough, He did just that. She waited tables as a waitress at a certain
restaurant and every Sunday these 2 couples came in and sat in her section. They would ASK to have her wait on them! They left her money on the table and spoke kindly and joked with her. She figured they were church folks. But when she got an infected tooth, these "church folk" did something extreme. They left and came back with a check for $800 to pay her dentist bill. She was so shocked. It was then she learned the men were a Pastor and his Assistant Pastor from the nearby Assembly of God church! The next Sunday instead of working, she went to their church to find out what kind of people write a check for $800 to a stranger? What she found was the Saviour who prompted them to show His Extravagant Love to her! Now my sister is the Jesus Freak, and I am so blessed to have her walking with God and growing in Grace daily!
So, don't give up! Don't stop speaking life (God's Word) into what appear to be impossible situations!
I heard God say, " I see your heart. I know that you don't always know what or how to say it. But I see and know your heart. I know what your tears are saying, when your don't even know why you are crying. Even as we stand on the brink of a New Year, go confidently into it, knowing that you shall reap if you faint not."
Luke 1:45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Isaiah 55:11 (JPS) So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, except it accomplish that which I please, and make the thing whereto I sent it prosper.
Galatians 6:9 (AMP) And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.
Hebrews 10:35-36 (AMP) Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised.
Showing posts with label reaping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reaping. Show all posts
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Thoughts are seeds
Secret thoughts eventually become displayed in word and/or action. Hold a thought in your heart and carry it around, and just like a seed that is carelessly dropped into good soil, you will see the result springing up in your life!
Why do you think that Paul took so much time to speak to the Philippians
about their thought life? We know we need to stay away from unclean thoughts, but Paul was addressing a much finer line of thought in his dissertation to them!
As we train our minds, as Paul instructed and allow the Word of God to search us, we are also guarding our hearts from things that defile. For when we give place and allow things to take root that shouldn't, we will reap a harvest, even if it something you really don't want the fruit of.
Jesus said, "But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart. The words that come out of your mouth come from your heart. And they are what make you unfit to worship God." Matt. 15:118
I am always amazed at some things that people say, thinking that they have carefully veiled and hidden their feelings and thoughts, and yet they are so blatant
and exposed! (At least they are to me...)
I have a knife I use for fileting (cutting) chicken off of the bone. It is a very thin blade and ever so slightly curved. It alowes me to slide it between cartilage
and meat and cut the meat right away from the bone that it would normally cling to.
That is how the Word of God works! It goes deep into the heart of the matter (whatever it may be.) It slices away all those things that try to cling to us, or we try to cling to. It exposes the very meat, the inner most contents of our hearts. As they are exposed to the light of His Word, and the adept dealings of the Holy Spirit, as He holds up our thoughts against God's thoughts and God's measuring stick (The Word) we see where we fall short and come up lacking.
So when God shows you something, don't try to cover it up and hide it! Don't try to push those feelings of anger, hurt, betrayal, rejection, fear, or "whatever" it is, back down inside. Give Him and yourself permission to deal with them once and for all.
This is how healing takes place. This is how we get delivered.
The hands of God are Gentle, not rough! They are very skilled and His heart is full of compassion. He does not want you partially healed, or partially delivered! He wants you WHOLE! And to be wholly His. And to be Holy! He came to bring light into the darkness, and sight to the blind. He came to set the captives free. Whether it is captivity of thought, or situation, or financal, or physical, He IS your answer, even when you don't know the question to ask. He is Alpha- the beginning- your beginning of Real life! And is Omega, the end of the enemy's stronghold in your life.
Here is America, there is a saying in some parts that is a veiled warning, "do not mess with me!" It goes like this: " Don't start something unless you are very sure you are big enough and can finish it." ( Usually referencing starting a fight or brawl.) Well, the devil has started something, and he "thinks" he's big enought to finish it, or atleasst he wants you to think that. But the Truth is, Jesus has already whipped his sorry self and made an open, public ridicule, displaying his defeat and shame and humiliation!
And He ( Jesus) expects us to enforce that defeat and to walk out our lives in the Victory that He has ALREADY purchased for us. Does that mean it will always be easey? No! Does it mean that we will never fall down and bump our knees? No, we will probably skin them a few times along the way! But when we fall, we can and must get back up by the Grace and Power of God and trust in His Mercy and Trust in His Love for us. Learn by the Spirit and the Word of God, because if you don't learn by that way, you will have opportunity to learn from your mistakes! We call it the School of Hard Knocks! Trust me on that one, as I have had lots of experience along those lines, in my journey with Him over the years!I am so glad that He never gave up on me! And HE won't give up on you either, so don't give up on your self!
