God
Purifies
Everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make
it got through the fire, and it shall
be clean:
nevertheless it shall
be purified with
the water of separation: and all that abides not the fire ye shall make
go through the water. [Num31:23]
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not
overflow you: when you walk through the fire, ye shall not be burned; neither shall
the flame kindle upon thee. [Is 43:2]
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined,
and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear
them: I will say, It is My
people: and they shall say, The LORD is
My God. [Zec 13:9]
God Exhorts
A couple of years ago, the Lord had given me a word.
These are the parts that He drew my attention to. (Yes, I am paying attention
too. It is impossible for me to remember every message the Lord gave or
everything I’ve written. I am right alongside the reader here, paying heed to
what He is saying in this hour.)
For God
speaks once, yea twice, but man perceives it not. [Job 33:14]
Excerpts:
Yet, even in God’s judgment, He shows grace and
mercy. If I have said it once, I have said it too many times to count, and that
is that with just one word, one order, God our Creator, the Great Spirit Chief could wipe everything
and everyone out and begin again.
Indeed, He had a better plan right from the
beginning, one that includes grace and mercy, but also judgment and
justice. If Adam and Eve chose to
disobey when tempted (tested/tried), then the Creator would initiate His plan
of salvation.
The purpose of judgment is to cause people to see
the wickedness of their sins, to bring them to repentance (broken and contrite
over their own sins) and to confess, pray and cry out in repentance to the
Creator for forgiveness.
With my soul
have I desired You in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek You
early: for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the
world will learn righteousness. [Is 26:9]
To fear God is to possess enough knowledge and
understanding as to tremble at His glory, His holiness, His purity, His power
and His Sovereignty over all creation.
To fear God enables us to allow His Holy Spirit in us to empower
us to walk by faith and not by sight, and to learn how to overcome
our sinful nature. This healthy fear of
the Lord grants us the willingness to resist temptation.
The fear of
the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. [Prov 15:33]
To multitudes of people who are blinded, deafened
and deceived, evil is good and good is evil.
This deception has caused many to already fall away, but even more will
fall away (as Jesus/Y’shua forewarned).
Unless they seek truth and repent; they will become
apostate and worse yet, reprobate.
Yet, there are those who are lost now who will be
saved. Many prodigals are returning!
Many who are lukewarm will become cold, yet there are those who shall
repent and become hot (on fire) for the Lord! Hallelujah! The Lamb is worthy! We know who has the
victory in the end, for the created can never take the place of the Creator!
(Lucifer/Satan and all the angels are also created beings!) SELAH
Knowing this
first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own
lusts; And saying, where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers
fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation. For this they willingly are ignorant […] [2Pet 3:3-5]
The Lord gave me this word:
To the disobedient, I say to you to change your
mind; repent whilst there is still time, for My time is at hand. Die to
self. Repent of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride
of life.
Lay down your physical needs and desires, the
pleasantries that attract and seduce you, and the foolish pride that
makes you think that you are cunningly wise and knowledgeable. Repent so
that you may be forgiven and that I will show grace and mercy towards you.
And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple
of the living God; as God has said,
I will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, says the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you,
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. [2Cor
6:16-18]
A clash of the
kingdoms also pertains to a clash within the Body of Christ – a clash between
the false (counterfeit) and the true.
God has drawn a dividing line, separating the holy from the profane; the
clean from the unclean. He is dividing
sheep from “sheep” and yes, we know He shall divide the sheep from the goats.
Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one
vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? [Rom 9:21]
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver,
but also of wood and earth; and some to honour and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he
shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. [2Tim 2:21]
Flee also youthful lusts: but
follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord
out of a pure
heart. [2 Tim
2:19-22]
But He gives more grace. Wherefore He says,
God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves
therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to
God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double
minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to
mourning, and your joy to
heaviness. Humble
yourselves in the
sight of the Lord, and He shall
lift you up. [Jam 4:6-10]
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted
out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; [Act 3:19]
God is Longsuffering (Patient)
Way back in
1998, the Lord gave me a song, but at that time I was not saved. I had been
recently delivered of legions, but I still was not committed, but rather, still
deciding to follow Jesus.
