Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 1 Peter 3:14 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 1 John 2:28 According to the scriptures above, and also many others, there are words to describe our stance before our Holy Savior upon His return:
Now let's look at Jude 1:24 in a few different versions and see what this "stance" brings: Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. (NLT) Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy... (NKJV) Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight... (Amplified) We are told in more than one way that our stance before Christ of shalom (peace) and confidence will bring us "great joy", "exceeding joy", and "triumphant joy and unspeakable delight". This obviously sounds so wonderful and perfect and something that we seek and anticipate with all our hearts. In reality, this is the reward!!! I ran across the picture below a few weeks ago and saved it. It moved me at the time, because it spoke the epitome of what I just described above.
I am sharing all of this somewhat in a full-circle approach. Most of us start with the picture above and then some may fall out of it for various reasons that actually may be necessary as we begin to actually live the truth of the Word and accept the full truth of our fallen and sinful state; then we come full circle back in wisdom, understanding, and fullness of faith. When I stated that some of us "fall out of it", this is always attributed to our lack of understanding and faith, and of course our own actions. Our King provides us a way to enjoy the confidence of this perfect picture all throughout our walk, regardless of what He allows us to experience, if we continue walking in faith of His unsearchable love. I admit, my faith varied many times in my walk, but oh no, giving up was never an option. Although I wavered, my love for Him endured, and I am so grateful He gave me this strength. He simply will not lose even one of His own!! While I believe that the picture we see here is the truth of what it will be like, I don't believe it is always seen in fullness of truth. It wasn't for me, at least; and I share this just in case it is true for you too. When we stand before the Son of Man upon His return and in our own individual judgment, we will stand before ALL truth, THE truth, for only HE is Truth. We will stand before pure, unaltered, and absolute truth, and this Truth (Yahusha Himself) will judge our hearts. If we have not searched out His truth but instead stand with our own thoughts and ideas or those things we have learned from our religions, teachers, and pastors, we run the high risk of being bowed down before Him in shame. The Word says that our works will be subjected to His judgment; and remember, His eyes are a flame of fire! For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:11-14 The Word also unequivocally states that the works of our hearts are many times deceitful and wicked, even from the complete wrong and even evil motivation. Our hearts are so mysterious that we can't even truly know what exists deeply buried in the crevices. It's a storehouse for everything we've ever felt or experienced; and if is not renewed and cleansed by Truth, it stands to be deceived. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23 So obviously, we cannot trust our own hearts, no not one bit. We cannot trust what we believe from our hearts, unless it is founded in the pure truth of Christ. He IS truth, and He IS the Word; therefore, all we believe and all that flows from us must be based on this. This is where the true shalom (peace and utter completeness) will manifest within us when we stand before Him, and His judgment of our work will render approved! Can you imagine this feeling?? Yes, this is unspeakable joy and delight as we stand before our Righteous Judge, King, and Savior -- the Lion of the tribe of Judah -- and He receives us with open arms! Can we reach this place now, in this life, where we are so resting in His truth that His shalom never leaves us, resulting in a meek and humble confidence that keeps us rejoicing without ceasing?? Yes we can!! The Word shows us that the rejoicing of the people of the Most High is never-ending!! This somewhat "indiscriminate" rejoicing is the proof! This rejoicing is not necessarily "happiness" of the world, but a joy and peace that surpasses all understanding in every single situation we face, whether sorrow, death, sickness, poverty, etc. I do not say this comes easy... no... and many times we are faced with these situations over and over to finally instill it within us. This is necessary to prepare us to stand before Him... in exceeding joy and liberty! The picture we see above IS the truth! But do we understand it in full maturity... but yet still keeping our first-love, childlike heart founded and grounded in experience, endurance, and faith? He who called us is faithful to get us there! Yes, He is!! Look at this again: Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight... Jude 1:24 (Amplified) I mentioned above that the Word tells us that the people of the Most High God can be identified by their rejoicing. I would like to leave you with a few of these scriptures to encourage you to know this and live this, if you are not yet in this place. I am still learning and growing in this regard, but I believe I finally understand it! Praise be to the glorious name of Yahusha, "Yah's Salvation", as He continually and faithfully leads us into all truth! Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified. Psalm 40:16 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice. Proverbs 29:6 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. Psalm 33:20-22 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psalm 32:11 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Hebrews 3:6 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways... Isaiah 64:5 And one more thing... I just can't resist!! In Ecclesiastes 3, we are told that there is a time to laugh and a time to cry, a time to dance and a time to mourn, and so forth an so on. I believe that in all of this, no matter what time it is, the internal rejoicing within our spirit as demonstrated in the scriptures above should never cease. And so, as you watch and enjoy the short little video below showing the undeniable contagion of laughter, imagine the impact of ongoing spiritual rejoicing!!
