It takes time, so much time.

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

The LORD is my Shepherd

If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. I Cor 3:17 The Lord is my Shepherd... Psalm 23:1 My dearest Sisters, Beloved of the LORD, This past few weeks I have been pondering the sacredness of the moment. This moment. It is all we have. I am set apart by Him to live a life consecrated to His will. Sacred. Each moment a divine connection to all that is eternal because my position is 'in' Christ before the Father.  It was Christ's great work at the Cross which brought us to the Father. As believers we are not going to Hell, but do we realize positionally we are already in heaven? We are 'in' Christ and there for, in the Father's presence. Jesus death, His blood, His ascension, the sacrifice Lamb reigning from the Throne reveal one thing... we dwell in the Father's presence now. Eternal life doesn't begin when we breathe our last, it is now. If there be progress upward (heavenly) there must be progress in life and ways down here; you cannot see the need for a change in your ways here until you are transformed by the influence of nearness to Him there. You thus gradually find things here are not suitable for the order and nature of the things which are so attractive to the renewed heart up there.JBS The blessed position of a Christian is, that he has died even to the best things of the world, religious or otherwise, and he is alive to the highest things in the presence of the Father; for the Lord Jesus Christ is his life, in whom he is hidden. W.K. Do you believe this? Embracing this Truth changes everything. I have come to realize I am camped in enemy territory. This is war. The biggest problem is that we are sheep. As I meditated on Psalm 23 this morning I heard it with my heart. As a sheep I am needy, selfish, weak, foolish and fearful; in great need of a Shepherd. The most common place I have heard this Psalm is at a funeral. I refuse to think of it as a funeral Psalm any longer; this is God's word for the living. I encourage you to read it expectantly. Do you need Rest? Quiet? Restoration? Are their enemies in the camp (Fears or stubbornness)? Do you need to be still, stop the frenzied activity? Do you need to stop focusing on others and fix your eyes on the Shepherd? Psalm 23 overflows with abundant hope, strength, rest and peace. Let it flow over you and through calling you to be still and draw near the Shepherd; allowing His love to wrap around you because He enjoys you near.  Try focusing on the verbs and it will lift you up as they cover every area of need we experience. And vs 4 caused me to 'Bless His Holy Name!" Look at this: Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me...  vs 4 The first two words quickened my spirit.  Place a blank after these two words and fill it in making it personal. Even though____________.... I will not fear. Why? You are with me. (The word 'will' indicates it is a choice of your 'will', not your feelings) EX: Even though I am lonely or even though I have failed, even though I am facing serious health issues, loss of a job, financial distress, death of a loved one.... ' even though' I will choose to trust You! A faith statement, irregardless of how you feel, for Who is with us? The Good Shepherd, who knows us by name and loves us immeasurably!  "I pray LORD you will fill each heart with faith to believe this without reservation." And I want to encourage you to read Psalm 23 once a day in as many versions as available for at least a week. (See attachment with different versions of Psalm 23) It is a wonderful thing to so enjoy the Shepherd, to be so satisfied with Him and find Him enough, we can say, “The LORD is my Shepherd, I have all that I need... for He is with me." This moment is sacred for He lives in me, I am His temple. I am absolutely dependent on Yeshua my Savior. The Lord Jesus stood where I was and now I stand where He is, and that is the only place I have before my Father. We may fail and grieve the Holy Spirit, but that is where we are set. J.N.D. Satisfier of our hearts, I come to You who are goodness and lovingkindess. You who are intentional in Your plans and loving watch-care over me. I am more in awe of You ever day and long to see You face to face. I rejoice because You are with me. I rejoice even though life is hard. No matter how I fill in the blank You are with me and You are the rejoicing of my heart. I lift up my sisters and pray You will speak in ways they could not imagine as they read Your words to them. I pray in the tender Name above all names, Jesus. Amen In the sacredness of this moment, az * If you get this via email also, go to your email and print out the attachment of 6 different versions of Psalm 23.

Listen, Do You Hear His Voice?

      

Give ear, O heavens, and let me speak;

         And let the earth hear the words of my mouth. 

    For I proclaim the name of the LORD;

        Ascribe greatness to our God! 

   The Rock! His work is perfect,

       For all His ways are just;

    A God of faithfulness and without injustice,

         Righteous and upright is He.  Deut 32:1,3-4 Moses song.

Dearest Sisters,

Can you imagine being in a place where everything says, “Glory”? Some day we will bow before the throne of the Lamb and cry “Glory”.

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.... And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." 

Rev 5:12a&13

We will be there. Hear me and let it lift your spirit heavenward.  YOU will be there! All the storms of life are over having lost all power to inflict. (if you are 'in' Christ, having repented of sin, believing He died to pay the penalty for your sin. You receive this gift of eternal life when you invite Christ Jesus to live in you and forgive you).

Psalm 29 has not let go of my heart but day after day has continued to buoy me. I must not wait until heaven to ascribe to Him glory and strength, the glory due His name! Praise, to the glory of His name is explicit revelation of 'who' He is and true worship reflects this back to Him.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due to His name... 