"For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are modest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are worthy of reverence and honorable, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious and amiable, if there is anything of virtue and excellence, whatsoever things are of good report; whatever things have honour, whatever things are upright, whatever things are beautiful, whatever things are of value, whatsoever of good fame, if there be any virtue and if any praise, think on these things; keep your minds on whatever is pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things."
Philippians 4:8
Heb 4:12 (several translations) For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.
Philippias 2:13(WNT) For it is God Himself whose power creates within you the desire to do His gracious will and also brings about the accomplishment of the desire.
2Corinthians 4:15(MSG) Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!
When you have put your whole heart in His hands, thhen you can relax and know that He is working it out for you! Amen.
Why do you think that Paul took so much time to speak to the Philippians
about their thought life? We know we need to stay away from unclean thoughts, but Paul was addressing a much finer line of thought in his dissertation to them!
As we train our minds, as Paul instructed and allow the Word of God to search us, we are also guarding our hearts from things that defile. For when we give place and allow things to take root that shouldn't, we will reap a harvest, even if it something you really don't want the fruit of.
Jesus said, "But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart. The words that come out of your mouth come from your heart. And they are what make you unfit to worship God." Matt. 15:118
I am always amazed at some things that people say, thinking that they have carefully veiled and hidden their feelings and thoughts, and yet they are so blatant
and exposed! (At least they are to me...)
I have a knife I use for fileting (cutting) chicken off of the bone. It is a very thin blade and ever so slightly curved. It alowes me to slide it between cartilage
and meat and cut the meat right away from the bone that it would normally cling to.
That is how the Word of God works! It goes deep into the heart of the matter (whatever it may be.) It slices away all those things that try to cling to us, or we try to cling to. It exposes the very meat, the inner most contents of our hearts. As they are exposed to the light of His Word, and the adept dealings of the Holy Spirit, as He holds up our thoughts against God's thoughts and God's measuring stick (The Word) we see where we fall short and come up lacking.
So when God shows you something, don't try to cover it up and hide it! Don't try to push those feelings of anger, hurt, betrayal, rejection, fear, or "whatever" it is, back down inside. Give Him and yourself permission to deal with them once and for all.
This is how healing takes place. This is how we get delivered.
The hands of God are Gentle, not rough! They are very skilled and His heart is full of compassion. He does not want you partially healed, or partially delivered! He wants you WHOLE! And to be wholly His. And to be Holy! He came to bring light into the darkness, and sight to the blind. He came to set the captives free. Whether it is captivity of thought, or situation, or financal, or physical, He IS your answer, even when you don't know the question to ask. He is Alpha- the beginning- your beginning of Real life! And is Omega, the end of the enemy's stronghold in your life.
Here is America, there is a saying in some parts that is a veiled warning, "do not mess with me!" It goes like this: " Don't start something unless you are very sure you are big enough and can finish it." ( Usually referencing starting a fight or brawl.) Well, the devil has started something, and he "thinks" he's big enought to finish it, or atleasst he wants you to think that. But the Truth is, Jesus has already whipped his sorry self and made an open, public ridicule, displaying his defeat and shame and humiliation!
And He ( Jesus) expects us to enforce that defeat and to walk out our lives in the Victory that He has ALREADY purchased for us. Does that mean it will always be easey? No! Does it mean that we will never fall down and bump our knees? No, we will probably skin them a few times along the way! But when we fall, we can and must get back up by the Grace and Power of God and trust in His Mercy and Trust in His Love for us. Learn by the Spirit and the Word of God, because if you don't learn by that way, you will have opportunity to learn from your mistakes! We call it the School of Hard Knocks! Trust me on that one, as I have had lots of experience along those lines, in my journey with Him over the years!I am so glad that He never gave up on me! And HE won't give up on you either, so don't give up on your self!
"For the rest, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are noble, whatsoever things are modest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are worthy of reverence and honorable, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious and amiable, if there is anything of virtue and excellence, whatsoever things are of good report; whatever things have honour, whatever things are upright, whatever things are beautiful, whatever things are of value, whatsoever of good fame, if there be any virtue and if any praise, think on these things; keep your minds on whatever is pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things."
Philippians 4:8
Heb 4:12 (several translations) For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.
Philippias 2:13(WNT) For it is God Himself whose power creates within you the desire to do His gracious will and also brings about the accomplishment of the desire.
2Corinthians 4:15(MSG) Every detail works to your advantage and to God's glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!
When you have put your whole heart in His hands, thhen you can relax and know that He is working it out for you! Amen.
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