This is Your Moment by Gretchen Rodriguez - Identity Network June 27, 2017

This is Your Moment by Gretchen Rodriguez

                                                 Identity Network  June 27, 2017

 

 

 

 

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This is Your Moment by Gretchen Rodriguez

All of us have at least one thing we are standing in faith for. Day after day, we pray. We stand. We worship and we declare God's truth. Until the manifestation comes, we wait and we believe, sometimes through tears and sometimes with tenacity. Always, by His grace.

 

This morning the Lord gave me flashbacks of moments in my life that literally changed everything. Scene after scene, I was reminded of the power that one moment holds. One word I'd waited to hear, one decision, one touch of healing, one revelation, one tragedy….life, radically impacted in an instant.

 

The Lord is encouraging us to be in expectation mode, especially if we've recently been knocked down. The enemy loves to thrust our attention toward the problem and away from the One who holds the answer. Regardless of how long you've believed for your breakthrough, do not give up! Your breakthrough is a moment away, a mysterious, inexplicable, precious point where God's will and your life converge.

 

We don't usually see what God is doing on our behalf, as we worship with holy abandon or bow low with no words or strength left. He loves to rush in and fill a moment with spectacular proof that He alone is God. Faith and expectation are key, no matter how long you've waited.

 

Making Your Moment

 

As I pondered the power of a moment, the Lord reminded me that many times, I made my own moment. I decided to trust, instead of allowing doubt. I took a brave step and had a conversation that shifted the course of my life. I chose to agree with God's purpose for my life and ran after it. Sometimes, our moments come sovereignly and sometimes they come because we choose to agree with God and do what we once thought was impossible. But always, it comes as we turn our hearts, our worship, and our focus to Him and away from the problem.

 

Think about moments when your life shifted for the better. Ponder the beauty of those times and fill your heart and mouth with thankfulness to the Lord. What are you contending for? How can you change your thinking or your actions to better agree with God? I'd love to hear in the comments below.

 

"For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it" (Habakkuk 2:3).

 

Gretchen Rodriguez

Gretchen's Facebook Page

 

Go here to read more articles by Gretchen Rodriguez.

No Doubt About It - Now Think On This Steve Martin

No Doubt About It

Now Think On This

Steve Martin

“When we see that you're just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you're going to make it, no doubt about it.” 2 Corinthians 1:7, THE MESSAGE)

Life comes with doubts, no doubt about it. We wonder if we are going to “make it”; if our kids will make it; if the world will be here tomorrow; if the nation will end up being what we had hoped and prayed it would be.

No doubt about it. This is life. And life is hard often.

Even ones who had walked right alongside Jesus, day in and day out for over three years, had doubts, after His horrible crucifixion and tomb burial.

“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." (John 20:24-25, NASU)

Having doubts is common, and we should not beat ourselves over the head when we have them. Rather, as we are encouraged to do, we need to keep trusting anyway.

Trust that what Jesus (Yeshua) said was true.

“Don’t let yourselves be disturbed. Trust in God and trust in me. In my Father’s house are many places to live. If there weren’t, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also. Furthermore, you know where I’m going; and you know the way there.” (John 14:1-4, CJB)

When you are anxious about your job – keeping trusting in Him.

When you doubt your marriage or whether you will even get married – keep trusting in Him.

When the rent or mortgage is due next week and your bank account has nothing – keep trusting in Him.

Many in life have nothing to fall back on. Those without hope cannot trust anything or anyone, for without Jesus there is no hope. Without the Solid Rock, which isn’t just a cliché, there is no solid rock.

But for those of us who do know Jesus, who know of His salvation, the miraculous times He came through for us, the hope within of life here and forevermore – we cannot doubt for long. We have the solid hope and assurance of today’s and tomorrow’s provision in spirit, soul and body.

Next time you have doubts – and there will be a next time, for the enemy continually bombards the Lord’s chosen ones – be reassured that your life is in His hands, He has not forsaken you, and what He has promised will come to pass.

Believers in Yeshua (Jesus) will always have a reason to believe – because our Lord and Savior has time and time again proven Himself Faithful on behalf of the nation of Israel, His worldwide Church, and all those who keep their eyes fixed on Him.

“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV)

No doubt you will have doubts, but you will always have the eternal hope in Jesus. Keep strong in His Word.

Now think on this,

Steve Martin

Founder

Love For His People, Inc.

