LIKE A DEER SHEDS HIS HORNS. GROWS STRONGER AND BIGGER. The velvet, ITS CALLED transports oxygen and nutrients to help the antlers grow quickly. When the antlers harden, the velvet is shed .
OR LIKE A COCOON THAT TURNS INTO A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY.
THE LORD MAY HAVE US IN A SEASON TO HEAL, TO LEARN, OR GROW, BUT WE ARE NOT TO STAY THERE, BUT WITH HIS HELP MOVE ONTO THE NEXT STEP OR OPEN DOOR HE LEADS US THROUGH.
LIKE WITH OTHER SPECIES THAT SHEDS ITS SKIN GROWS BIGGER. THEY CANNOT STAY THERE OR THEIR GROWTH MAY BE STUNTED. JUST LIKE OUR WALK IF WE DON’T PRESS ON IN HIM.
SHEDDING OR DETACHING FROM WORLDLINESS
DETACHMENT FROM THE WORLDLINESS. I HAVE TO ALWAYS GO TO THE LORD ABOUT THIS. AND STAY IN CHECK AND TO KEEP IT IN BALANCE.
SOME Christians MAY never shed the garment OR CLOAK of the world but, instead, become more ENTANGLED in it.
WE CAN SO EASILY BECOME consumed with things: houses, cars, OUR PHONES, LATEST TRENDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA , . WE CAN GET SMOTHERED WITH THE materialistic SIDE OF THINGS.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away
WE who use the things of this world should not be engrossed in them. BUT IT IS ALL BORROWED SINCE IT ALL BELONGS TO THE LORD. HE OWNS THEM….THEY SHOULDN’T OWN US…….
EPH 4:22-24
that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
If the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:1).
AS WE GROW AND MATURE IN THE LORD COMES ALONG The shedding of old beliefs , OLD HABITS ,OLD ideals. The letting go of what WE once thought WE wanted, needed or desired – as THE LORD GIVES birth to a new version of OURSELF MORE IN HIS IMAGE. LESS OF US AND MORE OF HIM.
1 JOHN 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
SHEDDING SEASON
JAMES 1:1-27
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. … THE PRUNING SEASON MAY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE FOR A TIME BUT IN THE END THE RESULT WILL BE HEALTHIER. NOT SMOTHERED BY THE DEAD BRANCHES OR LEAVES. THAT’S HOW IT CAN BE IN OUR LIVES WHEN THE LORD SHOWS US THINGS HE WANTS US TO CUT AWAY .
COL. 3:2
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
1 John 2:17
The world is passing away, and all the things that people want in the world are passing away. But whoever does what God wants will live forever.
Luke 8:14
The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity.
1 TIM 6:7-8
For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
2 COR 4:18
As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2 COR 5:2
For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, LONGING FOR OUR HEAVENLY DWELLING, OUR GLORIFIED BODY
1 COR 2:9
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
WE MUST ASK THE LORD TO SHOW US WHAT TO REMOVE OR LAY DOWN THAT IS NOT PLEASING TO HIM AND HURT OUR WALK AND RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM .
HEBREWS 12:1-29
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. …THINGS WEIGHING US DOWN
AN ATHLETE, LIKE A RUNNER before a competition. THEY WOULD diet and exercise. Then on the day of the competition, THEY stripped off nearly all THEIR clothes so no extra weight would slow THEM down. OR THEY MIGHT NOT WIN OR BE THE BEST THEY COULD.
AS THE COCOON BECOMES A BUTTERFLY
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me
2 COR 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
JOHN 3:30
He must increase, but I must decrease.
2 COR. 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
LIKE WITH LAZARUS…. Jesus wasn’t satisfied with raising His friend back to life, only to have him walk around bound like a mummy! “Loose him, and let him go,” WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE SHEDDING PROCESS OF OUR OLD SELVES OR OLD HABITS, OR ATTITUDES THE LORD IS BREAKING US FREE FROM BEING IN BONDAGE TO THEM ANYMORE.
EVERYDAY I HAVE TO ASK THE LORD TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THOSE THINGS THAT MAY STILL BE WEIGHING ME DOWN OR THINGS THAT I HAVE ALLOWED TO SMOTHER ME….THE CARES OF THIS WORLD ETC.. AND ALLOW HIM TO WORK IN AND THROUGH ME. AND REPENT OF THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD DRAW ME AWAY FROM HIM INSTEAD OF CLOSER TO HIM. TO SHOW ME IF I HAVE ALLOWED ANY IDOLS OR THINGS TO CORRUPT MY THINKING OR WALK WITH HIM.
- “Don’t let your happiness depend on something you may lose.” C. S. Lewis
AS ALWAYS I ENCOURAGE YOU AS I DO MYSELF TO ALLOW THE LORD TO BE THE POTTER AS HE MOLDS US AS HIS CLAY HIS MASTERPIECE. HE LOVES US SO MUCH AND HE KNOWS THE THOUGHTS HE HAS FOR US AND A PERFECT PLAN FOR US. NOT TO CONDEMN US. HE LONGS FOR US TO ALL HAVE SUCH AN INTIMATE WALK AND RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. IF U HAVE NEVER KNOWN HIM IN THIS WAY, THE LOVER OF YOUR SOUL, I WILL LEAVE THIS AS A SAMPLE PRAYER, BUT HE HEARS YOUR CRY THERE IS NO FORMULA, JUST REACH OUT TO HIM AND COME OUT OF THOSE GRAVE CLOTHES…
IN HIS LOVE,
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