Proverbs 26:22
The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body.
It severs our being like the surgeon’s knife; cutting through our flesh and slowly navigating it’s blade into our deepest parts, the words of a gossip make their path to our heart in a damaging and oftentimes irreversible manner. A whisper against you is like poison in your veins, an arrow in the back, and the smallest pieces of food consumed and distributed to the deepest parts of your body.
The gentle, whispering wind of a gossip can be felt within any time, place or circumstance. Seldom unaware and always justifiable, we spread hurtful words like a wildfire through our network of friends and companions. As with most rumors, that which began as a fire of comfort for one or two quickly outgrows its boundary and becomes an all-consuming wall of flames, devouring everyone in its path.
Proverbs 26:20 reminds us that fire can only exist with the presence of flammable materials. In the same manner, a vicious rumor can only exist where it finds those who will feed it. “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.” Verse 21 says, “Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife.”
It’s easy to play the victim and acknowledge the pain of gossip when you are on the receiving end. I challenge you to evaluate your own habits though. I wonder if you are more often found under the knife of gossip or firmly grasping its painful handle.
As children of God we are commanded to preserve unity and peace with all people (Ephesians 4:3). We are called to be ambassadors of the Lord, sharing and representing the goodness of Him who sent us to everyone we meet. When we participate in spreading whispers and rumors, our witness is hindered along with the message of Christ.
As painful as the knife that enters your own body and as deep reaching as the morsel of a whisper travels into your innermost being, I pray that you would never forget the hurtful damage of a whisper done to those around you. Jesus commands us to do to others only what we would like done to us. He teaches us in Matthew 23:39 to love our neighbors as ourselves. How often we forget our Master’s words when it comes to whispering rumors. The next time flames of gossip come in your direction, I pray that you would not be just another log in the fire, but instead, a quenching shot of water to a potentially devastating action.
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless (James 1:26).
from www.deeperdevotional.com
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Depression 101 for Christians (Borrowed from Christian.net)
Depression has been called the “common cold” of mental disorders, and one source estimates that it disrupts the lives of 30 to 40 million Americans. [4]
Depression is too complicated to solve with a single pat answer. Gary Collins, in Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide (Dallas: Word, 1988), lists seven major categories of causes for depression,[1] and six major approaches to treating it. Each one has multiple options within each category. In addition, people use the word “depression” to cover everything from disappointment over losing a baseball game to the terrifying gloom that drives people to suicide.
The Bible does not use the word “depression,” although it describes people whom we might call depressed. It certainly doesn't mention antidepressant drugs. However, there are a few general principles I would recommend when trying to deal with depression:
Aim to work on the causes of your depression, not just the symptoms.
Scripture points to many issues of sin or conflict that can affect your emotions; most counselors would agree that depression can result from other underlying issues. Don't just worry about the depression itself; check to see what other problems need attention.
Realize that you can't base life on your emotions
Christians base life on truth, not feelings. Philippians 4:1 commands us to rejoice (whether we feel like it or not!). And James 1:2 asks us to “Consider it all joy when we fall into various trials.” Notice that James doesn't tell us to feel joyful; he tells us to reckon, to choose to think about your situation as a spot where you can have joy.
Faith
Choosing to trust truth rather than your feelings may require a lot of faith. And if that is what we mean by asking if faith can solve depression, then faith may be enough in some cases. Trusting what God says rather than your feelings is certainly a more realistic approach to life!
Heed God's Advice
However, many people talk about “faith” and only mean a vague hope that God will somehow pull them through. That's too nebulous a concept to be reliable. Many of the same people who claim to have faith keep plunging through life ignoring God's principles for healthy living. If we spurn the good advice that the Bible contains, we won't escape the consequences - even if we have faith.
Is it right to use antidepressant drugs? Or is faith enough to solve the problem?
Chemical Imbalances
Some cases of depression may be caused by chemical imbalances. If that is the cause, then antidepressant drugs may be the answer. God has allowed mankind to learn about many medical tools, and He sometimes uses medicine to heal. There may also be some cases of depression so severe that medications are necessary to bring the sufferer to the place where they can tackle some of the other issues; such cases might require medication, at least temporarily. I know of no Scripture that forbids such use. [1]
Unresolved Issues, Root Causes
However, any medications should be used with caution. Virtually any medicine has some side effects. Drugs can mask the symptoms, allowing you to ignore root causes. Some people may use antidepressants to avoid approaches that require you to deal with other unresolved issues. It seems easier to pop a pill. A general rule of thumb is to try other strategies first, unless the depression is so severe that the person endangers themselves or finds themselves unable to participate in other therapies.
Depression is a complex area, and severe problems of depression deserve the attention of a pastor or other counselor.
Author: Dr. John Bechtle
Helpful tips for depression
Avoid being alone.
Force yourself to be with people.
Seek help from others.