  

P.S. I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family and friends. They might need it. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

We are blessed when the ministry receives gifts to support the families that we do, primarily in Israel, Hungary, India, Pakistan and the hurting ones here in the USA. You also can share out of the abundance you have been given.

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If these messages minister to you, please consider sending a charitable gift of $5-$25 today, and maybe each month, to help us bless families we know in Israel, whom we consistently help through our humanitarian ministry. Your tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation. Fed. ID #27-1633858.

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Now Think On This - In the Year of our Lord 01.01.17 - #271 –“No Doubt” – Sunday 1:00 pm

All previous editions of Now Think On This can be found on this Blog, and on the website: Now Think On This

Again, I would be most grateful if you'd share this encouraging word with your family 

and friends. You can easily use the social media icons below. Thanks! Steve

Jennifer Eivaz: "In a Crisis? Put Your Faith in God" - The Elijah List

Jennifer Eivaz: "In a Crisis? Put Your Faith in God"

The Elijah List  Mar 8, 2016

From the desk of Steve Shultz:

My wife Derene and I are happy to call Jennifer Eivaz a personal friend. I've spoken in her and Ron's church and we are blessed to have regular contact.

Let me tell you, Jennifer, is one of the most potent teachers I know. She doesn't waste many words. In fact she addresses how Jesus didn't waste even ONE word.

Please read this short word of prophetic instruction like it's the most important word you'll ever hear, because for SOME of you, IT IS!

This article could be classified under the heading, "Why is it so crucial that we all hear from God for ourselves?"

Dig in!

Enjoy! And thanks for forwarding this to your friends! They cansubscribe just below...

Steve Shultz, Founder and Publisher
The Elijah List & Breaking Christian News 
http://www.elijahlist.com

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"In a Crisis? Put Your Faith in God"

Jennifer Eivaz, Turlock, CA

Trusting God in Crisis

"You want me to do what?" Janelle was confused, but trusting, as she heard the Holy Spirit speak. He told her to lay down her six-figure paying job and a promising career at an energy company to just stay home. In the natural, this didn't make sense at all. Her husband's business income had been sporadic and they just had their first child. The Holy Spirit then warned her to not make decisions out of fear over her finances. "I'm preparing you and your husband for future ministry, but your marriage is in the balance."

Janelle didn't know why her marriage was in the balance. She had a great marriage! And, both her and her husband faithfully attended, served, and tithed to their local church. She knew His voice, however, and knew to trust Him even when she didn't understand.

Janelle left her job and, two months later, her husband's business failed. She also discovered her husband's addiction to painkillers, something that took hold that previous year following a painful shoulder surgery. They chose to pick up odd jobs between the two of them and continued to serve and give to their church despite their problems. It seemed as though they never had enough, but God had promised Janelle that He would provide as long as she trusted Him.

"Then everything went from bad to worse," Janelle said. One thing led to the other and Janelle's husband fell into heroin addiction. On the outside, it looked like she was losing everything. On the inside, however, Janelle was comforted. She knew the Lord had gone ahead of her and prepared her for crisis. She then gathered her pastor, mentors, and friends to conduct an intervention for her husband. In response, he agreed to get help and soon entered into a Christian rehabilitation program. (Photo via Pixabay)

"I learned to trust God in my crisis," Janelle said. "He definitely proved Himself to be faithful." By the time this was all over, Janelle and her husband ended up with a new home, a new agricultural business, a new church, and a revitalized marriage. Janelle also shared that her and her husband's testimony has been a powerful ministry all in itself. Janelle's journey and subsequent victory began when she heard and obeyed a specific word from the Lord.

If you've heard His Word and obeyed His Word, then rest assured that nothing will stop you from getting to your destination.

He Never Wastes a Word

Jesus stood in a boat off the shore of Galilee and taught the multitudes until evening. He then told His disciples, "Let's cross to the other side," and they got in their boat(s) and left (Mark 4:35). You probably know the story, but a terrific storm emerged along the way, making it appear as if they would capsize. The disciples panicked while Jesus slept peacefully in the stern of the boat. When they finally woke Him up, He commanded the storm to stop and then rebuked them for their lack of faith.

How did Jesus so easily muzzle the storm? And why did Jesus rebuke His disciples instead of comforting them in their panic? It's because Jesus never wastes a word. When He said, "Let's cross to the other side," that was not just a casual statement. That was a prophetic word! 