I knew it was
God because there was no way I knew scriptures at that time; the gospel was
still hid from me (no understanding).
So, I
hurriedly grabbed a pen and paper (and there is no doubt that the Holy Spirit
brought the entire song back to remembrance – singing it!)
Anyway, this
was the first song God sang to me – a prophetic song. I awoke still hearing the
melody in my ears. It would be a long
while yet before I understood what He was saying.
Give
Me the Glory (April 11, 1998) 7:48 am
Peace, be still - the waters are high!
Peace, be still - you're questioning why?
Peace, be still - the Lord hears your cries
Peace, be still - the storm passes by!
Give Me the glory; o please, trust in Me!
Give Me the glory; o please, trust in Me!
I know...the pain, yes I know.
I was there in the garden. I was there all alone...
I was there in the garden. I was there all alone...
I was in anguish; I was in great travail!
I sweated drops of blood...
I didn't want to do it - no, I didn't want to do it...
My flesh didn't want to do it...
So I cried...
Father, take this bitter cup - o Father, take this bitter cup...
O Father, if it be possible take this bitter cup from Me...
O Father...
I didn't want to do it - no, I didn't want to do it...
My flesh didn't want to do it...
So I prayed...
Howbeit not My will, howbeit not My will...
But Thy will be done...
O Father...
I didn't want to do it - no, I didn't want to do it...
My flesh didn't want to do it...
But I did!!
I hung upon that cross; My heart was wretched in two...
And My flesh groaned under the weight of great sin...
And I died... spilling My very Blood and water upon the
ground...
My spilled blood was not for nothing!
For there lies the victory!
But joy! I'm alive!
But rejoice I live you see!
The cross was not for nothing,
My Blood is your victory! Sweet victory!
Be patient, My child. It hurts, O I know!
I'm a man acquainted with sorrows; I bore your griefs.
By My stripes you are healed; by My Blood you are saved!
The enemy's defeated for I have risen from the grave!
So give Me your sorrows and give Me your griefs.
For lo! I do tell thee, you have the victory!
Be patient, My child...peace o peace, be still!
Give Me the glory, o please, trust in Me!
Give Me the glory, o please, trust in Me!
Patience, it's birthing. Patience, can't you see?
Patience, I am here. I know it is hard...
Patience, it is done in the spiritual...
Now, now, now it manifests...o trust your God!
Victory is sure; the work is done.
Have I not always called those things which are not, as though they were? For to Me, they already are and already have been.
I know the end result from the beginning...
Be still and know that I am God...I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in all the earth.
Peace, be still - the waters are high!
Peace, be still - you're questioning why?
Peace, be still - the Lord hears your cries.
Peace, be still - the storm passes by.
Selah
Peace, be still - the waters are high!
Peace, be still - you're questioning why?
Peace, be still - the Lord hears your cries
Peace, be still - the storm passes by!
Give Me the glory; o please, trust in Me!
Give Me the glory; o please, trust in Me!
I know...the pain, yes I know.
I was there in the garden. I was there all alone...
I was there in the garden. I was there all alone...
I was in anguish; I was in great travail!
I sweated drops of blood...
I didn't want to do it - no, I didn't want to do it...
My flesh didn't want to do it...
So I cried...
Father, take this bitter cup - o Father, take this bitter cup...
O Father, if it be possible take this bitter cup from Me...
O Father...
I didn't want to do it - no, I didn't want to do it...
My flesh didn't want to do it...
So I prayed...
Howbeit not My will, howbeit not My will...
But Thy will be done...
O Father...
I didn't want to do it - no, I didn't want to do it...
My flesh didn't want to do it...
But I did!!
I hung upon that cross; My heart was wretched in two...
And My flesh groaned under the weight of great sin...
And I died... spilling My very Blood and water upon the
ground...
My spilled blood was not for nothing!
For there lies the victory!
But joy! I'm alive!
But rejoice I live you see!
The cross was not for nothing,
My Blood is your victory! Sweet victory!
Be patient, My child. It hurts, O I know!
I'm a man acquainted with sorrows; I bore your griefs.
By My stripes you are healed; by My Blood you are saved!