Sing. Music can uplift your spirit as it did for King Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-23).
Praise and give thanks. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Lean heavily on the power of God's Word.
Rest confidently in the presence of God's Spirit. “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance” (Psalm 42:5).
See the good book Healing for Damaged Emotions for more details) [3]
Supplied by David Seamands.
1.Eight major causes of depression. (1) Biological factors, (2) Learned helplessness (sense of being trapped and unable to remedy an intolerable situation), (3) Parental rejection, (4) Abuse, (5) Negative thinking, (6) Life stress, (7) Anger, (8) Guilt. [Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler, Josh McDowell's Handbook on Counseling Youth (Dallas, Texas: Word Publishing, 1996), chapter 5; Gary R. Collins, Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide, revised edition (Dallas, Texas: Word Publishing, 1988).] [UP]
2.Biological factors—
Depression often has a physical basis. At the simplest level, we know that lack of sleep, insufficient excercise, the side effects of drugs, physical illnesses, or improper diet can all creation depression. Thousands of women experience depression as part of a monthly premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and some are victimized by postpartum depression following childbirth. Other physical influences, like neurochemical malfunctioning, brain tumors, or glandular disorders, are more complicated creators of depression. There is evidence that depression runs in families and may have a genetic basis. -Gary R. Collins, Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide, revised edition (Dallas, Texas: Word, 1988), p. 107. [UP]
Depression is too complicated to solve with a single pat answer. Gary Collins, in Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide (Dallas: Word, 1988), lists seven major categories of causes for depression,[1] and six major approaches to treating it. Each one has multiple options within each category. In addition, people use the word “depression” to cover everything from disappointment over losing a baseball game to the terrifying gloom that drives people to suicide.
The Bible does not use the word “depression,” although it describes people whom we might call depressed. It certainly doesn't mention antidepressant drugs. However, there are a few general principles I would recommend when trying to deal with depression:
Aim to work on the causes of your depression, not just the symptoms.
Scripture points to many issues of sin or conflict that can affect your emotions; most counselors would agree that depression can result from other underlying issues. Don't just worry about the depression itself; check to see what other problems need attention.
Realize that you can't base life on your emotions
Christians base life on truth, not feelings. Philippians 4:1 commands us to rejoice (whether we feel like it or not!). And James 1:2 asks us to “Consider it all joy when we fall into various trials.” Notice that James doesn't tell us to feel joyful; he tells us to reckon, to choose to think about your situation as a spot where you can have joy.
Faith
Choosing to trust truth rather than your feelings may require a lot of faith. And if that is what we mean by asking if faith can solve depression, then faith may be enough in some cases. Trusting what God says rather than your feelings is certainly a more realistic approach to life!
Heed God's Advice
However, many people talk about “faith” and only mean a vague hope that God will somehow pull them through. That's too nebulous a concept to be reliable. Many of the same people who claim to have faith keep plunging through life ignoring God's principles for healthy living. If we spurn the good advice that the Bible contains, we won't escape the consequences - even if we have faith.
Is it right to use antidepressant drugs? Or is faith enough to solve the problem?
Chemical Imbalances
Some cases of depression may be caused by chemical imbalances. If that is the cause, then antidepressant drugs may be the answer. God has allowed mankind to learn about many medical tools, and He sometimes uses medicine to heal. There may also be some cases of depression so severe that medications are necessary to bring the sufferer to the place where they can tackle some of the other issues; such cases might require medication, at least temporarily. I know of no Scripture that forbids such use. [1]
Unresolved Issues, Root Causes
However, any medications should be used with caution. Virtually any medicine has some side effects. Drugs can mask the symptoms, allowing you to ignore root causes. Some people may use antidepressants to avoid approaches that require you to deal with other unresolved issues. It seems easier to pop a pill. A general rule of thumb is to try other strategies first, unless the depression is so severe that the person endangers themselves or finds themselves unable to participate in other therapies.
Depression is a complex area, and severe problems of depression deserve the attention of a pastor or other counselor.
Author: Dr. John Bechtle
Helpful tips for depression
Avoid being alone.
Force yourself to be with people.
Seek help from others.
Sing. Music can uplift your spirit as it did for King Saul (1 Samuel 16:14-23).
Praise and give thanks. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Lean heavily on the power of God's Word.
Rest confidently in the presence of God's Spirit. “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance” (Psalm 42:5).
See the good book Healing for Damaged Emotions for more details) [3]
Supplied by David Seamands.