He prophesied to their destination because there was a divine appointment waiting for them on the other side of the sea.

They were actually on course to deliver the demonized man of the Gadarenes, which would explain the demonic source behind the storm.

Storms in life will come and they will come in the form of a crisis. One crisis comes because you've obeyed the Lord and the thing that's buffeting you in the natural has a demonic source behind it.

The way through this crisis is to prophesy to your God-ordained destination.

You also command demonic obstacles and hindrances to be removed (see Mark 11:23) and remain steady and persevering until you arrive where He said you would be going. (Photo via Pixabay)

Another crisis comes because we've disobeyed the Lord. This is what happened to the prophet Jonah after he ran from his God-assignment to confront the Ninevites. He too entered a storm on the sea, was tossed out of his boat, and then swallowed up by the whale. The spiritual source behind this storm was God Himself and the way out of this crisis is through repentance. Jonah did that and was spit out by the whale onto the shore having been humbled under the mighty hand of God.

My point is that we will not avoid life's storms. 

If your crisis came because of obedience, remember who your God is. He makes roads through rivers and He will make a way for you.

Don't Know What to Do? Get on Your Face!

Moses was having a crisis in his leadership. Korah, a Levite, had just led 250 leaders to challenge Moses' God-given authority before the entire assembly of Israelites. Korah then accused Moses and Aaron by saying, "You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?" (Numbers 16:3).

It was a classic case of the guilty accusing the innocent of his own misdeed, but a hostile takeover looked imminent. Moses, a man more humble than any other man, reacted in an unusual way. He fell down on his face and sought the Lord.

In a crisis, don't just stand there and cry. Cry out to God! He does not ignore you. He is with you and will answer you!

(Photo via Freeimages)

While on his face before the assembly, Moses heard the wisdom of God. He then spoke to Korah and his company of rebels saying,"Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is holy..." (Numbers 16:5). Here we see how far God is willing to go to protect His faithful and humble leaders. In a tremendous display of power, the Lord removed every single one of Moses' dissenters. Not one was spared! Moses didn't have to solve his big problem that day. When facing a crisis, he simply got on his face.

Your Crisis Will Reveal Your Heart Toward God

My husband stood before our congregation one Sunday conspicuously holding a tube of toothpaste. As he looked through the crowd, he proceeded to squeeze the tube until its contents oozed out. He then said quite humorously, "When life begins to s-q-u-e-e-z-e you, we will know exactly what's in you."

Isn't that the truth!

Jesus gave us the keys on how to live through any crisis that comes our way.

He said the person who hears and does His Word is a wise person who will remain standing in the fiercest of storms (see Matthew 7:24-27).

On the other hand, a person who ignores His word will fall – they will not remain standing – and it will be a "great" fall (verse 27).

A crisis reveals our heart commitment to God. Do you remember Job's wife? When crisis hit, she angrily challenged Job to "curse God and die" because of all their calamities (Job 2:9). Job refused to deny the Lord in the worst of circumstances and his fame has remained to this day. His wife, however, has been nearly forgotten. We don't even know her name!

When crisis hits you and life turns upside down, put your trust in God! He will reward the faithful. He doesn't forget those whose hearts have remained steadfast toward Him.

Your Crisis Will Catapult You

A catapult is an ancient weapon of warfare designed to launch projectiles at great distances. What makes a catapult effective is that works through tension. It is the tensionthat creates the force to launch a weapon effectively. (Photo via Pixabay)

Are you in a crisis? Are you feeling a lot of tension? Know this: There is a divine purpose in your tension because you're going to be catapulted! You are getting launched as a finely tuned weapon into something greater than where you are at right now. Don't break down under tension, but rise up in worship to God. The Holy Spirit is reminding you that those who overcome will lead the nations (see Revelation 2:26).

There is a message in your mess and you will rise up to tell your message to the masses.

Jennifer Eivaz, Executive Pastor
Harvest Christian Center, Turlock, CA

Email: Asst2jeneivaz@harvestturlock.org
Website: www.jennifereivaz.com
Blog: www.jennifereivazblog.com

Jennifer Eivaz is a vibrant minister and international conference speaker who carries the wisdom and fire of the Holy Spirit. She presently serves as an Executive Pastor with Harvest Christian Center in Turlock, California, and is focused on raising up a passionate and effective prayer community that is tempered with love and hears the voice of God accurately. Jennifer loves the Presence of God and is a prophetic voice to her church and to others.

