Monday, August 30, 2010

"Trends and Presumptions" by Mary Lindow


As I sit here in the outdoors this evening enjoying an unusually cool and brilliantly moonlit sky, I am stirred to speak openly and transparently about the things that God is not only dealing with in my personal journey with him, but also some of the trends and presumptions that occur in the world of “Christendom” when it appears and feels as if the Father God is far off and seemingly unresponsive to the cries of those desperate for relief and merciful compassion.

Through his own personal agony David came to a new understanding of what it really was that God required from man.

ENMESHED INTO DECEPTION

God is not interested in our outward sacrifices or "offerings."
This does not necessarily mean that God never requires outward forms of worship or expression or observances. Many lines of Scripture prove that at times he does. But it does mean that these are not the things that he requires first. If our religious practices contain nothing more than outward actions and performance, then God takes no pleasure in them.

God always looks underneath what goes on outwardly, and looks to the motives and the attitude of the heart. What does he look for there?

David tells us in Psalm 51:16 -17


“For you delight not in sacrifice, or else would I give it; you find no pleasure in burnt offering.

The sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.”



BROKEN AND CONTRITE

These are not common words to our ears these days!
Just what does it mean when God asks that we have a broken spirit? Does he want us to be beaten down and humiliated? I am sure that this is not his plan.

Then what is a broken spirit?
It is an “inner self” that has come totally to the end of itself. It makes no claims, and offers no arguments.All independence, all self-will, self-promotion, all self-righteousness have been pruned away.

Such a spirit simply turns and trusts completely upon God, not trusting in his own skill, merit, popularity, or ability to influence. This one who has willingly allowed the disciplining of his soul knows that he or she must only trust in God and his unrelenting mercy.

If we will ALLOW him to guide us, HE knows how to produce this brokenness of spirit in each of us. Just remember, he treats us as individuals. And he would never abuse our individuality. He uses just the right amount of intensity needed to accomplish his desires, that we would relinquish our mistrust in his plan and fully step into total abandonment, willingly accepting his plan.

“For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.”

Lamentations 3:33

AFFLICTION ALSO KNOWN AS - “DISCIPLINE”

If there was ever a man who had to face affliction also known as “discipline” - it was David. I am amazed that he never became bitter. He even admitted that it did him good! God allows us to come under afflictions/discipline, not because he is mad at us, nor because he has rejected us. It is actually a demonstration of his faithfulness.

When he sees us taking a wrong turn that will lead to our own harm and damage, he allows difficulty and affliction/discipline to turn us back to the way that leads to peace and blessing.

When I say affliction I am not accusing God of bringing about harsh and devastating blows in order to knock us down and break our arms in the process. No! No! No!

In Psalm 119:67, 71, 75 it says:
"I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word.
My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.
I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair; 
you disciplined me because I needed it."



WHEN WE ARE "THROWN A CURVE BALL"
How do we respond when we are "thrown a curve ball" and everything we carefully planned out and prepared for suddenly takes a turn we did not expect?

David did not view afflictions/disciplines as disaster. He saw it as a form of correction - something to adjust his life. He was saying, “Before I was afflicted/disciplined I went astray and I suffered for it. Now I've learned my lesson! It pays to obey your word!”


ARE YOU IN THE MIDDLE
OF DIFFICULTY, LOSS, OR AN ADJUSTMENT?
May I caution you?
Don't fight back!
And whatever you do, do not argue with God!

Admit that God is dealing with you and allowing an affliction/a disciplining, a difficulty or disappointment, to address major issues of stubbornness, lazy spirituality, dependence upon others for water from the word, and more than often - a sour and willful independence that does not like accountability in every area.


ASK HIM, "WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE DOING?"

“Am I off the pathway that you have planned and have willfully gone my own way?”

The Lord is seeking, looking, longing for you to turn away from things that are harmful and to bring you back to things that are in his purpose and plan.

If we are willing to learn from these afflictions/disciplines, there will come a time when we will indeed look back with gratitude for the things we have learned and matured in.

My dear friends. We were not created to serve ourselves or to meet our own needs. Whatever we need, the Lord will see to it that we get it, as we move along the pathway that he has chosen. You may be asking the question, “Why is it so hard for me to hear from the Lord at first when it comes to difficult issues and decisions?”

