Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.
My dearest family of Sisters,
Greetings in the Name of the Lord, grace and peace to you from God our Father.
The shortest distance between where I am and where I want to go, is my route of choice. I struggle with slow drivers in the fast lane, red lights and any road posting 30 mph. I began to hurry before I took my first breath, making my appearance in the hospital hall way, not the delivery room; as would be appropriate. A few of you can relate to such life-speed.
This also spills over into my spiritual life. I know many more of you can relate to this difficulty in which I experience concern over my spiritual growth. I feel frustrated at my slow growth and wrestle with accepting the inexorable fact my heavenly Father does not hurry in His development of my faith. I need to be reminded my Father works for eternity. Yet, it is hard to believe I am even growing unless I am surging swiftly forward! I want to see change!
Moses was 40 years on the backside of a desert after failing in his first start he ran. Seldom did I consider in the early days of my new life, the necessity of getting to know myself. God's main tool to grow me is 'need' and need is the result of failure. God uses failure to reveal to me that I have no strength. As I trust in myself (my flesh) I eventually run amuck. It is then I sprint, not to a desert, but to Him who is all I am not and I find welcome and grow in my knowledge of Him. To my chagrin, this requires much time, as I learn to reckon myself dead to sin and alive to Christ. I mature and become fruitful by the principle of growth-- rather than trying hard, serving hard, or resolving to do better, nor any experience I may have.
The unavoidable result of relying on our flesh is Romans 7. The result of living Romans 6 in complete dependence on the Holy Spirit, is Romans 8 and Galatians 5:22-25. A sure sign I am living with the flesh in control is when I am disappointed in myself. Exposing that I have again trusted in myself. I must come to agreement with Romans 7:18 'in my flesh dwells no good thing”. In our spiritual journey we make many fresh starts determined to live for Christ, determined to do better, being more earnest than ever but all is disappointment for the fresh start was a flesh-start. It is especially hard to admit we were trying to improve ourselves because of our pride (the flesh). We may deny it and even agree with Romans 7:18, but disappointment is proof, that even with knowledge of the Truth, we were attempting to do life in the flesh again! The flesh wears many masks and can even fit well in church, even in leadership positions.
In this matter of Christian development there is no shortcut, no quick and easy way. The Husbandman builds into the believer that which He intends to minister through him to others. In order to minister Life to others, what one does and says must flow from what he is. MJS
TRUTH: Only what the Holy Spirit of God does in and through us is eternal.
A friend I love dearly is going through a difficult divorce. Her husband stops unannounced and unwelcome and it is emotionally stressful. She is determined to keep sane and carry on necessary conversation without all the past hurt and anger fueling her words and without falling into the flesh being in control. We talked after her husband left, she cried out from her gut with many tears, “Why can't I stay in control? Why do I let his words provoke me and I go off on him like a banshee? I try so hard and still end up screaming. I do not want to be like this. I want to be stronger.
She loves the Lord and wants to honor Him. I shared God doesn't want to make her stronger but weaker. Until she gets so sick of the flesh that she runs to Him, to His strength and begins to live in Romans 6, moment by moment. I cried with her, tasting her utter disappointment in 'self'. I understand. I have been there more times than I want to count. It is then we must run to Him 'receiving' strength of His control, not our trying to producing it.
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matt 5:16
Some of us need faith to meet very hard things, especially through the holidays. We need love from our heart to, flow from the Holy Spirit, through us over family and friends. All who will go into situations where Christ is not honored; are going to be the target of the devil. He will come in his most successful venue: discouragement.
I have always noticed that when God has purposes of blessing for some soul, the devil of discouragement, who is one of satan's most useful servants, is sure to come and whisper all sorts of sorrowful, depressing, miserable thoughts. He drops those about, sometimes in one heart and sometimes in another. If they take root and grow into feelings and words and deeds, he knows that a great deal has been done to hinder what our God intends to do. Do not forget discouragement is always from beneath; encouragement is always from above; God is the God of encouragement. AC
I thought how often we sit and talk about God's truth and admire what the Holy Spirit reveals to us in the Word, where as His purpose in revealing it to our heart is that we might embrace it by faith and wait on the Him to make it part of our life. This Christmas as you go and celebrate, even in situations you would rather avoid, keep before you this truth: You are bringing the Holy Son of God and all He is... love, peace, joy, strength, Hope with you. Embrace this by faith. Go and let Him glorify Himself through you. How amazing is that?
Lord of Glory, Lord of Hope and Peace, You who are all that I am not, You who are Strength... the fact You live in me is more than I can truly understand. I am amazed that my circumstances will turn out for the greater progress of the Gospel! Fill my heart with faith to trust You to live through me in power; shining Your glory. What an awesome thing to be Your vessels, to believe You will touch others as we count ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ's life. I bow, Asking only that my Sisters and I would be a clean vessels, sanctified and fit for Your use and we would be willing to pay the cost of having Your love flow through us that we will count ourselves dead to sin and receive the life You produce. In the Name of the One they called Emmanuel, God with us!!
Merry Christmas dear Sisters,
az