Her teaching style is authentic and aimed at the heart, having been built on her personal testimony of God's incredible goodness and miraculous display in her life and in the life of her church. Jennifer is a graduate of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She is married to HCC's Senior Pastor Ron Eivaz, and they have two wonderful children. She's a featured writer for several online publications, including the Elijah List and Charisma Magazine. She's also written a book titled The Intercessor's Handbook.

To subscribe to The Elijah List go to:http://elijahlist.com/subscribe

Word for Now and Into New Year by Joni Ames - Identity Network

Word for Now and Into New Year by Joni Ames

Identity Network

 

I'm very excited that we are now into a brand new year on the Jewish Calendar. Although I'm not one of those that try to put us "under the law," in that realm, I do appreciate knowing our heritage as grafted into the vine. I feel times like this give us a 'new chance' to go forth anew in what He has for us.

 

If you have been experiencing a rough time in the area of your mind, I challenge you in this time and season to allow - and even to ask the Lord - to give to you an "attitude adjustment" so that you can walk in all He has for you in this season. Truly, our attitude can often determine our altitude. The Israelites missed out on their Promised Land due to their attitude. For sure, we don't want that to get in the way of us experiencing what God might have for us.

 

We can choose to operate in the spirit of self-control and thus control what frame of mind to operate in.

 

Cast Down Your Imaginations

 

As the Word of God says, we can "Cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." With all the warfare there is out there, sometimes we just have to lay hands on our own head and declare that scripture over ourselves. And thankfully God's Word doesn't return void.

 

Years ago, the Lord gave me the adage, "If you let anything start stopping you, it will never stop stopping you. So don't."

 

There's nothing worth allowing the enemy to steal our purpose, call, and destiny.

 

Many times we think in terms of "What would we do if money was no object," and we get stuck on our "wanna be" or "wanna haves." But I challenge you to consider today the question of, what would you do if what God called you to do would cost you everything? If we approach with the attitude of "do or die," and we are committed to go forward in all He has for us, no matter what the cost, truly nothing can stop us from walking in victory. If more people took that approach regarding life, marriage, and their purpose, call, and destiny, we would realize that NOTHING is worth forsaking it.

 

There are many times in my life when the Lord has laid an opportunity in front of me and had me give up everything for the vision He gave me. I did that at the beginning of this year when I moved to Arizona. I gave up two mobile homes I owned and all my furniture, kitchen items, and a lot of other things. Not to mention moving over 2,000 miles from my children and grandchildren.

 

Sometimes we go through things like that and what we thought was going to occur doesn't happen. We stand there feeling like a fool and doubting our ability to hear from Him.

 

Trust me, that's where I've been this year as well. Yet I "know that I know that I know" He said to do it. But what I've come to realize is that His purposes sometimes don't match our expectations. But above all, "Father (God) knows best." And truly, you can't out give God. Eventually He restores better than you can ever imagine. Loss is nothing compared to the fact that faith in Him brings great gain.

 

His Timing is Different

 

Another thing is that His timing is usually much different than ours. Doggone it! I wish it was instant just like I want it to be, just to be honest! But sometimes we have to wait longer for the vision to come to pass than we thought or wanted to. But again, He knows best.

 

So are we really going to trust Him? Or give up on the brink of our miracle?

 

I'm going to be 61 in a little over a week. I don't want to pass through this life without walking in all that He has called me to. So that means not missing a chance to take the chance to do it. It means realizing that Kairos moments in time save time when we step through the portal that moment provides for us to do so. Because if we do, all that we have need of will meet us there.

It's all about faith. Which Hebrews 11:1 says is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things unseen. And in verse 3, it says that the things that are made are produced by things that we cannot yet see. So, as crazy as it may sound, it's trusting that what we cannot even yet see already exists and will pass from the unseen realm into the seen realm at exactly the right moment in time. That's what faith in God is all about.

 

We can choose to believe or have faith in Him, or the lies and fears of the enemy. I choose God.

 

Coming Along Side Each Other

 

Another thing is, sometimes we need others in the Body of Christ to come alongside of us - or others need us to do so for them. We are not to be doing this thing called life alone as a lone ranger.

 

I was recently in a ministers' meeting, and they talked about the mighty redwood trees. I was fascinated as they explained that the roots of those trees only go about three feet deep, even though they stand so tall! But amazingly, what keeps them standing tall through winds and weather of all kinds is the fact that, under the surface, their roots grab a hold of each other, and help to hold each other up for hundreds of years! What a wonderful prophetic picture of what we should be doing for each other in the Body of Christ! Helping to keep each other rooted and grounded, and standing tall through all sorts of storms in life.