And in His temple everything says, "Glory!" Ps 29

 To Ascribe, Attribute, Impute. Attribute denotes, 1. To refer some quality or attribute to a being; as, to attribute power to God. 2. To refer something to its cause or source;

When earthly storms are raging with intensity of wind and pounding rain, my ears are deafened to another's voice. This is an analogy of our spiritual storms and I take warning that I must not lose the sound of His voice; often being a still small voice.

And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

I Kings 19:11-12

Psalm 29 describes a storm and the voice of the Lord which is not a 'still small' voice! Read the verses and let them speak. 

             The voice of the LORD is powerful,

         The voice of the LORD is majestic (vs 4)

It gives me the shivers as it goes on to say His voice shakes, thunders, breaks, strips, and think of an earthquake making mountains skip, Lebanon buck like a calf and Mount Hermon leap like a wild ox. Vs 6 NLT What would we be feeling, besides the ground shaking, if we were standing at the base of Mt Hermon? Fear? 

I ask again: What will it be like to gather before this Holy God on His throne and shout 'glory'?

Psalm 29 ends with our King sitting; reigning as King. He, who allows the storm and rules the storm and times the storm, gives strength and peace to His children. What greater gifts would we want or need to face our storms?

“Struggle yourself and be trapped; rest in Him and be free!" MS

"Many Christians keep themselves in a perpetual foment through hoping they will get into a situation where they can enjoy a better (and easier) Christian life. They feel enclosed in a net of circumstances from which they cannot escape. They are so wearied and baffled and beaten by the continuous pressure about them that they wish and itch for things to be different, quite sure that if they were only different Christ would be more real. It has not dawned upon them that at the heart of these very circumstances they are to find the Lord Jesus, find His grace sufficient, find the life more abundant." -L.E.M.

Abba, You who reign over the storms of life, Compassionate One, Keeper of our hearts, thank You there is not one storm we need ever face in our own strength. Examine our hearts and reveal where I may be harboring fear and resentment. Thank You for showing me where I struggle in my flesh to improve in me what You have condemned and my resulting disgust and despair are just a feeble echo of Yours! I am so thankful You are not looking for any good in me! The Lord Jesus is before You, completely acceptable to You and You have placed me in Christ. I long for all my sisters to taste the deep joy of our being in Christ; accepting our nothingness, released to rest in Your geat Love. Teach us to sing like Moses!  Lord I pray in the Holy Name of the Lamb who was slain.

Listening for His voice in the storm...az

My Be-attitude

"You are the light of the world. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matt 5:14,16 fragments

... for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth) Ephesians 5:8-9

Dear Ones loved by our amazing Savior,

Sometimes I cannot get on paper what is filling up my heart as He discloses Himself to me and I want to go up on the roof (mine is flat) and shout His praises and dance before Him! Other times, surreptitiously, I am called to be flat out, my face covered with my hands in fearful delight. I am so in awe of Him and wonder why He would allow me near! These are not times you share with another but tuck them in your heart as purest treasure. I see Mary as one who definitely had a time of purest treasure receiving news from Gabriel that she was chosen to bear the Messiah of Israel. (Luke 1:26-38) Amazing and wondrous faith displayed. Hear her words.

Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38

As I put myself in Mary's place and imagine being told this amazing news, I wonder how would I respond? Would I believe and sweetly acquiesce? The Jews awaited Messiah for thousands of years it was wondrous to be chosen. So very young and her heart so tenderly accepting. Read her response again and 'feel' her attitude. (above) Would she have said these words if she knew they included future suffering and misunderstanding?  

I was reading in Matthew 5 when v14 tapped me on the shoulder and verse 16 stopped me. Taking a surprised breath I was unable to read on. I had read this dozens of times but as a 'fact', not hearing “You are the light of the world”. My mind raced. Just how was I to 'let' my light shine before men 'in such a way' <(what exactly does this mean?) that others, including those who are in the house (family) will see my good works and glorify my Father in heaven. Do I get to define 'in such a way'? Does it include all the Beatitudes just spoken? Is it my choice of what I will engage in to ‘bring’ Him glory? Did Mary decide what Gabriel would say? How many days have I made such decisions based on what fit my  plans? 

 As usual, I gave my day to the Lord asking that I might bring Him glory and please Him. ( a bit presumptuous as it was never 'my' day!) I knew how I would spend it. Things had been so busy I wanted to slow down and dovery little. My husband had different plans which stretched to 4 pm. It was a fierce battlet not to embrace resentment. Instead I attempted to keep a good attitude and count the flesh dead to sin. (Romans 6) My mind cried out, “It isn't fair”. But then life isn't about 'fair'' it about His glory. One small unnoticed act of kindness may garner more glory for Him than any planned act of service, in His name. What happened to my: “Lord, this is your day”? How quickly it became my will, not His. My reasoning was not of faith, but of flesh. Unbelief as to His word to me.