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A great sadness came over me a few days ago completely out of the blue. I know this sadness all too well, as it has been a familiar feeling during much of the last few years of my life. However, this was sudden with a twist of dread. Because it didn’t make sense at the moment, I went to my little prayer closet and began to ask Father, crying and feeling such a sense of loss. For a while, all I could do is pray for mercy, because the sense of loss was so great. And this sense of loss felt very connected to those who find themselves separated from the Almighty God, whether in this life or in eternity. I could feel the blackness of an abyss that I could see, and the loss was absolute torment. I felt the torture of eternal separation from Father and His Son. It was horrible, so of course I cried and repeatedly asked for mercy that I never go to this place and for those who may already find themselves there. As I continued to experience this, I asked Father what this was several times; I asked Him what I was feeling. I then began to sense very clearly in my spirit that the time of the lukewarm church is over; He is done. The words “fed up” kept coming into my mind. And then, the following scripture flowed: He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Revelation 22:11 Realizing that the context of the scripture is at the end of time, all I could think of was… “let he who is lukewarm be lukewarm still”. Then I wondered, has the time come when as Yahusha said, “I wish you were hot or cold, but because you are lukewarm I will spew you out of my mouth”? Has He reached the time when He will cast away those who honor Him with their lips but their hearts are far from Him? Or is this time upon us when those who are lukewarm will fall for a great delusion that will seal their fate and reward them their just recompense for their abuse of the name of Christ? I even wondered if the reason He said that He wished they were cold (instead of lukewarm) is because those who are cold still have a chance in their ignorance and the lukewarm have reached the place where they do not, simply because they know what they are doing? Needless to say, I was upset, and my heart ached for all those who may find themselves in this spiritual state, and I prayed that I would never enter into it myself. Of course, I cannot say for certain that we have reached this time, but I do know in my heart that it is at the door. How long? How long is the Savior of the world, who left His heavenly habitation in the glory of His Father to be birthed into this human dimension and walk amongst His brethren suffering the greatest death in all the world to save them from their wretched sin… how long is He to stand aside while the vast majority of “Christians” continue to profess His name but yet live like the devil? How long is He to watch their love of the world and all its trappings clearly trump their professed “love” for Him? How long is He to watch them in their western fatness and bliss trample Him underfoot as they continue to sin against Him? All the while He has said to them… And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:14-22 He has told them of their deficiencies, those that make him literally sick to the point of vomiting, but yet He has still offers to sup with them if they will open the door. He has told them what they need to truly be what they profess, and then He has told them what they can have if they repent. After all their trampling of His costly sacrifice, He still offers them forgiveness and a special part in His heavenly kingdom. He has done this now for 2,000 years, and it seems we have reached the pinnacle… that time where sin has reached its fullness and the cup of iniquity runs over; and thus grace runs out. Is this not what we see today? Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. Hosea 4:1-3 In this day and age, especially in America, we have perfected the meaning of the lukewarm state of Christianity. This is not to say all, but yes, generally speaking this is true. I heard a traveling pastor say that someone from another country said to him, “America’s Christianity is as wide as the world but is only a few feet deep”. It is true; our Christianity is shallow, lukewarm, and the perfect example of how not to be. For many years now, I have felt this and even been embarrassed and ashamed to be an American. Considering the atrocities committed against other human beings in this land, even if it was in the past, as well as our what I like to call “fat basking”, which is quite prevalent now, I have just felt a sense of shame. We have become very prideful and self-focused in every aspect of life. We think no harm will ever come to us, because we are America. We think we have need of nothing. But we truly are blind, naked, and very poor in spirit. This is what we have become… He [the wicked] hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. Psalm 10:6 (Please read all of Psalm 10 and see if this sounds familiar.) This is not to say there is not good in America, because there is, even today. It is America in its infancy that was a beacon of the true Light of Christ and had an influence that impacted the whole world. It is America that received all the blessings of its faith in the Almighty God and obedience to His word and commandments. But something happened over time, and now we have become the complete opposite. We waxed fat and forgot the Almighty just like Israel, although we love to say His name and call ourselves by it. We have become the lukewarm capitol of the world. So, do we… myself included… feel that we have not been influenced by this “American way”? Do we think our minds have not been tainted to