The enemy's defeated for I have risen from the grave!
So give Me your sorrows and give Me your griefs.
For lo! I do tell thee, you have the victory!
Be patient, My child...peace o peace, be still!
Give Me the glory, o please, trust in Me!
Give Me the glory, o please, trust in Me!
Patience, it's birthing. Patience, can't you see?
Patience, I am here. I know it is hard...
Patience, it is done in the spiritual...
Now, now, now it manifests...o trust your God!
Victory is sure; the work is done.
Have I not always called those things which are not, as though they were? For to Me, they already are and already have been.
I know the end result from the beginning...
Be still and know that I am God...I will be exalted among the heathen; I will be exalted in all the earth.
Peace, be still - the waters are high!
Peace, be still - you're questioning why?
Peace, be still - the Lord hears your cries.
Peace, be still - the storm passes by.
Selah
For
I, the Lord God arise and let My enemies be scattered!
†
There was only
one other song that the Lord ever sung to me. It was one morning in March of
1999. Again, I awoke with the song still
playing in my mind and yet again, the Holy Spirit brought it all to my
remembrance.
I was aware of
the story of Peter by that time, but what I did not realize that it was a
prophetic song that would pertain to this time, sixteen and a half years after
the fact. Nor can I say that I fully
understood until this past week.
Peter and Andrew
were both called to forsake their nets and follow Jesus when He called them,
which they did. Yes, Peter was called to
be an apostle, loved the Lord Jesus, ate with Him, walked with Him, was part of
an inner circle along with James and John, yet needed to be converted.
A person who
is truly saved will not deny Christ their Lord, yet Peter would become well
known for denying Jesus three times (more on that later).
Here is the
second and only other song the Lord has sang to me in a dream to date (2015),
which, once again (back then) was quickly written down upon awakening. I neglected to write
the day or the hour, only the month and year.
Please do keep
in mind that Peter had been forewarned (prophetically) by Jesus (Yeshua) what
would transpire (his sifting by Satan, Jesus’ prayer for him, his need for
conversion and call to be of service to the brethren), but like me, Peter did
not understand fully at the time.
My last name
(birth name) is Bulgarian and literally translates to mean, ‘son of Peter’ (Petroff). Coincidence?
I think not!
Sifted
Like Wheat
Simon, Simon, Satan has desired... he has asked
... to sift you like wheat
... to sift you like wheat ... (all of you)
... to sift you like wheat
But I have pleaded to the Father
That your faith
... not fail you
... not fail you ... (all of you)
... not fail you
So, be converted, that is repent and
... turn again
... turn again ... (all of you)
... turn again
Then go and strengthen; that is encourage
... your brethren
... your brethren ... (all of you)
... your brethren
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! GLORY! Hallelujah!
So, are you feeling, like My Simon?
... sifted like wheat
... sifted like wheat
Are you feeling, like My Peter?
... I know you do
... I know you do
Let them laugh ... but be encouraged
... they laughed at Me
... they laughed at Me
Be converted, that is repent and turn again
... turn again
Be encouraged, your faith won't fail you
... won't fail you
For I have pleaded to the Father that your faith
... won't fail you
... won't fail you
Be encouraged! Lo, I'm coming!
Time is short! Time is short!
Lo, I'm coming; HEAR My armies. Time is short
... so very short
Lo, I'm coming; HEAR My armies. Time is short
... so very short
Be converted, that is REPENT and turn again
... turn again
Then go and strengthen, that is encourage
... your brethren
... your brethren
So if you're feeling like My Simon
... sifted like wheat
... sifted like wheat
So if you're feeling like My Peter
... sifted like wheat
... sifted like wheat
I say give glory to the Father for
... you ARE wheat
... YOU ARE WHEAT!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! GLORY! Hallelujah!
Love,
Your RISEN CHRIST †
Simon, Simon, Satan has desired... he has asked
... to sift you like wheat
... to sift you like wheat ... (all of you)
... to sift you like wheat
But I have pleaded to the Father
That your faith
... not fail you
... not fail you ... (all of you)
... not fail you
So, be converted, that is repent and
... turn again
... turn again ... (all of you)
... turn again
Then go and strengthen; that is encourage
... your brethren
... your brethren ... (all of you)
... your brethren
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! GLORY! Hallelujah!