 

That's Love. The Word tells us that they will know we are Christians by our Love. Because God IS Love.

 

An Eye to See

 

On the Jewish calendar, we are in the 5770's. The 70's portion is called "Ayin," and it means, "eye, to see" and thus be awake. We are in a time of awakening.

 

2014/5774 was Ayin Dalet, the year of the open door. 2015/5775 was the year our eyes saw rescue, and the year that Messiah/Jesus walked through the open door and obtained for the believer the double, triple and quadruple portion.

 

This year, 5776/2016, is Ayin Vav (pronounced "waw"), the Year of the Big Jubilee, the Year of Light and things happening at the speed of light, and is called a time when God will peg, fasten, and secure us to His promises. A jubilee year is a time of great restoration, as Joel 2:25 promises, a time when we will have even lost time restored to us.

 

Ezra 9:8-9 is for this time: And now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.  For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

 

My goodness! What a wonderful time of promise! A time when we are fastened to His Promises and we will see the House of God come forth in great glory! Let us not look at the giants in the land, but go forth into the huge fruit that lies up ahead!

 

Walk Forward

 

Time to stop listening to the naysayers and doomsday proclaimers and realize that, even though it's a time of great darkness, God's Isaiah 60:1-2 promise is ours, and a time when His light and glory will rise and shine upon, in, and through us - His people! Glory to God!!!

 

So, lift up the hands that hang down and straighten your feeble knees, and walk forward into all that God has for us!

 

One more thing - a prophetic sign - the Super Bowl this coming year is number 50. That's the number of Jubilee. And God said to tell you to expect to see HIS Super Bowl come forth for you in this coming year!

 

As it says in Rev 8, the bowls of incense, mixed with the prayers of the saints, will bring forth much fruit, and we will see the works of the enemy be destroyed and His people come forth in victory. Yay God!!!

 

Don't let the conspiracy theorists mess up your theology. Stick to God's Word and walk in His power and victory. For those called by His Name, the BEST truly IS yet to come!!!

 

Love & Blessings.

 

Joni Ames

www.joniames.com

 

Go here to read more articles by Joni Ames.

 

 

 

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The Beautiful Breaking Process of God (Deeply Cut) by Michelle Holderman

The Beautiful Breaking Process of God (Deeply Cut) 

by Michelle Holderman

Identity Network

I am broken.

I am cut.

Deeply to the core of my being.

And God did it.

I liken it somewhat to Jacob and his limp (Genesis 32:22-32). Wrestling with God will bring you to a place of complete brokenness, and perhaps less hair, but there is also a divine beauty in the breaking He brings. It changes you. And absolutely no one can understand this unless they've experienced it too.

It's a lonely, painful place to be. But it also produces something of great worth: refining us as gold. I call it a painful but precious process.

Through it, we find Him out. And I'm not talking about superficial things. I'm talking deeper layers. Deeper within deeper and then even deeper places. We're brought into greater depths in Him because we are in His breaking process.

Many people don't want to hear this or even entertain the thought that He works in this way, but I have found He does. And He has a purpose for it, which we don't often fully understand while it's happening.

The truth is it's gut-wrenching. It's maddening. And it feels like you're going to die. Actually in a way you do. There is a death to self. A beautiful death. We die with Christ and are also raised with Him (Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:1). But we also die more to the flesh in order to make room for the Holy Spirit to expand within us.

Real Talk Moment

In this place God seems harsh, distant, and uncaring. Suddenly, and rather shockingly, He's not exactly who we thought He was. This is not as awful or fatal as it sounds but it is true. It's not fun when we're going through it, but if The Father is going to use us in a great way, we must go through His great breaking process. And through this necessary process, we come to know parts of Him we never would otherwise.

It can feel like a paradox. His kindness seems to take a back seat to the breaking that's underway. It seems severe like He's tearing us a part. It also seems awesome because He's teaching us so much and revealing more of Himself and His ways to us. It's altogether wonderful and painstaking. The key is in realizing it won't last forever. However, we will be forever changed.

You can't go deep with Him and not come out changed.

Just as Jacob left limping after His encounter with God at Penuel, He also left with a new name. He found out who he really was called to be. He found out his true identity.

