Why oh why are WE being singled out?
I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched;
My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
~ Psalm. 69:3 I am weary with my sighing; every night I make my bed swim,
I dissolve my couch with my tears.
~ Psalm. 6:6
Does this sound like you right now?
EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE TESTED SOMETIME!
The strongest impression I have received from the Father about the condition of His Bride is this. When things are going "fabulously" for her, when all of heaven is blessing, she wants to keep it that way!
If she is not in a place of great humility and thankfulness for what the Lord is doing, she tends to assume that, "It’s about time folks knew just how long I've been waiting for them to see just how great this church, or ministry or intellectual skill I've been soooo blessed with is!"
Then comes the attitude that we have to keep it allotted to only a few "real winners" like ourselves, and we become exclusive and look for only high rollers to run with.
And then. AGAIN comes the TEST.
Persecution comes, mug slinging, attacks on personal integrity, character assassination, and again the fiery trial.........of our soul.
TO REMOVE IMPURITIES - GOD USES A HOT FURNACE!
These trials as if by fire are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold--and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold.
So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials,
it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day
when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
~ I Peter chapter 1: 7
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
The Lord is working the Bride overtime right now to deal with selfish ambition, personal comfort, and any other areas of personal agenda or presumption.
Some of the pain you are experiencing is due to the disobedience of those in the Body of Christ around you! They resist the hand of God and react against you in retaliation toward God bringing correction or exposure to their secret lifestyle of personal gain or need for power!
WE ARE NOT ALONE!
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself,
so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
Heb. 12:3
Admit it! It is hard to not lose heart right now!
The world is in a tailspin and lukewarm Christians are showing their true colors!
It's time to deal with this! It is NOT going to go away!
AGONY IS MORE SEVERE WHEN IT IS "ENHANCED" BY TREACHERY!
Jesus went thorough it. Stephen went through it and so did hundreds of others!
AND it hurts, and disillusions, and causes us to be so very, very weary!
THE MOVE FROM WEAK TO STRONG IS COMING!
"When?" ...You may ask.
“Can God spread a table in the desert?”
Psalm 78.19
Here are a few things the Lord would require:
1. To gain strength we must relinquish our power or control over what we think of others.
We will be judged by the way we judge others when they struggle. Pious and lofty lectures are not the Kingdom language of healing and restoration. Loving-kindness and Mercy reveal the heart of godly maturity in a believer when dealing with the sorrows and anguish of others.
“Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
Or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs
To a heavy heart.”
Proverbs 25:20
2. Reach out in kindness to those under fire.
Encourage them to stand. Encourage them to seek the Lord.
Bless them and don't talk about them when they struggle!
"The Lord God has given me the tongue of disciples,
That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.
He awakens me morning by morning,
He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple." Isaiah 50:4 3
3. Get still. Stop organizing, planning, and pushing ahead into oblivion!
God really does have a plan!
“Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the Lord, Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become cynical. “
Is. 40:30 -31
4. TRUST FOR A MOMENT!
It's all about trusting God in the end. Oh yes it is!
Will He REALLY refresh us in this time of struggle?
His Loving Word says so.
“For I satisfy the weary ones,
And refresh everyone who languishes."
Jer. 31:25 5
The Lord is producing endurance whether we like it or not!
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;
For once he has been approved,
He will receive the crown of life,
Which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12
THE FATHER IS URGING US TO RUN TO HIM, TO CLING TO HIM!
He is there! Even in the fog of struggle, loss, anxiety, and also in seeming success.
He wants us to be desperate for Him and rely wholly on His voice.
To make all of our decisions based on His plan for the whole earth!
Seek Him.
Lean into His Voice.
Elevate grace and mercy…
…And lower your own opinion of yourself and your abilities to “lecture” others into healing or restoration.
WALK SOBERLY IF YOU ARE LIVING IN ABUNDANCE AT THIS TIME, ON ANY LEVEL.
Keep the vigil of prayer you are keeping for others well lit by the reflecting memories of past times, when you yourself needed the Merciful Hand of God to lift you from agony and redeem your life from the pit.
Let us be so devoted to the “One” who lavished and spilled out all He had, that we might repeat His actions, and in so doing, bring His Glory to it’s fullest measure and depth.
Mercy…. Endures.
Forever.
“Then will the lame leap like a deer,
And the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness
And streams in the desert.”
Isaiah 35:6
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