the point we have lost touch with reality, including spiritual reality? Have you ever travelled outside of the US and seen the intense and degrading poverty that exists elsewhere? Have you seen the tyranny and control that attempts to steal its people’s very right to worship the God of their choice (I speak of Christ here)? Have you seen the simplicity of life that what we would call inconvenient and primitive? I visited Hondurus once on a cruise and could not enjoy any of it. I was convicted in my heart to be travelling to a country to “sight-see” and enjoy the beauty of it, all while many of the residents were living in extreme poverty and filth. If we speak in all honesty, a great many of Americans are clueless; and if they are not atheists, they are very likely lukewarm Christians. I do not say all of this as if I am pointing the finger. The intense feelings of loss and torment I experienced were for those who are lost in their lukewarmness, and I could very well be one of those people. I am not living this way right now nor have I in many years, but there was a time in my Christian walk where sin still had a grip on me; and while my convictions may have been there, they weren’t near strong enough to stop the sin in its tracks. But, because I am His, and because of His mercy upon me, He turned me fully towards His face and made me desire to be completely HOT! Woe to me to ever turn aside even an inch towards the lukewarm life. It is my humble prayer that I will never live like that again! I share this simply because I used to be there in some form. And even now as I type this writing titled, “It’s Time to Take Our Temperature”, I am included in the “our”. So, it is… it is time for us to examine ourselves and get our spiritual thermometer out and take our temperature. The Word is very pointed about this very thing… Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. 2 Corinthians 13:5 We are told to examine ourselves and prove whether we really are of the faith! And when we go in for a physical examination, many times our temperature is taken. Our temperature will reveal the health, or lack thereof, within our bodies. The same is true of our spiritual health! Although this could be seen as an allegory somewhat, this is an extremely important part of our walk. We must look deeply inward, with all humility and honesty, and check the temperature of our spiritual health. I know I am writing this by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to admonish and forewarn us all… time is almost out; and I am certainly not the only one saying this! And if you or I are living even an inch close to lukewarm, we are in great danger of being cast out by Yahusha Himself and given over to our intense self-reliant works and self-indulgent desires, fully subjected to the great deception and delusion that awaits. That time is not coming; that time is now! So, let’s do this. Let’s take our temperature. Are you hot or cold… or are you lukewarm? Obviously we know what it means to be hot or cold; it is absolute and there is no question. But lukewarm is in the middle somewhere… gray, fuzzy, and uncertain; it is tepid and undesirable. Isn’t it ironic that so many things in our world and country now fit this description? We have gone so far into the gray and fuzzy that even gender has become un-absolute. Oh how far down the drainpipe towards the abyss we have gone… Back on track now… Let’s look at the scriptures to first see what it means to be “hot” as Yahusha mentions in Revelation 3:15 (above). As you read these scriptures, allow the Word in its living and active state to quicken you and delve deeply into the crevices of your heart to expose all truth. This means to set aside all your current thoughts, beliefs, and emotions and allow the Word to be the Word – absolute truth. As you read these, honestly and with integrity ask yourself… is this me? Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 2 John 9:9 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-40 If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:31-32 And paying special attention to the following words spoken directly from Yahusha Himself, all the way till the end: And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Luke 14:25-35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 16:25 The scriptures are so very clear that when we are hot, we are all in to the point of sacrificing everything, including our own lives, for the One who gave us life. It is also clear that when we have refused this place of full surrender where we exhibit our faith through how we live, then we are good for nothing but to be cast out. This is exactly why Yahusha says He will spew out the lukewarm from His mouth. He will not utter our names with His mouth to His Father, but rather He will forcefully cast us away as if He were vomiting us out of His body, only to say, Away from me your worker of iniquity; I never knew you. When meditated upon, this is a horribly sobering thought, very similar to the tormenting feeling of loss I felt a few days ago. On the contrast of being hot, cold goes without saying. It is an absolute state of not believing and not following. People who are cold simply have no faith in or love for Yahusha. Many believe He does not exist, and hot Christians are repulsive to them. These have received no truth, or they have rejected the truth. This is obviously a very bad place to be, because unbelievers will have no part in the Kingdom; they will die in their sin, and the wages will be eternal death. How is it that Yahusha says He would rather the lukewarm even be cold? It is possible that those in the cold state have less of a hardened heart than the lukewarm and still have the full potential to be