1.Eight major causes of depression. (1) Biological factors, (2) Learned helplessness (sense of being trapped and unable to remedy an intolerable situation), (3) Parental rejection, (4) Abuse, (5) Negative thinking, (6) Life stress, (7) Anger, (8) Guilt. [Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler, Josh McDowell's Handbook on Counseling Youth (Dallas, Texas: Word Publishing, 1996), chapter 5; Gary R. Collins, Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide, revised edition (Dallas, Texas: Word Publishing, 1988).] [UP]
2.Biological factors—
Depression often has a physical basis. At the simplest level, we know that lack of sleep, insufficient excercise, the side effects of drugs, physical illnesses, or improper diet can all creation depression. Thousands of women experience depression as part of a monthly premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and some are victimized by postpartum depression following childbirth. Other physical influences, like neurochemical malfunctioning, brain tumors, or glandular disorders, are more complicated creators of depression. There is evidence that depression runs in families and may have a genetic basis. -Gary R. Collins, Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide, revised edition (Dallas, Texas: Word, 1988), p. 107. [UP]
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Your Pearl of Great Price
from:www.tfalg.com
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” -Matthew 13:44-46
Beloved, can you afford My kingdom? Could it be that you have sought a treasure which you have not attained the funds to procure?
My blessing costs every last penny of your life: nothing more, and nothing less. Truly, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,1 and how hardly shall they that be rich enter into the kingdom of God.2
Yet, you have indeed sought My hidden treasure: a field with priceless treasure, a pearl of great price. You have sought, and I have promised, but have you gathered your funds? I am the treasure that you seek, but can you afford Me? Why do you instead heap up for yourself the treasures of this world? My blessing costs every penny of your heart and soul: no more, and no less.
Child, could it be that you have sought a treasure which you have not attained the funds to procure?
A rich man, selling all that he has, and giving great sums of money, yet retaining one small thing, even that man has done foolishly. Do you think I will be satisfied with the abundance of his sacrifices? Ninety nines will not suffice - how I despise these nines!
Yet a poor man, giving almost nothing, (seeing that he has but few values), yet holding nothing back, even this man has done wisely. For he has sold himself unto Me, and though he had little, yet because he held nothing back, to him will come great riches, for he can afford the blessing of My kingdom.3
Again I say, why is it that you have sought a treasure, yet you have not first acquired the funds? Your life is in a continual state of overdraft. I have promised you this treasure, yet if you will not sell all that you have in this life, it will be collected in the next. Either you give up your house of wood, and build with the gold that I will give you, or your house will be sold to the fire which shall try every man's work,4 and you shall purchase My treasure field with the ashes of this earthly life.
Beloved, why should this be so? Have I not given you a firm foundation of rock, through Jesus Christ, upon which to build your house?5 Why then do you build upon such an eternal foundation with the passing wood and hay of this life?
Release to Me your life, and sell to Me all things which you hold dear. My blessing costs every penny of your heart, and of your soul, and of your might: nothing more for the poor man, and nothing less for the rich. Truly, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron:” -Isaiah 60:17
How will you be able to afford My gold if you have not first sold to Me your wood? How will you get My silver when your hands still cling to the common stones of the ground? Beloved, empty your hands. I take delight in empty hands, for I both long and love to fill them with good things.
My child, I love empty hands, and broken hearts, and humble minds.6 For I know how to fill the poor man's soul, and tenderly mend the broken heart, and enlighten the simple mind. Why is it that you cannot see that you are empty, and broken, and proudly darkened in mind? I will fill every crevice of your being with My goodness. As water poured into the dry cracks of a barren desert ground, so too will I fill you with the peace and joy of My Spirit.
Beloved, I am grieved at your seditions brought against Me. Why do you make yourself, (in your own eyes), rich, and proud, and wise?7 Why do you fill in the dry cracks of your soul with the oil-slicks of this world? You seek out the grime and grease of this world, and of your old carnal mind, and you clog up your heart with vanity.
My love, why is it that you resist Me? Why is it that you turn from Me? Are you truly rich? For all of your abundances, your wisdom, and your pride, have you any deliverance? Will your corruptible riches, or your loved ones, or your worldly wisdom deliver you in the day of calamity?8 Who has deceived you, that you lean onto this wicked staff? Surely it will come to pass, that the harder you lean upon it, the more it will pierce through your hand and cause you to stumble.9
To be filled, you must be empty. I cannot mix My water with the grease of this world. Why will you wait until heaven to afford My kingdom? Why will you wait until your works are consumed with fire before attaining My incorruptible riches? Would it not be much better to give up all your old wood and hay for My gold? Would it not be much better to build a house that will endure? What else is befitting of My marvelous foundation to build thereupon, but the finest gold, and the choicest of stones and jewels?
Why will you build a house with the corruption and passing glory of this life? Why do you trust in the abundance of your hands, and in the beauty and splendor of those things which are now seen? Do you not know that the things which are seen have been created by a much greater glory, by that which is unseen?10 Either sell to Me now, or have such things burned, and you will sell to Me the ashes thereafter.