So, are you feeling, like My Simon?
... sifted like wheat
... sifted like wheat
Are you feeling, like My Peter?
... I know you do
... I know you do
Let them laugh ... but be encouraged
... they laughed at Me
... they laughed at Me
Be converted, that is repent and turn again
... turn again
Be encouraged, your faith won't fail you
... won't fail you
For I have pleaded to the Father that your faith
... won't fail you
... won't fail you
Be encouraged! Lo, I'm coming!
Time is short! Time is short!
Lo, I'm coming; HEAR My armies. Time is short
... so very short
Lo, I'm coming; HEAR My armies. Time is short
... so very short
Be converted, that is REPENT and turn again
... turn again
Then go and strengthen, that is encourage
... your brethren
... your brethren
So if you're feeling like My Simon
... sifted like wheat
... sifted like wheat
So if you're feeling like My Peter
... sifted like wheat
... sifted like wheat
I say give glory to the Father for
... you ARE wheat
... YOU ARE WHEAT!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! GLORY! Hallelujah!
Love,
Your RISEN CHRIST †
Remorse or Repentance
What was the
difference between Judas and Simon? Both
had sinned against Jesus/Yeshua. Judas
had betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silvers; yet Peter denied Yeshua as his
Lord three times. Their sin confronted
both of them. However, Judas felt
remorse (regret) but Peter wept bitterly.
Judas Iscariot
Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned,
repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver
to the chief priests and elders,
Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And
they said, What is that to us?
see you to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the
temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. [Mat
27:3-5]
Jesus’ Prophetic Word
Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon (Simon Iscariot): for he it was that
should betray Him, being one of the twelve. [Jn
6:70, 71]
Some would read the above and
think that Judas repented (or that he tried to by returning thirty pieces of
silver), but that would be inaccurate.
Strong’s Concordance: metamelomai – μεταμέλομαι
(lit: I change one care or interest for another), I change my
mind(generally for the better), repent, regret - /metá “change after being with,” /mélō, “care, be concerned with”) – properly, to experience a
change of concern after a change of
emotion and usually implying to regret,
i.e. falling into emotional remorse afterwards (note the force of 3326 /metá).
[(metameliomai) in the papyri –
also means “regret” and for example is used of a thief, “Otherwise you will
have reason to be sorry for it.” (MM, 403).]
There is no mention that Judas
wept at all, but the Greek word used implies rather that he felt an “emotional
remorse” afterwards, or “regret” that a thief would feel. Jesus himself had prophesied and indicated
not only the condition of Judas’ heart, but who he was (a devil); knowing that
Judas would not go to Him in repentance for the sin of betrayal.
Simon Peter
And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the
word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt
deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. [Lk
22:61, 62]
Jesus’ Prophetic Word
Yeshua (Jesus) forewarned Peter for He knew the
heart and character of Peter, in that after he sinned (denial of Christ three
times), he would genuinely sorrow and repent, so that he could be saved.
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for
you, that thy faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen thy brethren.
And he said unto Him, Lord, I am ready to go with you, both into
prison, and to death. And He said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow
this day, before that you
shall thrice deny that
you know Me. [Lk
22:31-34]
The word ‘converted’ that Jesus used for Peter
has a different meaning in the Greek/Hebrew.
Strong’s
Concordance: epistrophé ἐπιστροφή
- a
turning to God, a turning about, conversion (conversion, reversion, i.e.
morally, revolution—conversion)
My Failure and Denial of Christ
In my bondage to
cigarettes, and in every effort to quit, like Peter, I (“son of Peter”) failed the Lord – yet not in three times as Peter,
but in seventy-times seven (seemingly, over the years). It has not been a refusal to obey, as each
time I did quit cold turkey and gone without, but fear and unbelief as Peter
hindered me each time – each time due to the ‘pressure’ (stress) of the
circumstances (as Peter).
How did my faith fall short in that ultimately
I would deny Christ, evidenced by failure to overcome? Despite my confidence
that I would not fail when sifted like wheat, the prophetic word (song) that
the Lord gave me in ’99 came to pass, just as the Lord’s warning to Peter came
to pass for him.