We must understand we cannot instantly “unlearn” what we have lived our entire life. We must as the Scripture says be "transformed" from who we are to what we want to be.

We need to understand with our whole heart that we were intended to be godly in every way. In our relationships with others, and above all, in our relationship with God the father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. If one is out of order then both will be.

But! As a dear brother in the Lord by the name of Larry Reese says, “We are not to fear the passing of time or fear that we are wasting time by spending time with the Lord, searching out his word, and being still in his presence. You will never lose anything by doing these things!”

TRENDS, BLOGS, AND COMMENTS

It's no secret that social media has become quite a form of communication! One of the problems that can occur when “listening” to trends, blogs, and commentary from others is that sources quoted and information gathered might well be skewed to interject thoughts and opinions into the minds of those who never think for themselves.

Believers in Christ are not to be uninformed, but they are to be wise about what they “ingest and digest” when it comes to the lifestyle of a Christian.

Do not rely upon the wisdom of men to help you to ultimately reach the destiny that God himself paid the price for. He is not an ego-driven maniac looking for his entourage of followers to validate his importance!

He "paid it forward" so that we would have the opportunity to walk upon a pathway, although narrow, that leads to purposeful living and a fruitful reaping of productivity that will only advance us into further opportunities to speak of hope and a purpose for others.

BEWARE OF FALSE HUMILITY
AND THE UNDERTONES OF DISDAIN

If there were one thing that sickens the heart of God it would be underhanded and slippery craftiness oozing from those who resist the full aspect of allowing God to create in them a clean and contrite heart.


It always amazes me how individuals that need notoriety and a place of “mystical” influence seem to be able to cunningly discredit good and godly saints around them who have perhaps lovingly warned them about deceptive practices or micro-management control issues, knowing that they risk the loss of relationship when doing so.

It is as if these individuals secretly feel entitled to sidestep the issue of preferring your brother or sister, and humbly listening to their insights and observances.

Equally amazing, are those who listen to only one side of a conflict or disagreement, and then spiritualize-away the fact that harm or discord has happened.

And so, the Lord allows the difficulties and afflictions to come and expose the areas of favoritism, embracing the “new and exciting” rather than the narrow and at times - dry pathway to mature godliness. There will always be among us, those claiming to have “THE” word of the hour, the “message of the forefathers”, and on and on the platitudes and justifications are listed to justify the mocking and putting down of the simple and unique message of self-abandonment.


LISTEN FOR THE SOUND OF MERCY

Listen to the “tone” in the voice of those addressing the crowd, the congregation, or perhaps a small study group. False humility has a highly "honeyed" pitch of barely restrained condescension, laced with heavy doses of unsolicited advice and counsel.

Rarely will individuals who have an exaggerated view of their own importance allow others to warmly and intimately engage in transparent communication and dialogue regarding the unique and yet equal calling and gifting of each child of God.


NOW IS THE TIME -THE TIME IS NOW!

These words have been spoken out from the Lord over the lives of many who seemingly can hardly lift their heads due to delays, betrayals, losses, and a deep, deep internal anguish. It seems as if God sees greater fruitfulness when we are at the bottom of the proverbial "barrel"!

Those who are forever wishfully proclaiming that the “bad times are over and good times are ahead” are sadly attempting to override the ache of the soul when it longs to return to the comfort zone of self indulgence.

“But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless!”


Jeremiah 7:8


Know this. To avoid the chastening and bruising of our souls is a guarantee that not only will you cause devastating and brutal pain to others, but also most importantly, you shall grieve the Holy Spirit.


I encourage those of you reading and listening, to test the fruit of those who claim to have a special and mystical "in" with the Lord.

The Lord is not one who neither “excludes” nor leaves the broken out in the cold, nor does he invite into his inner courts of wisdom and revelation, those who would use it to their own personal advantage or fame.