"What is your name?" the Man asked. "Jacob," was his reply. "It isn't anymore," the Man told him. "It is Israel - one who has power with God. Because you have been strong with God, you shall prevail with men." Genesis 32:27-28

So it is With Us

We will all have our Penuel times with The Lord. And if we keep holding onto Him, if we don't let go, we'll emerge forever changed. We will be empowered by God because of the struggle. The question isn't will we struggle. The question is, will we keep holding onto God despite the struggle?

The holy breaking process is ordained by God himself, and will leave us cut and empowered with His will and His purposes. And it will reveal our true identity in Christ.

Just like Jacob's limp was a sign of his struggle to never let go of God, so is the proverbial cut.  His cut on us is our mark from Him, so to speak. It says we've been in the deep places with Him.

So many believers are only concerned with how trustworthy God is but that's a two-way street. He is also looking for those He can trust as well.

How do You Find Out Who You can Trust?

It's usually in the most painful of places this is revealed. You'll see who you can really depend on there. Not everybody will get in the dirt with you; or for you, for that matter. Not everyone can tolerate the deep places or the heat and pressure that comes with it. But those who can, those who will, are the ones you'll find you really can trust. And they'll trust you back. It's a place of revealing.

So not only do we find Him out, He finds us out too. It's a unique place of exchange that transpires through much difficulty and controlled chaos. Like a birthing process, the pain produces something beautiful. I know that might not make much sense - unless you've experienced it. If that's the case then you know what I'm saying is true. And it's one of the most difficult truths to convey because it is such a deeper revealing of how He desires to lovingly work in our lives.

In his book, The Root of The Righteous, A.W. Tozer pens this difficult truth so well. Or at least I think he does:

"The flaming desire to be rid of every unholy thing and to put on the likeness of Christ at any cost is not often found among us. We expect to enter the everlasting kingdom of our Father and to sit down around the table with sages, saints and martyrs; and through the grace of God, maybe we shall; yes maybe we shall. But for the most of us it could prove at first an embarrassing experience. Ours might be the silence of the untried soldier in the presence of the battle-hardened heroes who have fought the fight and won the victory and who have scars to prove that they were present when the battle was joined. Thus, it is necessary for God to use suffering in his holy work of preparing his saints, it is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply." 

Two Ways to Look at This

We can ultimately look at this in one of two ways.

We'll either see God as being a cruel and uncaring taskmaster.

OR

We'll see the love and wisdom of our Heavenly Father at work; preparing us and purifying us for His greater purposes. And greater, deeper intimacy is always a result.

God doesn't entrust His power to just anybody; especially novices. He's looking for people who will allow Him to take them through His process. People who are truly led and walk by the Spirit. People who allow Him to operate outside of the box in their lives. This is why the breaking process is so costly. He's looking for those He can entrust His heart and His purposes to. And that's no small thing.

I've found the more He does this in my own life, the more of himself He pours into those broken open places, and the more abiding friendship I have with Him there; unlike any other place. What I realize most is how very much I need it.

Please don't mistake this for something it's not. God isn't being mean or on some kind of sadistic power trip. The breaking process is vital in a believer's life. And that process looks different for each of us. Nevertheless, through it, we learn to surrender our will to His so that we ultimately know how to walk in true obedience.

Just as Jesus learned obedience through the things he suffered (Hebrews 5:7-8), so do we.

Mind you, it's for different reasons, but as we truly follow after Christ, as we take up our own crosses daily, we learn to walk in obedience as our Lord and Savior did. Not in an overbearing or legalistic kind of way, but in the way Jesus was yielded to The Father. As a result, we become more deeply rooted in Him. We also take on more of His nature. It's really a transformative process. And while it is often painful, the outcome is truly beautiful and freeing.

Listen, The Lord doesn't just cut us open and then leave us exposed. Instead, He fills those places with Himself - with His beauty. As a result, we come to know Him better, and in turn; we're better able to reflect more of who He really is. He shines brighter through us.

And that's always a beautiful thing.

Michelle Holderman

www.theragamuffinsaint.com

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Sharing Love From Sweden - TO TRUST IN GOD - A GREAT GOD by Eva Haglund

 

TO TRUST IN GOD - A GREAT GOD

Eva Haglund

We can sometimes be in difficult circumstances and in the world there are many storms. It is not good to listen to too much news on television even if we need to know things happening around us. It can be too much information and we need to hear and read positive words also. We need to read the Bible every day - our daily Bread.