“No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” -Luke 9:62
Beloved, let Me now reason with you. I love you more than you can think, and I long to bless. I long to make My love known, but how scarcely do you know of Me! How scarcely do you allow My love through! I am as water poured unto a cracked desert ground, yet how little do you soak in! How few of My blessings, and how little of My Spirit of peace and joy do you let seep into your heart!
My beautiful child, that which you do not give up to Me: your own riches, and your own loves - these are the very things which are poverty to you. And yet, how shall you ever afford Me, if you do not give Me all? My price is all: no more, no less. It is not a quantity, but a percentage - it is one hundred percent: nothing more, nothing less.
Dear child, why do you look back to that old land? Why do you turn back to that land of sin and bondage, lo, even in thought! For, Jesus Christ is the Bridge, and My kingdom is the promised land. Beloved, I have bridged you unto Myself in love. Beloved, I have taken you from that dark land of sin, and have redeemed you for My very own self. Beloved, My bridge only goes one way!
As I took the children of Israel through the parted Red Sea, so too have I redeemed you and brought you through.11 As they crossed the impossible, from death unto life, so too have I done with you. And as the sea closed back up, one thing did they know, and one thing must you now know: it is impossible for you to turn back by the same way you came! If this is so, then why do you often live as though it were not?
Jesus Christ is the Bridge, and His life was laid down for your sins; yes, My beloved, for you. He has laid His body down, even down to death, and has allowed you to walk over Him into life. But, is He not now lifted up? Is He not now raised from the dead? I tell you, the Bridge is now lifted up from the earth! So too likewise is He lifted from your old life, that you should not return to that land of sin.12
My child, if this is so, why then do you seek to travel backwards? You grieve Me in thought, word, and deed. You grieve Me when you seek flight back to that old land of bondage. What is it that you seek? What is it that you think you lack? Rather, is it not that the sins and lusts of this present life have blinded your eyes, that you cannot see My blessed hand outstretched toward you? And is it not that you still cling to the things of this world, that you cannot instead latch onto My blessings?
In every failing, in every defeat, in every pain, there I am, with arms outstretched, longing to comfort, longing to help, longing to heal. The things in this world ought not to be so: this world has gone terribly amiss, and is covered under a dark canopy of sin. Beloved, when you choose out your old ways, you cover yourself in darkness, and partake of this canopy.
Come out, and be My special treasure! Be not blinded by sin, but behold My arm to save. Be not entangled with lust, but freely reach out and take My hand to help. Be not half-hearted, but sell out to Me all of your own self. Empty out, as a purse, all that is within your heart, and I will be to you that pearl of great price.
I will be your all-sufficient, your all-capable, your all-merciful, and ever-faithful God. Father to the fatherless; true riches to the bankrupt in soul; true wisdom to the humble in mind; true love to the brokenhearted; the all-in-all.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matthew 5:3
Luke 18:24-25
Mark 10:29-31
1 Corinthians 3:11-15
Luke 6:47-48
Psalm 34:17-19
Revelation 3:15-19
Proverbs 11:14
Isaiah 36:6
Hebrews 11:3
Exodus 14
Romans 6:1-4
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” -Matthew 13:44-46
Beloved, can you afford My kingdom? Could it be that you have sought a treasure which you have not attained the funds to procure?
My blessing costs every last penny of your life: nothing more, and nothing less. Truly, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,1 and how hardly shall they that be rich enter into the kingdom of God.2
Yet, you have indeed sought My hidden treasure: a field with priceless treasure, a pearl of great price. You have sought, and I have promised, but have you gathered your funds? I am the treasure that you seek, but can you afford Me? Why do you instead heap up for yourself the treasures of this world? My blessing costs every penny of your heart and soul: no more, and no less.
Child, could it be that you have sought a treasure which you have not attained the funds to procure?
A rich man, selling all that he has, and giving great sums of money, yet retaining one small thing, even that man has done foolishly. Do you think I will be satisfied with the abundance of his sacrifices? Ninety nines will not suffice - how I despise these nines!
Yet a poor man, giving almost nothing, (seeing that he has but few values), yet holding nothing back, even this man has done wisely. For he has sold himself unto Me, and though he had little, yet because he held nothing back, to him will come great riches, for he can afford the blessing of My kingdom.3
Again I say, why is it that you have sought a treasure, yet you have not first acquired the funds? Your life is in a continual state of overdraft. I have promised you this treasure, yet if you will not sell all that you have in this life, it will be collected in the next. Either you give up your house of wood, and build with the gold that I will give you, or your house will be sold to the fire which shall try every man's work,4 and you shall purchase My treasure field with the ashes of this earthly life.
Beloved, why should this be so? Have I not given you a firm foundation of rock, through Jesus Christ, upon which to build your house?5 Why then do you build upon such an eternal foundation with the passing wood and hay of this life?