converted? It is possible that the heart of the lukewarm is terribly hardened as they know the truth of Yahusha and what He has done, they proclaim His name, but yet they trample Him under their own feet by continuing in the very behavior that nailed Him to the tree, knowing full well it is sin! Couldn’t this be considered a form of blasphemy? This is the behavior of the lukewarm. It is my prayer that through this writing, particularly the spoken Word of the Most High, the Holy Spirit will quicken and convict anyone operating in the lukewarm, to the point of repentance and lasting change. The world’s lukewarm truth is a lie, and it has many hearts seared in its grip. Although Yahusha still offers repentance and forgiveness to these, we must remember what He said awaits for those who refuse to turn to Him: And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 Is this strong delusion amongst us now? Take a look at the world and see what is being constantly programmed into us at this very moment. Is the great delusion lurking, or is it already here in the form of a false savior (and a false “savior” does not necessarily have to be a person)?! Remember, this great delusion could deceive even the very elect, if it were possible. Know for certain, the elect are hot, and they know the truth, and they are free from the great delusion! And finally, we must realize that the time of grace will come to an end, and we are almost there. The lukewarm particularly are at great risk and will experience the most loss, even moreso that than of the unbeliever (remember, the servant who knows His master's will but does it not will be beaten with many blows!). We must know in our hearts that there is coming a day very soon when He will cast these away, and they will be forever separated from Him, left to eternal weeping, darkness, and damnation. Can you imagine the day when He will say to those who have remained in this lukewarm spiritual state… Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 22:13 Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 25:30 I realize this is not a warm and fuzzy writing, but the scriptures speak for themselves, and the Word of our King is purified, even seven times! I know we are nearing the end, and therefore, it is time for messages that compel us to examine ourselves to ensure we are truly of the faith. There is too much at stake not to speak up when the Spirit of Truth leads. The Father chastises those whom He loves, and those who truly love Him will be not offended but instead respond to His call! The Spirit is saying at this very moment… … Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Ephesians 5:14 Our only hope is in Christ – fully in Him through absolute surrender and obedience. Our only love is for Him as the apple of our eye (He is in our thoughts and heart day and night!). Our allegiance is to Him and Him only … no religion, no man, no tradition, no solution or potion of man, and certainly not ourselves! We love Him and trust in Him, and we walk out our faith at all cost. So simply said… we are on fire for Him; we are HOT! I do realize this is a long post, but I have one more related thing to share. The following is an excellent teaching by an evangelist named Paul Washer. If you are not madly in love with Yahusha ha Mashiach, you will likely be offended by this message. Please, it is better to be temporarily offended to the point of repentance, rather than to be eternally condemned. Please consider giving this your full attention, and please consider sharing it along with this writing as you are led. It really is the time to do so. I pray blessings of truth, shalom, love, and wholeness in Yahusha to all! Over the last few months, there has been somewhat of a shift with me... I can't find one or even a few words to describe it. All I know is that I truly desire to go with the flow, even if it hurts, because Father is doing something new. It has affected my writings... the content and the amount. Basically my writing has slowed way down, and I believe it is because He is perfecting much within my heart. Although I miss it and get that feeling sometimes that maybe I have turned my back on those I have so enjoyed encouraging, I really have no choice. I know many of you understand this, as we must be lead of the Holy Spirit in anything that we do for and about our Father and His Son, Yahusha ha Mashciach (Jesus Christ). And if we fail to go with His flow, our works will not be anointed, and in the end, they will be burned up. This post is one I feel compelled to write and share with those I know to be seeking to grow more and more intimate with the Father, regardless of the cost. While this is the desire of our hearts, we really have no idea of the cost. I am sure this is why Yahusha told anyone wanting to be His disciple to count the cost first (Luke 14:25-34). The fact that He said this should always cause us to pause and consider; and sometimes we don't fully understand it until the cost is upon us. Even mentioning this "cost" of being His disciple is a good lead in to what I felt lead to share... about the target, the focus, and the goal. Today as we face global challenges and deep deceit unlike ever before, many of us are sensing the urgency of the hour in our hearts. We know time is accelerating, the time of tribulation is upon us, and our Beloved King is about to break through the clouds! We know it is an hour of preparation, intense preparation, and if we are serious about our walk with Him, then this is our first thought, our first priority, and our first mention; it is simply always on our hearts. I read a devotional writing this morning by my dear sister from South Africa, Pietra de Bod, and it propelled me into this