And like Peter, when I
knew the Lord wanted me to quit, I was confident that I would not fail
Him. And
he (Peter) said unto Him, Lord, I am
ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. [Lk 22:33]
How many of us deny Jesus
Christ by our actions, despite our confidence that our faith will see us
through?
Marcus
Dods, a Scottish theologian, biblical scholar and minister (1834-1909)
spoke of Peter in words that I think many of us can personally relate to; but
if not you, then I myself can surely relate.
Below are a couple of excerpts from the piece.
Frequently we learn by a very painful
experience that our best qualities are tainted, and that actual disaster has
entered our life from the very quarter we least suspected. We may be conscious that the deepest mark has
been made on our life by a sin apparently as alien to our character as
cowardice and lying were to the too venturesome and outspoken character of
Peter.
Possibly we once prided ourselves on
our honesty, and felt happy in our upright character, plain-dealing, and direct
speech; but to our dismay we have been betrayed into double-dealing, equivocation,
evasive or even fraudulent conduct.
[…] Or we are by nature of a
cool temperament, and judged ourselves safe at least from the faults of impulse
and passion; yet the mastering combination of circumstances came, and we spoke
the word, or wrote the letter, or did the deed which broke our life past
mending.
Now, it was
Peter's salvation, and it will be ours, when overtaken in this unsuspected sin,
to go out and weep bitterly. He did not frivolously count it an accident that
could never occur again; he did not sullenly curse the circumstances that had
betrayed and shamed him.
He recognized
that there was that in him which could render useless his best natural
qualities, and that the sinfulness which could make his strongest natural
defences brittle as an egg-shell must be serious indeed. He had no choice but
to be humbled before the eye of the Lord.
There was no
need of words to explain and enforce his guilt: the eye can express what the
tongue cannot utter. The finer, tenderer, deeper feelings are left to the eye
to express. The clear cock-crow strikes home to his conscience, telling him
that the very sin he had an hour or two ago judged impossible is now actually
committed.
That brief
space his Lord had named as sufficient to test his fidelity is gone, and the
sound that strikes the hour rings with condemnation. Nature goes on in her
accustomed, inexorable, unsympathetic round; but he is a fallen man, convicted
in his own conscience of empty vanity, of cowardice, of heartlessness.
He who in his
own eyes was so much better than the rest had fallen lower than all. In the
look of Christ Peter sees the reproachful loving tenderness of a wounded
spirit, and understands the dimensions of his sin. That he, the most intimate
disciple, should have added to the bitterness of that hour, should not only
have failed to help his Lord, but should actually at the crisis of His fate
have added the bitterest drop to His cup, was humbling indeed.
There was that
in Christ's look that made him feel the enormity of his guilt; there was that
also that softened him and saved him from sullen despair.
And it is
obvious that if we are to rise clear above the sin that has betrayed us we can
do so only by as lowly a penitence. We are all alike in this: that we have
fallen; we cannot any more with justice think highly of ourselves; we have
sinned and are disgraced in our own eyes.
In this, I say,
we are all alike; that which makes the difference among us is how we deal with
ourselves and our circumstances in connection with our sin. It has been very
well said by a keen observer of human nature that "men and women are often
more fairly judged by the way in which they bear the burden of their own deeds,
the fashion in which they carry themselves in their entanglements, than by the
prime act which laid the burden on their lives and made the entanglement fast
knotted. The deeper part of us shows in the manner of accepting
consequences."
The reason of
this is that, like Peter, we are often betrayed by a weakness; the part of our nature
which is least able to face difficulty is assaulted by a combination of
circumstances which may never again occur in our life. There was guilt, great
guilt it may be, concerned in our fall, but it was not deliberate, willful
wickedness.
But in our
dealing with our sin and its consequences our whole nature is concerned and
searched; the real bent and strength of our will is tried. We are therefore in
a crisis, the crisis, of our
life. Can we accept the situation? Can we humbly, frankly own that, since that
evil has appeared in our life, it must have been, however unconsciously, in
ourselves first?