Release to Me your life, and sell to Me all things which you hold dear. My blessing costs every penny of your heart, and of your soul, and of your might: nothing more for the poor man, and nothing less for the rich. Truly, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron:” -Isaiah 60:17
How will you be able to afford My gold if you have not first sold to Me your wood? How will you get My silver when your hands still cling to the common stones of the ground? Beloved, empty your hands. I take delight in empty hands, for I both long and love to fill them with good things.
My child, I love empty hands, and broken hearts, and humble minds.6 For I know how to fill the poor man's soul, and tenderly mend the broken heart, and enlighten the simple mind. Why is it that you cannot see that you are empty, and broken, and proudly darkened in mind? I will fill every crevice of your being with My goodness. As water poured into the dry cracks of a barren desert ground, so too will I fill you with the peace and joy of My Spirit.
Beloved, I am grieved at your seditions brought against Me. Why do you make yourself, (in your own eyes), rich, and proud, and wise?7 Why do you fill in the dry cracks of your soul with the oil-slicks of this world? You seek out the grime and grease of this world, and of your old carnal mind, and you clog up your heart with vanity.
My love, why is it that you resist Me? Why is it that you turn from Me? Are you truly rich? For all of your abundances, your wisdom, and your pride, have you any deliverance? Will your corruptible riches, or your loved ones, or your worldly wisdom deliver you in the day of calamity?8 Who has deceived you, that you lean onto this wicked staff? Surely it will come to pass, that the harder you lean upon it, the more it will pierce through your hand and cause you to stumble.9
To be filled, you must be empty. I cannot mix My water with the grease of this world. Why will you wait until heaven to afford My kingdom? Why will you wait until your works are consumed with fire before attaining My incorruptible riches? Would it not be much better to give up all your old wood and hay for My gold? Would it not be much better to build a house that will endure? What else is befitting of My marvelous foundation to build thereupon, but the finest gold, and the choicest of stones and jewels?
Why will you build a house with the corruption and passing glory of this life? Why do you trust in the abundance of your hands, and in the beauty and splendor of those things which are now seen? Do you not know that the things which are seen have been created by a much greater glory, by that which is unseen?10 Either sell to Me now, or have such things burned, and you will sell to Me the ashes thereafter.
“No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” -Luke 9:62
Beloved, let Me now reason with you. I love you more than you can think, and I long to bless. I long to make My love known, but how scarcely do you know of Me! How scarcely do you allow My love through! I am as water poured unto a cracked desert ground, yet how little do you soak in! How few of My blessings, and how little of My Spirit of peace and joy do you let seep into your heart!
My beautiful child, that which you do not give up to Me: your own riches, and your own loves - these are the very things which are poverty to you. And yet, how shall you ever afford Me, if you do not give Me all? My price is all: no more, no less. It is not a quantity, but a percentage - it is one hundred percent: nothing more, nothing less.
Dear child, why do you look back to that old land? Why do you turn back to that land of sin and bondage, lo, even in thought! For, Jesus Christ is the Bridge, and My kingdom is the promised land. Beloved, I have bridged you unto Myself in love. Beloved, I have taken you from that dark land of sin, and have redeemed you for My very own self. Beloved, My bridge only goes one way!
As I took the children of Israel through the parted Red Sea, so too have I redeemed you and brought you through.11 As they crossed the impossible, from death unto life, so too have I done with you. And as the sea closed back up, one thing did they know, and one thing must you now know: it is impossible for you to turn back by the same way you came! If this is so, then why do you often live as though it were not?
Jesus Christ is the Bridge, and His life was laid down for your sins; yes, My beloved, for you. He has laid His body down, even down to death, and has allowed you to walk over Him into life. But, is He not now lifted up? Is He not now raised from the dead? I tell you, the Bridge is now lifted up from the earth! So too likewise is He lifted from your old life, that you should not return to that land of sin.12
My child, if this is so, why then do you seek to travel backwards? You grieve Me in thought, word, and deed. You grieve Me when you seek flight back to that old land of bondage. What is it that you seek? What is it that you think you lack? Rather, is it not that the sins and lusts of this present life have blinded your eyes, that you cannot see My blessed hand outstretched toward you? And is it not that you still cling to the things of this world, that you cannot instead latch onto My blessings?
In every failing, in every defeat, in every pain, there I am, with arms outstretched, longing to comfort, longing to help, longing to heal. The things in this world ought not to be so: this world has gone terribly amiss, and is covered under a dark canopy of sin. Beloved, when you choose out your old ways, you cover yourself in darkness, and partake of this canopy.
Come out, and be My special treasure! Be not blinded by sin, but behold My arm to save. Be not entangled with lust, but freely reach out and take My hand to help. Be not half-hearted, but sell out to Me all of your own self. Empty out, as a purse, all that is within your heart, and I will be to you that pearl of great price.
