Jesus, God's faithful High Priest, has been revealing to us the idols that grieve Him-- all leading up to the exposure of the "image that provokes to jealousy." Although there may very well be an historical outworking of this in the world, with the beast, false prophet and the "abomination of desolation," I am, right now, simply responding to the Spirit who is revealing spiritual conditions of the human heart. In my understanding, this image that provokes God to jealousy is the self, sitting on the throne of the heart. By now, we should have a clear sense of God's opinion of this. If that is what we see in ourselves, then we must allow Christ to deal with it once and for all. True salvation includes deliverance from the rule and worship of self.
God has work for His saints to do. We're not just waiting around for the end to come~ we are called to be kings and priests with Him as His Kingdom grows upon the earth. He intercedes 24/7 in the heavenlies and we are to minister with Him (we are in the heavenlies when we walk in the Spirit). This requires purification of heart so that we may be at one with Him and His purposes. Once our hearts are cleansed and in unity with the Spirit, we begin to see what He is doing on the earth and to be united with His purposes.
We must understand that God allows things to come to fruition~ He lets them develop until they are fully grown. It is then that things are seen for what they are, and God's judgments are shown to be righteous. Ezekiel writes: "The rod has blossomed, pride has budded. Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness." Ezekiel 7: 10b-11a NKJV This is one reason we don't see God act on things when we think He ought to! Yes, it is troublesome to have to put up with evil all around us, but the end is coming for all wickedness.
I'll never forget the first time I realized that I was supposed to be grieved over the evil in the world (before that, I sort of ignored it). I had read a Scripture verse about Lot being troubled over the evil of his city (2 Peter 2:7 I suggest reading the different translations), and I realized that I wasn't all that bothered myself. I began to pray for God's heart on it: wow, what a change that brought on! Very uncomfortable, but how can we pray if we don't see things the way God does?
One of the reasons we don't want to see and feel God's way is that it makes us feel separated from humanity, and from the world we live in. Most of us don't want to feel that way. We have such an intense need to belong that we dull ourselves to the evil, or hide ourselves away in little pockets of Christian life. No, of course we don't need to wallow in wickedness~ that's not what I'm getting it. But you can hardly get away from it if you exist in the world. It is how we respond to what we see that I'm talking about. The sick feeling I get in my soul and spirit when I see the way the world is does not drive me to attack the world, rather it causes me to go before the throne of God for direction and grace. I then receive His comfort, because He feels the same separation from the world, and so many of the people in it. Christ came to bridge that separation, yet how many refuse to cross into the blessedness of God's light? And yet, His heart rejoices greatly in those who love Him, and His glorious plans for the future are real and sure.
Sharing God's hatred of evil and His love of the truth sets us apart from the world, and brings us into His realm of protection. "And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” Ezekiel 9: 3-4 NKJV (Of course, we know this includes women too). Part of the Lord's Prayer is "deliver us from evil". Are we serious about praying this, or are we too concerned about how it will affect our lifestyle?
God's "secret place" is not always a very comfortable one, but it is a spiritually safe one.
These visions of Ezekiel today are some of the most chilling in the Bible to me. This picture strikes at the heart of what is going on in the world and in our nation, not just historically in the past or future temple in Jerusalem:
"Then he said to me, 'Mortal, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of images? For they say 'The Lord does not see us, the Lord has forsaken the land.'" Ezekiel 8:12 NRSV
Satan has dark strategies that are working out in the governments of man. But there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. We might as well face it: God sees everything. He's dealing with what's inside His people's hearts until we can join in praying wholeheartedly "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. . .deliver us from evil." We ask the Spirit of Truth and Revelation to expose the darkness, bring those who will repent into the Kingdom of Christ, and to glorify His name in the lives of the people of God.
Don't be afraid to see what the Lord shows you about what is happening in the world. Because Christ is victorious, and so are you!
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Showing posts with label cleansing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cleansing. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
July 31, 2010 Suddenly
One of the reasons we're told not to judge others on "doubtful matters"-- things that aren't stated outright in Scripture-- is that we don't know what God is working on with someone else. We don't even know that about ourselves so often. Because Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith, it is His job to decide what needs to be changed when. Our job is receive one another, accept one another, and live according to the law of love in order not to trouble others with our mode of life. That is hard enough without trying to fix others.
If any correction needs to happen, let it be done by those with the authority to do so, and let it be on the clear doctrines of Christ, such as fornication.