Can we with
the genuine manliness and wisdom of a broken heart say to ourselves and to God,
Yes, it is true I am the wretched, pitiful, bad-hearted creature that was
capable of doing, and did that thing? I did not think that was my character; I
did not think it was in me to sink so very low; but now I see what I am. Do we
thus, like Peter, go out and weep bitterly?
Everyone who has passed through a time
such as this single night was to Peter knows the strain that is laid upon the
soul, and how very hard it is to yield utterly. So much rises up in
self-defence; so much strength is lost by the mere perplexity and confusion of
the thing; so much is lost in the despondency that follows these sad
revelations of our deep-seated evil.
What is the use, we think, of striving,
if even in the point in which I thought myself most secure I have fallen? What
is the meaning of so perplexed and deceiving a warfare? Why was I exposed to so
fatal an influence? So Peter, had he taken the wrong direction, might have
resented the whole course of the temptation, and might have said, Why did
Christ not warn me by His look before I sinned, instead of breaking me by it
after?
Why had I no inkling of the enormity of
the sin before as I have after the sin? My reputation now is gone among the
disciples; I may as well go back to my old obscure life and forget all about
these perplexing scenes and strange spiritualities.
But Peter, though he was cowed by a
maid, was man enough and Christian enough to reject such falsities and
subterfuges. It is true we did not see the enormity, never do see the enormity,
of the sin until it is committed; but is it possible it can be otherwise?
Is not this the way in which a blunt
conscience is educated? Nothing seems so bad until it finds place in our own
life and haunts us. Neither need we despond or sour because we are disgraced in
our own eyes, or even in the eyes of others; for we are hereby summoned to
build for ourselves a new and different reputation with God and our own
consciences -- a reputation founded on a basis of reality and not of seeming. Marcus Dods sermon
As the Master, So the Servant
In the song
the Lord gave me in early 1998, He used himself as an example for what He
expected me to do. Truly, in those days, I knew nothing about dying to
self. I simply believed that
Jesus/Yeshua was revealing to me what He went through in the Garden of
Gethsemane.
I
understood His personal struggle emotionally in overcoming His flesh in order
to submit to the Father’s will; His anguish in knowing what He had to suffer,
but also the victory and reward that awaited obedience.
The
prophetic word at the end of the song was two-fold (then and now), but I had no
way of knowing that at the time.
Patience,
it's birthing. Patience, can't you see?
Patience, I am here. I know it is hard...
Patience, it is done in the spiritual...
Now, now, now it manifests...o trust your God!
Victory is sure; the work is done.
Have I not always called those things which are not, as though they were? For to Me, they already are and already have been. I know the end result from the beginning...
Patience, I am here. I know it is hard...
Patience, it is done in the spiritual...
Now, now, now it manifests...o trust your God!
Victory is sure; the work is done.
Have I not always called those things which are not, as though they were? For to Me, they already are and already have been. I know the end result from the beginning...
Two
weeks after the Lord gave me that song, my children were returned to me, after
nearly seven years in a custody battle.
Now another time is upon me (and you, the reader, as well).
Then Jesus said unto His disciples,
If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and
follow Me. [Mat
16:24]
I have
confessed my sin openly on the worldwide web, before friends and foe alike;
before brethren and those not of the faith alike. My repentance is true, just
as Peter’s was and my sorrow and pain as deep.
Yet there
is more to confess, sadly, which I think I knew deep down inside, but it became
profusely clear as I did wrote this article. Fear and unbelief! As I myself
have tirelessly stated over the past years, fear opposes faith.
Fear of
failure, fear of withdrawals (dying to self – flesh never wants to die); fear
of what is coming, yes – fear was hindering me.
Unbelief rides in the shadow of fear. I listened to the voice of my
enemy, whether flesh or devil. It was an
old, familiar line, first spoken long ago to yet another woman.
“Has God said…? Surely you will not
die!” The voice belongs to a liar, a deceiver. Doubt is the
seed of the fruit of unbelief. “You cannot do this. You do not know how to
rest in God’s love; you lack faith!”
When one feeds a hungry ‘wolf’, that wolf becomes stronger.