In Psalm 46:1-3 is written that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling.

I think it means in this Scripture that when it feels like the earth is removed and the mountains carried into the sea, when circumstances are very difficult, it can feel like this, but then God is there and is a refuge and help.

I also think about earthquakes here as I think they will increase, but then God can protect His children. It is good to speak Bible verses as Psalm 91 aloud. God is our Daddy and we can stand on the Word that I shall not want if we have lack economical and in other situations. Our heavenly Daddy is a God of love who gave everything for us and as His children it is written in Romans 8:15, "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out "ABBA, Father."

We read here that God does not want us to feel fear in the relation with Him. A father who loves his children does not give them stones. We read in the Bible that God wants to fill this need and we need to stand on His promises for the future in this area. He is a good father, ABBA, Daddy who wants to help us. It is also written in Isaiah 54:10 "For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from you nor shall my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord who has mercy on you." When we receive Jesus in our lives we also have peace with God for eternity.

When things are very difficult it can feel like the mountains depart and the hills are removed but then God is with us and His covenant of peace will not be removed from us. He can help us in difficult situations, even if it feels like a most worst situation. He is able. 

In Isaiah 50:10 we also find the words "Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord. And rely upon his God."

It does not matter what other people say. We can stand on the Word, on Scriptures' promises.
Jesus is the good shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep. He wants to help us in situations. We can think about a shepherd who loves a sheep and holds it in his arms and then we can think also about Jesus who holds as in His arms. As it is written in Isaiah 40:11, "He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom."

I think we all as His children are each one like a precious lamb He holds in His arms. There we can feel safe that He will take care of us. When we also think about our Daddy who holds us in His arms as a child to Him it gives peace. He can help us in different situations. We read in Psalm 139 how He cares so much about us that He see us all day. Jesus also tell us that we are so precious to Him that He counts our hairs. Jesus gave everything for the sheep at the cross and wants all to get saved and learn to know God as a good Daddy. 

If people talk fear to us we can stand on the Word Who is our Rock when the waves are high. He can help us. In Psalm 93 is written "The floods have lifted up, oh Lord. The floods have lifted up their voice. The floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the voice of many waters, than the mighty waves of the sea." There can be circumstances who feel like floods who lift up their voice and like floods who lift up their waves but the Lord is mightier then these circumstances.

When we need to trust the Lord we can not stand on our feelings but at His Word because feelings can say anything else but God's Word is eternal and is steady like the mountains. The Word is strong. It is strong like a fire.

We can trust God's Word. God is behind His Word and Jesus is the Word. We can trust the Word - the Bible. When Jesus was in the boat and the waves were high Jesus showed the disciples that they did not have to be afraid.

It is good we speak what the Word tells us. We will not depend on our feelings even if a situation feels so impossible but Gods Word is greater and there is no situation as he cannot help in. When we think about trusting him it is good to think about how big God is. We have a certain picture of him but we just understand as human beings a little drop of how big he really is. We are like ants before him. Would he not be able to help his children as are like ants in his hand we can think of. In Ps 121 we read " I lift up my eyes to the hills. From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth."

If we have doubt or fear in a situation we can think about that God made all things in the nature and He created human beings. It is like a miracle when a child is born. It is wonderful to see all beautiful things in the nature and mighty to see the big mountains and we can see God's power in the waves at the sea and in the thunder.

He is mighty to help. In Proverbs 3:5 is written, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding." We can trust in Him. The nature preaches about His greatness and about a mighty God who is able to do mighty things. We can read about planets and stars as He has created. God is not a human being but much greater and when Jesus died at the cross we also see the power of the cross. 

We read in Isaiah 53:11 that Jesus will see the labor of His work and be satisfied. We can think about how big God is also when we read the Scripture Isaiah 55:8-9, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts. Nor are My ways your ways, says he Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

It is a very long distance between heaven and earth and we can understand a glimpse of how big God is when we think about this. He is such a great God so we cannot understand it as human beings.
Jesus is our light and salvation. It is eternal salvation through His name and also in different situations we can trust in Him. He gives light in our circumstances and is our salvation in situations. Even His name Yeshua/Jesus means salvation. In His name we can have trust.

We also need to endure tests and keep our faith.

"Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him." James I:12 

Jesus loves all and wants all to get that crown. We are so precious for Him.