I will be your all-sufficient, your all-capable, your all-merciful, and ever-faithful God. Father to the fatherless; true riches to the bankrupt in soul; true wisdom to the humble in mind; true love to the brokenhearted; the all-in-all.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matthew 5:3
Luke 18:24-25
Mark 10:29-31
1 Corinthians 3:11-15
Luke 6:47-48
Psalm 34:17-19
Revelation 3:15-19
Proverbs 11:14
Isaiah 36:6
Hebrews 11:3
Exodus 14
Romans 6:1-4
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Eleventh Teardrop (from Tears from a Lonely God)
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” -Matthew 13:44-46
Beloved, can you afford My kingdom? Could it be that you have sought a treasure which you have not attained the funds to procure?
My blessing costs every last penny of your life: nothing more, and nothing less. Truly, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,1 and how hardly shall they that be rich enter into the kingdom of God.2
Yet, you have indeed sought My hidden treasure: a field with priceless treasure, a pearl of great price. You have sought, and I have promised, but have you gathered your funds? I am the treasure that you seek, but can you afford Me? Why do you instead heap up for yourself the treasures of this world? My blessing costs every penny of your heart and soul: no more, and no less.
Child, could it be that you have sought a treasure which you have not attained the funds to procure?
A rich man, selling all that he has, and giving great sums of money, yet retaining one small thing, even that man has done foolishly. Do you think I will be satisfied with the abundance of his sacrifices? Ninety nines will not suffice - how I despise these nines!
Yet a poor man, giving almost nothing, (seeing that he has but few values), yet holding nothing back, even this man has done wisely. For he has sold himself unto Me, and though he had little, yet because he held nothing back, to him will come great riches, for he can afford the blessing of My kingdom.3
Again I say, why is it that you have sought a treasure, yet you have not first acquired the funds? Your life is in a continual state of overdraft. I have promised you this treasure, yet if you will not sell all that you have in this life, it will be collected in the next. Either you give up your house of wood, and build with the gold that I will give you, or your house will be sold to the fire which shall try every man's work,4 and you shall purchase My treasure field with the ashes of this earthly life.
Beloved, why should this be so? Have I not given you a firm foundation of rock, through Jesus Christ, upon which to build your house?5 Why then do you build upon such an eternal foundation with the passing wood and hay of this life?
Release to Me your life, and sell to Me all things which you hold dear. My blessing costs every penny of your heart, and of your soul, and of your might: nothing more for the poor man, and nothing less for the rich. Truly, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron:” -Isaiah 60:17
How will you be able to afford My gold if you have not first sold to Me your wood? How will you get My silver when your hands still cling to the common stones of the ground? Beloved, empty your hands. I take delight in empty hands, for I both long and love to fill them with good things.
My child, I love empty hands, and broken hearts, and humble minds.6 For I know how to fill the poor man's soul, and tenderly mend the broken heart, and enlighten the simple mind. Why is it that you cannot see that you are empty, and broken, and proudly darkened in mind? I will fill every crevice of your being with My goodness. As water poured into the dry cracks of a barren desert ground, so too will I fill you with the peace and joy of My Spirit.
Beloved, I am grieved at your seditions brought against Me. Why do you make yourself, (in your own eyes), rich, and proud, and wise?7 Why do you fill in the dry cracks of your soul with the oil-slicks of this world? You seek out the grime and grease of this world, and of your old carnal mind, and you clog up your heart with vanity.
My love, why is it that you resist Me? Why is it that you turn from Me? Are you truly rich? For all of your abundances, your wisdom, and your pride, have you any deliverance? Will your corruptible riches, or your loved ones, or your worldly wisdom deliver you in the day of calamity?8 Who has deceived you, that you lean onto this wicked staff? Surely it will come to pass, that the harder you lean upon it, the more it will pierce through your hand and cause you to stumble.9
To be filled, you must be empty. I cannot mix My water with the grease of this world. Why will you wait until heaven to afford My kingdom? Why will you wait until your works are consumed with fire before attaining My incorruptible riches? Would it not be much better to give up all your old wood and hay for My gold? Would it not be much better to build a house that will endure? What else is befitting of My marvelous foundation to build thereupon, but the finest gold, and the choicest of stones and jewels?
Why will you build a house with the corruption and passing glory of this life? Why do you trust in the abundance of your hands, and in the beauty and splendor of those things which are now seen? Do you not know that the things which are seen have been created by a much greater glory, by that which is unseen?10 Either sell to Me now, or have such things burned, and you will sell to Me the ashes thereafter.
“No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” -Luke 9:62
Beloved, let Me now reason with you. I love you more than you can think, and I long to bless. I long to make My love known, but how scarcely do you know of Me! How scarcely do you allow My love through! I am as water poured unto a cracked desert ground, yet how little do you soak in! How few of My blessings, and how little of My Spirit of peace and joy do you let seep into your heart!
My beautiful child, that which you do not give up to Me: your own riches, and your own loves - these are the very things which are poverty to you. And yet, how shall you ever afford Me, if you do not give Me all? My price is all: no more, no less. It is not a quantity, but a percentage - it is one hundred percent: nothing more, nothing less.