In Ephesians 5 it explains what it is to let your light shine, it is the fruit Light.  Jesus is the Light. I Tim 6:15-16 It is His Life and Light in and through us that brings Him glory.  Eph 5 tells us to: walk in love, walk carefully, walk redeeming the time, walk in wisdom, walk in understanding and the key to this walk is in vs 18 'walk filled with the Spirit'. After reading this I knew that to be the light of the world was not a legalistic effort to keep the Beatitudes Jesus had just given, but to have the Lord’s Light shining through all my cracks. It is His Spirit that produces and I only receive. 

He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. I Tim 6:15-16

I also saw  another Beatitude spoken by Elizabeth to Mary.. 

“blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” I want this beatitude to apply to me and to all of you my dear sisters, in such a way,  that we are transformed for His glory! God’s word is spoken to us by the Lord; as we draw near and read it with hearts of faith. May He give ears to hear and eyes to see His Truth. Blessed be His name. 

“You cannot live in the world without knowledge and learning. The kind of knowledge that will really profit you-- in soul as well as in body-- is the knowledge that comes as you learn how to walk with God in the humble character of Christ. That is, the intimate knowledge that comes as your spirit interacts with Christ's Spirit, and He begins to shine and become present in you. (as LORD) T.K .

 Lord, You who shelter me. Incline my heart to let Your Light shine enabling me to embrace what You send to my day in such a way it results in Your glory! How quickly I turn from Your way to mine. Change me. Hide me in the pavilion of Your love and grace, in such a way,Your way, that Your glory permeates my life and spills all over the place. Oh, to have hearts as Mary who lived in such a way her attitude was 'Be it unto me” as she trusted You for all she did not understand. Because You are the Light of the world and live in me I can shine in such a way that Your name, Jesus, is lifted high. Thank You for such a privilege as this. You not only died for me, I died with You. Mary's light shone in such a way in the darkness of her time... I pray my sisters and I will shine in the darkness of this age, wherever our day takes us and especially in our families. Encourage them for they are the light of the world!  Live in us in such a way as to cause our lives to have eternal impact.In the Name of Love I pray, amen

shine in such a way!

az

Focus and Hope

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. II Corinthians 12:10

My Sisters who love the Lord,

I met my daughter at her appointment to entertain Joshua (4yrs) while she was with the doctor. The 4 story building with many hallways called for an adventure. Josh was leading, as we slunk, hugging the walls until we made it to the stairwell. Approaching the 4^th floor, I whispered, “ J-man will the enemy detect us? Are we safe?” Without a backward glance he replied, “Grammy, we just need to Focus and have Hope!”

These words echoed in my heart. Out of the mouth of babes... For His lovers, He is our focus and Hope. Oh, such mystery in the ways of our Lord with His lovers. He bids us draw near, come to Him. Now and again with other lovers, but so often altogether alone. He nurtures and comforts imparting strength none but His lovers know. Even further He discloses Himself and makes His word known to those who seek Him in spirit and in truth. Then we move on, awareness of Him in the present moment. Hope. We are safe. Grace.

“From this point, not craving for what, if continued, would become a spiritual luxury, they go on like the sun that rejoices to run the race.” ac

Some days I deeply long to be on my face before His throne and done with a profoundly disappointing separation. “Lord, I long to be with You. I long for home.” His poignant reply was, “Arlene, it is enough for now that I indwell you.” Searching words as well as comforting. Each moment a gift from Him. What would it be like to be content in the moment? Even more so, to be 'well-content'? “Lord, reveal our hearts even now uncover discontent.”

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. II Cor 12:9

Paul discloses a very challenging mind set; a spirit willing to receive whatever God deems good for Paul. Focus. Look at the list of what Paul boasts he is “well” content!  Paul was just a man. The grace God supplied him is ours in Christ. Christ's grace is possessed of unfailing strength. The phrase 'is sufficient' is in the perfect tense and means 'is continually being made perfect.' God is supporting our mind with His most powerful influence, causing me to rejoice with joy unspeakable!! Paul uses words like 'delight, gladly, boast'. Focus.

Again, I ask, “Do I really believe this?” When have I been well-content with suffering? Do I rejoice in the rest? (meaning is to spread as a tent over and dwell in). He is Rest. We never lose by suffering and affliction. His strength rests on us enabling us this very moment. Hope.

It does not say what Paul's thorn was but the word means 'a sharp stake used for torturing or impaling someone. God permitted satan to buffet Paul (means to beat, to strike with a fist). I see two messages one from satan to Paul, but God also had a message for Paul... grace. I love the acrostic for Grace: God's Riches At Christ's Expense. Sufficient grace, strengthening grace, transforming grace. Focus. Safety.

Our Father, You who are the Lover of our souls and give us grace sufficient and perfect. You who always hear my prayer, You my abundant Life-Giver! It blows me away to see how detailed Your provision is for me O Lord and that You not only love me, for You are love, but You like me and delight to have me draw near . Words fail Majestic One. Teach me and my precious sisters to be well-content and know Your rest, to focus and to have hope. Keep us from being willing to just have salvation and go to church and do churchy things. Give us a hunger that will move us to greater intimacy with You through Your Word, which lives. I love you and thank you for the privilege of sharing my heart with these sisters. O how you love them. In the Name of Him who left heaven to be our Redeemer. amen


Focus and Hope in Christ alone,


az