IT IS TIME! NOW IS THE TIME! THE TIME IS NOW!
It is time to face the chastening of the Lord in the light of the purpose he has behind it. Growing up and maturing finally in the things he has been dutifully prodding you to do for a long time now. Procrastination fellowships with slothful and sloppy approaches to relationship with God and with mankind. For once and for all make the decision to not blame-shift or deflect onto others what God is dealing with in the wickedness of your own soul. Now is the time to be willing to lose your life, to be afflicted -- yes even to the point of having the Lord remove and expose those who have become disobedient, self-promoting, and abusive in the circles you walk within.
“SEE TO IT that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

Colossians 2:8
OPEN YOUR EARS
The Lord is speaking! Listen! He has wisdom to impart to you that may well save and instruct others who might fall into foolish behavior. It is not about your comfort, your "wants" nor even your dignity! It’s about a willingness to be the servant of the Savior, and to emulate His example. He Is Speaking...
...Are we listening?
“The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue,

to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”
Isaiah 50:4
www.marylindow.com

"There is a Rumbling on the Earth" by Barbara Yoder


I found this word in my file. It was a word I delivered in July of 2005. It was a very strange experience because I was sitting down behind a table we had on the platform at the church. It was at one of the large women's conferences we had, there were about 500 women present. We were in the midst of having a panel discussion dealing with leaders. Suddenly it was as if an earthquake was happening. I could feel this distinct rumble under my chair as if all of the earth under me was shaking. Furthermore, I not only felt it, I heard it. Everything was shaking, everything.

As I read it, I heard the Lord say this word is for now. I did not send it out then. I held onto it. I believe this word will help guide you, create understanding concerning the times and seasons we are in, and give you the key to the door of deliverance.

The Word -

There is a rumbling in the earth. God is rumbling you out of mindsets, positions, identity, locations, relationships, bondages, fears. I was sitting here and I could hear it, I could hear this constant ongoing and seemingly unending rumbling of rocks under us, and it was shaking everything. It was as if we were standing on rocks, round rocks; and they were all moving and rumbling. And they just kept rumbling. We could hardly maintain our footing.

What I want to say is that there is a rumbling in the earth. God has placed you on unsure footing. Because He is changing your mind; He is repositioning your feet, to place you where he has been developing you to stand. Not necessarily geographically but within the place that you are assigned. He is shifting your anointing, he is increasing your strength and courage and even now there is a shaking off of the old. There will be no old left.

Fear not the instability under your feet for it will shake and then it will shake and the shaking will not stop, for the Lord is creating a scenario for massive change. For the Church will not look as it has in the past. So look not to the past, but stand in the present, and look to the future. For the unsteadiness, the insecurity, the instability and the failure to be able to fully define-is of God.

Because he wants you to let go of how you have known things to be; even how you view things; and He wants you to look to Him and to leaders that God has given to you, to reposition you for the new thing.

Fear not the unsteadiness under your feet and also do not try to define it prematurely. As you wait upon the Lord, the Lord will bring the clarity and the definition. But even the instability and unsteadiness has been created by him. There is a rumbling that has already started in the heavens. But the Lord would declare to you that the rumbling is also now on earth under the feet of leaders, for He is calling us out of the old, out of the past, out of that which would trap us in nonproductivity and irrelevancy, to reposition ourselves for the future. And we will not only look spiritually different, but we will not look the same physically, the way we have in the past, for we have entered a season of massive change.

Fear not the rumbling, for I will shake you out of the systems and paradigms that have held the Church captive and I will cause you to be poured out in a whole new way to the world. I am shaking the Church and I am shaking the world. The rumbling will not soon disappear until it has accomplished its full work to shake the Church and to shake the world. For I will have a meeting place with my people, and what is left when the rumbling is done will be a people who release the kingdom of God on earth. And the Church will be poured out into the world. (Heb 12)

As I was pondering this word, the Spirit of God fell on me and I wrote the rest of this now, July 23, 2010.

I am delivering you out of Babylon and I am delivering Babylon out of you. For I will have a people in this hour who like Daniel stood within Babylon but Babylon was not in him. At times fear will grip you like a vise and you will wonder if you can withstand the fear. It will feel like terror will overtake you.

But I say to you it is part of the shaking, I am shaking you out of Babylon and shaking Babylon out of you so that you can stand in the midst and rule. When your shaking is complete, there will come a delivering mantle on you and you will cause the gates of Babylon to shake and its walls will fall.