Dear child, why do you look back to that old land? Why do you turn back to that land of sin and bondage, lo, even in thought! For, Jesus Christ is the Bridge, and My kingdom is the promised land. Beloved, I have bridged you unto Myself in love. Beloved, I have taken you from that dark land of sin, and have redeemed you for My very own self. Beloved, My bridge only goes one way!
As I took the children of Israel through the parted Red Sea, so too have I redeemed you and brought you through.11 As they crossed the impossible, from death unto life, so too have I done with you. And as the sea closed back up, one thing did they know, and one thing must you now know: it is impossible for you to turn back by the same way you came! If this is so, then why do you often live as though it were not?
Jesus Christ is the Bridge, and His life was laid down for your sins; yes, My beloved, for you. He has laid His body down, even down to death, and has allowed you to walk over Him into life. But, is He not now lifted up? Is He not now raised from the dead? I tell you, the Bridge is now lifted up from the earth! So too likewise is He lifted from your old life, that you should not return to that land of sin.12
My child, if this is so, why then do you seek to travel backwards? You grieve Me in thought, word, and deed. You grieve Me when you seek flight back to that old land of bondage. What is it that you seek? What is it that you think you lack? Rather, is it not that the sins and lusts of this present life have blinded your eyes, that you cannot see My blessed hand outstretched toward you? And is it not that you still cling to the things of this world, that you cannot instead latch onto My blessings?
In every failing, in every defeat, in every pain, there I am, with arms outstretched, longing to comfort, longing to help, longing to heal. The things in this world ought not to be so: this world has gone terribly amiss, and is covered under a dark canopy of sin. Beloved, when you choose out your old ways, you cover yourself in darkness, and partake of this canopy.
Come out, and be My special treasure! Be not blinded by sin, but behold My arm to save. Be not entangled with lust, but freely reach out and take My hand to help. Be not half-hearted, but sell out to Me all of your own self. Empty out, as a purse, all that is within your heart, and I will be to you that pearl of great price.
I will be your all-sufficient, your all-capable, your all-merciful, and ever-faithful God. Father to the fatherless; true riches to the bankrupt in soul; true wisdom to the humble in mind; true love to the brokenhearted; the all-in-all.
Matthew 5:3
Luke 18:24-25
Mark 10:29-31
1 Corinthians 3:11-15
Luke 6:47-48
Psalm 34:17-19
Revelation 3:15-19
Proverbs 11:14
Isaiah 36:6
Hebrews 11:3
Exodus 14
Romans 6:1-4
Beloved, can you afford My kingdom? Could it be that you have sought a treasure which you have not attained the funds to procure?
My blessing costs every last penny of your life: nothing more, and nothing less. Truly, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,1 and how hardly shall they that be rich enter into the kingdom of God.2
Yet, you have indeed sought My hidden treasure: a field with priceless treasure, a pearl of great price. You have sought, and I have promised, but have you gathered your funds? I am the treasure that you seek, but can you afford Me? Why do you instead heap up for yourself the treasures of this world? My blessing costs every penny of your heart and soul: no more, and no less.
Child, could it be that you have sought a treasure which you have not attained the funds to procure?
A rich man, selling all that he has, and giving great sums of money, yet retaining one small thing, even that man has done foolishly. Do you think I will be satisfied with the abundance of his sacrifices? Ninety nines will not suffice - how I despise these nines!
Yet a poor man, giving almost nothing, (seeing that he has but few values), yet holding nothing back, even this man has done wisely. For he has sold himself unto Me, and though he had little, yet because he held nothing back, to him will come great riches, for he can afford the blessing of My kingdom.3
Again I say, why is it that you have sought a treasure, yet you have not first acquired the funds? Your life is in a continual state of overdraft. I have promised you this treasure, yet if you will not sell all that you have in this life, it will be collected in the next. Either you give up your house of wood, and build with the gold that I will give you, or your house will be sold to the fire which shall try every man's work,4 and you shall purchase My treasure field with the ashes of this earthly life.
Beloved, why should this be so? Have I not given you a firm foundation of rock, through Jesus Christ, upon which to build your house?5 Why then do you build upon such an eternal foundation with the passing wood and hay of this life?
Release to Me your life, and sell to Me all things which you hold dear. My blessing costs every penny of your heart, and of your soul, and of your might: nothing more for the poor man, and nothing less for the rich. Truly, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron:” -Isaiah 60:17
How will you be able to afford My gold if you have not first sold to Me your wood? How will you get My silver when your hands still cling to the common stones of the ground? Beloved, empty your hands. I take delight in empty hands, for I both long and love to fill them with good things.