post. As you've noticed, I've begun posting many of her writings here on the site and also been sending out some of her shorter writings to a smaller group of you who requested to receive these regularly via email. For those of you who have read these writings, you likely can understand why I am sharing them. I want to reiterate why. I believe that our sister has the absolute correct target, focus, and goal -- the Father's heart through the Son -- and in obedience, this is what she shares with us. I believe these messages need to go out to the body, now. As I myself have recently been reading in Matthew, I have discovered many new little related nuggets of truth that have fed my spirit. One of these is the understanding that doing the will of the Father in Heaven is the way that we are accepted by Yahusha as "knowing Him". Those who actually do the will of the Father are the only ones whom He truly knows, according to the scripture: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21 But how are we sure to do the will of the Father who is in Heaven... unless we KNOW the heart of His Son! Only the Son knows the Father, and when we know the Son, we also know the Father and are able to do His will. And we all know what "knowing" means in the Word... it means an intimate knowing that is only possible through oneness. This means that when we know the Father's heart and are one with Him through abiding in the heart of His Son, we are surely able to know and do His will. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Matthew 11:27
know the heart of the Father... this is no small thing and takes much seeking and focus on our parts, of course birthed from a genuine desire within our own hearts. I felt compelled to share this short message of my own to introduce this writing from our sister Pietra that so eloquently and truthfully explains to us what it means to truly know the heart of the Father. This is not her opinion nor is it a poetic attempt to explain what she feels to be truth. I believe she shares His words that have been poured forth from His heart into her humble spirit as true revelation. She explains that to know His heart is to know His rented heart that He has shown to the whole world through the humility and perfect obedience of His Son. The question for all of us and that we must ask is ... do we really know His heart? I pray that this writing below will minister to the depths of your being as it has mine. This is where He wants to take us brothers and sisters!! He is preparing us for something so big that we cannot fathom its magnitude, but in order to go there, we must know His rented heart!! I can say in all humility that I do not know the Father's heart near to the degree that I desire or that He desires, but I crave with all my soul and spirit to go there and pray that you do too! This is for those who do!! You may access the writing here. (And note that she has posted other writings since this one, and if you would like to see these, click here where you can scroll through them all.) And further, Pietra now has a Telegram channel where she has begun to do audio messages of her writings. For those of you who would rather listen than read, you can access her channel here once you have set up a Telegram account. Disclaimer: Having said all above, I have the utmost respect for each and every individual journey. Our walk is a process with stepping stones that lead to the heart of the Father, and each of us are currently at our own stepping stone in this walk.
"Patience, young grasshopper" comes from a 1970s TV show called "Kung Fu". David Carradine played the role of Kwai Chang Caine, a half-American half chinese character in the old west who had been trained as a Shaolin monk in China. The show featured flashbacks to his training where he was called "Grasshopper" by his blind master, recalling a dialog from the first episode: Master Po: Close your eyes. What do you hear? Young Caine: I hear the water, I hear the birds. Po: Do you hear your own heartbeat? Caine: No. Po: Do you hear the grasshopper which is at your feet? Caine: Old man, how is it that you hear these things? Po: Young man, how is it that you do not? I love this! "Young man, how is that you do not?" That's me!! Sometimes I feel so dull of hearing and seeing that it worries me. And patience has not always been my best characteristic. I am a hard-working, quick person, which tends to contribute to impatience. This is great when it comes to your job (and for your employer), but it can surely be a detriment in your spiritual walk (and not something our Father and "Boss" typically commends). How beautiful would it be to hear all of those wonderful sounds at once, as Po seems to do in our example above? And what's even better.... being able to hear (and even see) all the sounds and things that our Father sends to us in His personal one-on-one communication with us, even His still, small voice. My heart longs to be in this place every second of every day. Well, He says to me, "Patience my little grasshopper; I will give you what you seek, but in my time and when you are fully ready". And I say, "Yes Father, I believe you!" I am sure it is quite obvious that this post is about patience; but even more specifically it is about... waiting... waiting upon our Father and His perfect timing. I did a quick little count to see how many times the word "wait" (or any form of this word) is in the Bible, already knowing it's a lot! I counted 160 times (but some of these are not really positive, i.e., "lying in wait")! Then I checked on how many times we are specifically told to wait upon the Father or wait for something of Him, and it was about 37 times! Then when I looked at the number of references to