When King Hezekiah-- grieved by the spiritual adulteries perpetrated by his predecessor-- desired to bring the nation back to a right relationship with God and reinstate the temple worship, he didn't seem to dictate exactly how that was to be done. He exhorted the priests and Levites to consecrate themselves and to cleanse out the temple. He told them to take out the rubbish, but he left it to them to do the work. Since we each are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and each of us kings and priests unto the Lord, it is the Holy Spirit's task to lead each one of us as to how to cleanse ourselves from dead works. Some of the rubbish in our souls might be obvious to others, but some of it might look OK to someone else, but the Lord reveals to us that it's not OK for us. "Whatever is not of faith is sin." This is a basic key to walking in holiness (wholeness), but it really comes down to the individual working out their salvation with Christ's leading. We are all in different stages of our growth and development.
The mysterious thing is how the Spirit works in each of us, deep inside our hearts, to prepare us for the next stage. Sometimes we observe a brother or sister who seems to be wandering around in darkness, and then, voila! All of a sudden they seem to have snapped out of it, moving forward in a level of glory that might even pass us by temporarily. We should rejoice when that happens. It gives me hope to know that if I'm struggling in life, God's got it under control, and He's leading me step by step out of the maze of confusion and darkness that I might be in.
I think we can anticipate a sudden "coming round the bend" for the Church in general. God is doing a work in His people, much of it unseen. Christ is still the head of His body. He is still in charge of each individual's salvation process, and of the building of His Kingdom, living stone by living stone. Maybe at this moment some of the trash is being taken out of the temple in one person's life, and another is getting their instrument of praise polished up and ready to go. At the proper time, all will be in order and the glory of God will be seen in a unity, joy and love that is greater than has ever been seen before. This verse will again be very relevant: "All the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly."
2 Chronicles 29:36
If any correction needs to happen, let it be done by those with the authority to do so, and let it be on the clear doctrines of Christ, such as fornication.
When King Hezekiah-- grieved by the spiritual adulteries perpetrated by his predecessor-- desired to bring the nation back to a right relationship with God and reinstate the temple worship, he didn't seem to dictate exactly how that was to be done. He exhorted the priests and Levites to consecrate themselves and to cleanse out the temple. He told them to take out the rubbish, but he left it to them to do the work. Since we each are a temple of the Holy Spirit, and each of us kings and priests unto the Lord, it is the Holy Spirit's task to lead each one of us as to how to cleanse ourselves from dead works. Some of the rubbish in our souls might be obvious to others, but some of it might look OK to someone else, but the Lord reveals to us that it's not OK for us. "Whatever is not of faith is sin." This is a basic key to walking in holiness (wholeness), but it really comes down to the individual working out their salvation with Christ's leading. We are all in different stages of our growth and development.
The mysterious thing is how the Spirit works in each of us, deep inside our hearts, to prepare us for the next stage. Sometimes we observe a brother or sister who seems to be wandering around in darkness, and then, voila! All of a sudden they seem to have snapped out of it, moving forward in a level of glory that might even pass us by temporarily. We should rejoice when that happens. It gives me hope to know that if I'm struggling in life, God's got it under control, and He's leading me step by step out of the maze of confusion and darkness that I might be in.
I think we can anticipate a sudden "coming round the bend" for the Church in general. God is doing a work in His people, much of it unseen. Christ is still the head of His body. He is still in charge of each individual's salvation process, and of the building of His Kingdom, living stone by living stone. Maybe at this moment some of the trash is being taken out of the temple in one person's life, and another is getting their instrument of praise polished up and ready to go. At the proper time, all will be in order and the glory of God will be seen in a unity, joy and love that is greater than has ever been seen before. This verse will again be very relevant: "All the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly."
2 Chronicles 29:36
Saturday, July 3, 2010
July 3, 2010 Turn At the Light
God's word testifies today of the power that His light and truth have to turn a person, or even a nation to Himself. God had mercy on Josiah because he turned to the Lord, but the nation still had major consequences to deal with because of their great idolatry. Paul the Apostle had a magnificent conversion when he encountered the glorious Christ on the road to Damascus. He had a lot of suffering to deal with in his life, but the Lord used him to reach many souls for Him-- his letters minister to us so much even today.