I know to
speak the Word – it is my sword; a vital part of God’s armour. Without it, I
cannot fight the enemy. What good is a
sharp sword in battle if one does not pick it up? Yea, and that sword must be
sharp and is only sharpened by the reading of God’s word. Therefore, laziness too must be
confessed.
Knowing
what to do and failing to do it is nothing but laziness (inertia, passivity).
To have faith in Christ Jesus (Yeshua), one must trust and obey. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the
WORD of GOD. [Rom 10:17]
Being
over-analytical is one of my quirks. About four to six weeks ago (uncertain
exactly), a sister in Christ who knew of my struggle, counseled me to quit
trying to overcome in my own strength and rest in Christ. I thought that was
spot-on advice.
Then Ms
Analytical took over…how do I rest in Christ?
Am I not to overcome or am I to just think Jesus will do all the
work? I became like the little engine
who could in one sense, yet became the little engine who couldn’t. Why?
“I think I
can…I think I can…I think I can…I think I can!”
Huffing and puffing, getting myself all worked up, becoming anxious,
entertaining thoughts of doubt and unbelief.
No wonder I could not for there was no resting in Christ; no peace, no
trust, no faith, only angst and panic… focusing on the withdrawals, the dying
flesh, the stressful circumstance in my life, everything except Jesus.
“What if I
have believed a lie? What if I did not
hear from God? What if I am deceived? What if (stressful situation) never is
resolved? Has God said?...” on and on
the foolish thoughts raced by.
So, how do
I rest in Christ Jesus (Yeshua Messiah)?
I realize that I am about to give several scriptures, but the Lord is
showing the WAY to rest and overcome.
Casting
down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; [2Cor
10:5]
Be
careful (anxious) for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God. [Phil 4:6]
For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye
flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be
swift.
(I had my own ideas about how to overcome)
One thousand shall flee
at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee:
till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an
hill. [Is 30:15] (Forgive me, Lord
for my own ideas and for not rebuking flesh or Satan)
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the ancient
paths, where is the good way, and walk
therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they
said, We will not walk therein.
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the
trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. [Jer 6:16, 17]
Come unto
Me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. 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. [Mat 11:28- 30]
If My people,
which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray,
and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive
their sin, and will heal their land. [2Chron7:14]
Wherefore I abhor myself,
and repent in dust and ashes. [Job 42:6] (I echo Job, Father, and repent of pride,
self-righteousness, fear and unbelief.)
Now My eyes
shall be open, and My ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. [2Chron 7:15]
And they overcame
him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of
their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. [Rev 12:11]
Conclusion
Now that I have confessed and repented publicly,
with great humility, there is no more room for excuses. It is either do (obediently, in faith and
rest) or die in the wilderness as did a great number of the Israelites. I am not alone in this; there are others who
must understand that the Lord has drawn a line in the sand. This I know because He led me to put this
forth for others to read.
I give thanks for His mercy and grace, which
truly is undeserved on my part. We see the gross darkness as a great foreboding
overtaking the earth. We know our enemy and are not ignorant of his devices. We
serve a God who desires that none should perish but that all should come to
repentance. Now it is time to be
converted and go to strengthen (encourage) the brethren.
Having worked on this piece for nearly a solid 38
hours, minus two separate blocks of two hours sleep, I thought I was done, but
the Lord led me to plug in my external, upon which are all the old articles
that I have pulled off this blog to post on my new website. (Yes, I’m very much behind on that.)
There are nearly 400 articles on the external
hard drive, yet He led me to pull four articles from the archives, three from
2011 and one from 2008. I was astounded
at what was in the articles because as stated earlier, it is impossible for me
to remember all that I have written and under which title.
Our God is incredible at how He weaves things
together, not to mention how very patient He is and has been in warning. Yet, the time has come. This is our time –
this is our Now.
To the glory of God alone, I will post the
excerpts from the past words that He gave me.
Please do remember that these are only “excerpts” from the articles,
which I shall post as led by the Lord.
Also understand that at the time of each writing,
the Lord was speaking to multitudes going through various trials and
tribulations. He is ever consistent and
orderly. When He speaks, it is always a timely message. Glory and praise be to God through Jesus!
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