patience, I found about 34. Obviously, this patience and waiting thing is a very common thread within our Father's word! No wonder it is absolutely a fruit of the Spirit! Have you ever found yourself overburdened, overcommitted, confused, tired and just outside of the peace and rest that the Father promises to those who trust Him -- even though you think you've been working for Him and His purposes? I have, and it hasn't been just once. This blog post is for all the "doers" out there - especially the ones who are "doing" for the Most High God This is to help us finally come to the realization that even though we know that faith without works is dead, our "doing" may not always works of faith and could just be works of flesh. And many times, this type of doing has an underlying cause that needs to be identified and then healed or addressed by the Holy Spirit. Works of faith, although they require time, attention, and energy, will never be related to the words used above -- overburdened, overcommitted, confused, tired, and without peace. The exact opposite will be true when our work is a product of obedience to the Father. The peace and joy of the Spirit will always accompany works of faith, because He Himself will always be the One to assign the work, equip us for the work, and actually produce the work. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30 I am guilty of fleshly works. It's in my nature to work and to work hard, and it goes back at least two generations before me in my family. And somehow this characteristic, which can be perceived as honorable in the world, has always tried to creep into my relationship with the Father. Somehow, buried deep within my heart is the belief that working harder for Him will glean more love and acceptance. Obviously, this could not be any farther from the truth, and this truth is finally beginning to fully take root in me (even though it's taken a while!). The truth is that He loved me when I was yet a sinner; He came to me to save me when I was at my absolute worst. There is no work I can ever do to earn this -- never ever. While this is ingrained in my mind and covered in absolute gratitude, my flesh forgets and gets busy; then He gently reminds me again. His patience with me overwhelms me greatly. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Psalm 86:15 (Note: For this particular scripture, there are several more that are worded almost exactly the same! We would be wise to realize that our Father is amazingly longsuffering with us!) When I think of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness for 40 years never entering into the Father's rest, I wonder... did their stiff-neckedness ever involve fleshly works in trying to please Him? There was blatant disobedience, murmuring and complaining, and even idol worship. But when I think of the golden calf incident, I think of fleshly works indeed! And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord. Exodus 32:2-5 And the ending of this story is so very sad... the Father swore they would never enter into His rest. This very story and ending is mentioned four times (Deuteronomy 1:26-38 when it actually happened and then in Psalm 95:6-11, Hebrews 3:7-9 and 4:1-8; it's that important!!. These scriptures have always quickened me hard, because I know this "working" thing is an area of weakness for me; and I know it may be for many others out there too. Why is so hard for us to wait on Him, when we know by the profundity of His word that He will always answer, and being in His will will always bring us peace, joy, and REST! Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 There are many examples in the Word of those who failed to wait, along with the consequences, as well as those who did wait, along with the blessings. David's words about waiting are the perfect encouragement for this post. As you read these scriptures, think of something either coming up in your life that will require waiting or something in your past where maybe you should have waited and didn't. Meditate upon these words and allow the Holy Spirit to infuse you with the wisdom and peace to see the power of waiting in that particular situation. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. Psalm 25:4-5 I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Psalm 40:1-3 Our Father has proven Himself to us since the beginning of time, as well as since the beginning of our own individual lives, that He is worthy of our trust and patience to wait upon Him in every situation, every crisis, and literally every moment. The fact that we are still breathing and living and being allowed the time to finish our walk in fullness is just one testimony of His faithfulness. Our steadfast assurance and belief in His sovereignty, faithfulness, love, and His never-ending mercy will bring us to the restful place of waiting upon Him, where we will always find the peace of His perfect will, in any situation. This is when we can truly enter into His rest. In closing, and really the main attraction I had intended for this post, I leave a poignant message from the late David Wilkerson (one of my favorites of all time) about waiting upon the Father and receiving His promises as a result. The Holy Spirit is very present in this message, so I pray that He will impart this truth to you so that it will become your very present way of life (and me too)!! |
Special NoteThese writings are written in love and a spirit of servitude. They are not designed to judge but make us think. We are all sinners in need of saving, and we all need encouragement and absolute truth to endure on the narrow road to sanctification and ultimately eternal life. Categories
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