I remember many years ago-- as a backslidden young woman lost in darkness-- coming to myself just like the progidal son did. The description in today's 2 Kings reading reminds me so much of how I felt back then. Suddenly, my eyes were opened, and I was overwhelmed when the Lord showed me how every area of my life was sin! But because I turned to Him when He revealed himself to me, He cleansed me and healed me, and is in the process of restoring all that was lost through my rebelliousness and idolatry. God is so good! He will do the same for anyone that turns to Jesus as their Lord and Savior in true repentance, and He will lead them in the Way, the Truth and the Life.
I pray, on the anniversary of our "independence," that our nation will likewise have a great conversion. We may still have to accept hard consequences for our mistakes, rebellions and idolatries. But God will have mercy on any one who comes to Him humbly. If enough of us turn to Him with our whole heart, perhaps this country may again shine His light as we are called to do. As a nation, as well as individually, we must not trust in our wealth or our power to save us; we must humble ourselves before God and rely on Him alone.
"The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.
Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility." Proverbs 18:11-12 NKJV
I remember many years ago-- as a backslidden young woman lost in darkness-- coming to myself just like the progidal son did. The description in today's 2 Kings reading reminds me so much of how I felt back then. Suddenly, my eyes were opened, and I was overwhelmed when the Lord showed me how every area of my life was sin! But because I turned to Him when He revealed himself to me, He cleansed me and healed me, and is in the process of restoring all that was lost through my rebelliousness and idolatry. God is so good! He will do the same for anyone that turns to Jesus as their Lord and Savior in true repentance, and He will lead them in the Way, the Truth and the Life.
I pray, on the anniversary of our "independence," that our nation will likewise have a great conversion. We may still have to accept hard consequences for our mistakes, rebellions and idolatries. But God will have mercy on any one who comes to Him humbly. If enough of us turn to Him with our whole heart, perhaps this country may again shine His light as we are called to do. As a nation, as well as individually, we must not trust in our wealth or our power to save us; we must humble ourselves before God and rely on Him alone.
"The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.
Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility." Proverbs 18:11-12 NKJV
Friday, March 5, 2010
March 5, 2010
I come to the Scriptures to meet with Jesus and hear from Him! When I do this, I come away feeling enriched and strengthened. If I don't (meaning I just approached the Bible-reading as a religious habit or obligation), I tend to feel irritated, impatient, confused or bored-- especially when reading such Old Testament books as Leviticus and Numbers! And if I did not allow the Spirit of Truth to aid me in my studies, I would very often end up in error. I am glad the Spirit is always available to lead us into all truth, and to reveal Christ in His Word. I put my confidence in Him.
Even the Jews of Jesus' day had trouble understanding the Scriptures they were brought up with. In the Mark passage, Jesus said that the Sadducees (learned men of the Book) were wrong because "you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God." Mark 2:24 On the other hand, He commended the wisdom of the scribe and said, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." 12:34 Jesus distillation of the Commandments gives us a good template with which to begin studying the Scriptures: how does this passage help me love the Lord my God with my whole being, and what does it teach me about loving others? 12:29
When I see the Law books as a vivid and symbolic expression of God's heart, they become as revelatory to me as Revelations or the Prophets. Did you see, in the Numbers description of the "test for faithfulness," the holy jealousy of the Lord over His Bride? Have you ever experienced His written Word becoming a painful revelation of sin in your heart? I have! I am grateful that it doesn't stop there, and that Jesus took the curse Himself.
Jesus speaks prophetically over us: "you SHALL love the Lord your God with all your heart. . ." and He is bringing it to pass. He is drawing us to Himself, and His Word washes us clean. Although it often hurts, we are wise to keep coming back for more.
Even the Jews of Jesus' day had trouble understanding the Scriptures they were brought up with. In the Mark passage, Jesus said that the Sadducees (learned men of the Book) were wrong because "you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God." Mark 2:24 On the other hand, He commended the wisdom of the scribe and said, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." 12:34 Jesus distillation of the Commandments gives us a good template with which to begin studying the Scriptures: how does this passage help me love the Lord my God with my whole being, and what does it teach me about loving others? 12:29
When I see the Law books as a vivid and symbolic expression of God's heart, they become as revelatory to me as Revelations or the Prophets. Did you see, in the Numbers description of the "test for faithfulness," the holy jealousy of the Lord over His Bride? Have you ever experienced His written Word becoming a painful revelation of sin in your heart? I have! I am grateful that it doesn't stop there, and that Jesus took the curse Himself.
Jesus speaks prophetically over us: "you SHALL love the Lord your God with all your heart. . ." and He is bringing it to pass. He is drawing us to Himself, and His Word washes us clean. Although it often hurts, we are wise to keep coming back for more.
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