My child, I love empty hands, and broken hearts, and humble minds.6 For I know how to fill the poor man's soul, and tenderly mend the broken heart, and enlighten the simple mind. Why is it that you cannot see that you are empty, and broken, and proudly darkened in mind? I will fill every crevice of your being with My goodness. As water poured into the dry cracks of a barren desert ground, so too will I fill you with the peace and joy of My Spirit.
Beloved, I am grieved at your seditions brought against Me. Why do you make yourself, (in your own eyes), rich, and proud, and wise?7 Why do you fill in the dry cracks of your soul with the oil-slicks of this world? You seek out the grime and grease of this world, and of your old carnal mind, and you clog up your heart with vanity.
My love, why is it that you resist Me? Why is it that you turn from Me? Are you truly rich? For all of your abundances, your wisdom, and your pride, have you any deliverance? Will your corruptible riches, or your loved ones, or your worldly wisdom deliver you in the day of calamity?8 Who has deceived you, that you lean onto this wicked staff? Surely it will come to pass, that the harder you lean upon it, the more it will pierce through your hand and cause you to stumble.9
To be filled, you must be empty. I cannot mix My water with the grease of this world. Why will you wait until heaven to afford My kingdom? Why will you wait until your works are consumed with fire before attaining My incorruptible riches? Would it not be much better to give up all your old wood and hay for My gold? Would it not be much better to build a house that will endure? What else is befitting of My marvelous foundation to build thereupon, but the finest gold, and the choicest of stones and jewels?
Why will you build a house with the corruption and passing glory of this life? Why do you trust in the abundance of your hands, and in the beauty and splendor of those things which are now seen? Do you not know that the things which are seen have been created by a much greater glory, by that which is unseen?10 Either sell to Me now, or have such things burned, and you will sell to Me the ashes thereafter.
“No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” -Luke 9:62
Beloved, let Me now reason with you. I love you more than you can think, and I long to bless. I long to make My love known, but how scarcely do you know of Me! How scarcely do you allow My love through! I am as water poured unto a cracked desert ground, yet how little do you soak in! How few of My blessings, and how little of My Spirit of peace and joy do you let seep into your heart!
My beautiful child, that which you do not give up to Me: your own riches, and your own loves - these are the very things which are poverty to you. And yet, how shall you ever afford Me, if you do not give Me all? My price is all: no more, no less. It is not a quantity, but a percentage - it is one hundred percent: nothing more, nothing less.
Dear child, why do you look back to that old land? Why do you turn back to that land of sin and bondage, lo, even in thought! For, Jesus Christ is the Bridge, and My kingdom is the promised land. Beloved, I have bridged you unto Myself in love. Beloved, I have taken you from that dark land of sin, and have redeemed you for My very own self. Beloved, My bridge only goes one way!
As I took the children of Israel through the parted Red Sea, so too have I redeemed you and brought you through.11 As they crossed the impossible, from death unto life, so too have I done with you. And as the sea closed back up, one thing did they know, and one thing must you now know: it is impossible for you to turn back by the same way you came! If this is so, then why do you often live as though it were not?
Jesus Christ is the Bridge, and His life was laid down for your sins; yes, My beloved, for you. He has laid His body down, even down to death, and has allowed you to walk over Him into life. But, is He not now lifted up? Is He not now raised from the dead? I tell you, the Bridge is now lifted up from the earth! So too likewise is He lifted from your old life, that you should not return to that land of sin.12
My child, if this is so, why then do you seek to travel backwards? You grieve Me in thought, word, and deed. You grieve Me when you seek flight back to that old land of bondage. What is it that you seek? What is it that you think you lack? Rather, is it not that the sins and lusts of this present life have blinded your eyes, that you cannot see My blessed hand outstretched toward you? And is it not that you still cling to the things of this world, that you cannot instead latch onto My blessings?
In every failing, in every defeat, in every pain, there I am, with arms outstretched, longing to comfort, longing to help, longing to heal. The things in this world ought not to be so: this world has gone terribly amiss, and is covered under a dark canopy of sin. Beloved, when you choose out your old ways, you cover yourself in darkness, and partake of this canopy.
Come out, and be My special treasure! Be not blinded by sin, but behold My arm to save. Be not entangled with lust, but freely reach out and take My hand to help. Be not half-hearted, but sell out to Me all of your own self. Empty out, as a purse, all that is within your heart, and I will be to you that pearl of great price.
I will be your all-sufficient, your all-capable, your all-merciful, and ever-faithful God. Father to the fatherless; true riches to the bankrupt in soul; true wisdom to the humble in mind; true love to the brokenhearted; the all-in-all.
Matthew 5:3
Luke 18:24-25
Mark 10:29-31
1 Corinthians 3:11-15
Luke 6:47-48
Psalm 34:17-19
Revelation 3:15-19
Proverbs 11:14
Isaiah 36:6
Hebrews 11:3
Exodus 14
Romans 6:1-4
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