- Romans 6:11: “Count yourself dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”
- Luke 9:23-24: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me”
- 1 Corinthians 15:31: “You must die to self daily to be delivered from sin’s power”
LATELY I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH A REAL LEARNING SEASON AS WE ALL HAVE OUR SEASONS OF TESTING, CHALLENGES, AND REFINING. AS YOU GROW OR DESIRE TO GROW CLOSER TO THE LORD AND REALLY MEAN IT …A SERIES OF EVENTS TAKE PLACE WHICH IS DIFFERENT FOR EACH ONE OF US.
FIRST YOU GO THROUGH A TIME OF BURNING OUT EVERYTHING OR ANYTHING THAT IS NOT PLEASING TO THE LORD….THIS CAN BE VERY PAINFUL BUT WITH THE LORD HE GUIDES AND NEVER LEAVES YOUR SIDE. ITS LIKE HIS STILL SMALL VOICE IS REASSURING YOU,,,THIS IS BECAUSE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND WILL BURN AWAY THE CHAFF OR ANYTHING THAT WILL CLOG UP OR INTERFERE WITH A PURE RELATIONSHIP AND DEVOTION TIME.
NEXT HE TAKES SOME OF US THROUGH A DEEP LOOK INTO IF WE HAVE ANY IDOLS THAT TAKE THEIR PLACE BEFORE HIM. HE IS SUCH A JEALOUS LOVING GOD THAT LOVES US WITH SUCH A DEEP LOVE AND DOESNT WANT TO BE PUT ON THE BACK BURNER IN OUR HEARTS. RETURNING TO OUR FIRST LOVE.
THIS CAN BE THE DEEP SEARCH OF ANYTHING OR ANYONE WE HAVE MADE AN IDOL.. THIS CAN BE A PERSON, AN ACTIVITY, A THOUGHT PROCESS , ANYTHING THAT CAN BE PUT BEFORE THE LORD. SOMETHING WE PUT OUR TRUST OR CONFIDENCE IN BEFORE HIM.
I HAVE TO ADMIT THE CLEANSING, BURNING SEASON TO REFINE US IS WONDERFUL BUT PAINFUL TOO. IT REALLY SEARCHES OUT ANYTHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE THERE. IF WE TRULY WANT TO RESEMBLE CHRIST IN THIS WORLD AND WALK AND TALK LIKE HE DOES, WE CAN’T LOOK OR ACT OR SOUND LIKE THE WORLD.
- “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him”.
- “For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world”.
- “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever
I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN THE LORD EXPOSED THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT I HAD MADE IDOLS IN MY LIFE. INCLUDING SELF, AND EVEN CAN BE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT I MISPLACED MY TRUST AND HOPE IN BEFORE THE LORD. HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE PUT ABOVE HIM AT TIMES.
HE EXPOSED ACTIVITIES OF BUSINESS AND DOING GOOD, PRODUCTIVE THINGS , VS SPENDING THE TIME I SHOULD BE ALONE WITH HIM. I MADE THOSE AT TIMES MORE IMPORTANT AND TOLD THE LORD LATER WHEN I HAD MORE TIME SO I COULD FULLY BE UNDISTRACTED,, BUT SOME DAYS THAT TIME NEVER CAME…..
EVEN ANCHORING IN THINGS OF THIS WORLD AND SELF PRESERVATION AND PRIDE VS COMPLETELY SOLD OUT AND RESTING IN THE SOLID ROCK OF JESUS CAN BE A WAKE UP CALL
WHEN U GET TO THE POINT OF IF I HAVE NOTHING AT ALL BUT JESUS…..THAT IS ALL I NEED… IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO BE.. SO MUCH WE SEE IN OUR LIVES ARE JUST THINGS AND STUFF AND PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL TO NOT HAVE THEM TAKE OVER OUR PURE TIME AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.
EVEN OUR HEALTH,,,,WE CAN PUT SO MUCH FAITH AND TRUST IN OUR ABILITIES THAT WHEN WE SUFFER FROM HEALTH ISSUES OR SICKNESS, WE REALIZE JUST HOW MUCH FAITH AND SELF SUFFICIENCY WE HAD WRAPPED UP IN OUR OWN STRENGTH, THAT OUR WHOLE WORLD GETS ROCKED AND THROWN FOR A LOOP. WHEN THE WHOLE TIME THE LORD SHOULD AND ALWAYS BE OUR ANCHOR WE HOLD ON TO.
THINGS ARE CONSTANTLY AND FOREVER CHANGING IN THIS UNCERTAIN WORLD, BUT HE IS THE ONE THING THAT NEVER CHANGES AND HE IS THERE IN OUR PAST, OUR PRESENT, AND OUR FUTURE. HE IS A JEALOUS GOD AND WILL NOT SHARE HIS GLORY OR PLACE IN OUR LIVES WITH ANYONE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO AS I AM LEARNING DAILY AND GOING THROUGH THIS SEASON, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALSO TO SEEK HIM AND CRY OUT TO HIM AND LET THE POTTER MOLD AND MAKE YOU AND REALLY MEND YOU AFTER THE SURGERY HE MAY BE DOING ON YOUR HEART AND IN YOUR LIFE.
ALL HE IS DOING IS HONORING YOUR PRAYERS OF WANTING AND DESIRING TO WALK CLOSER TO HIM AND DEEPER IN HIM AND BE MORE LIKE HIM.. HE LOVES US SO MUCH AND HAS SO MUCH FOR US THAT HE WILL NOT LET US KEEP GOING ON IN THE THINGS OR DIRECTION WE ARE GOING WHEN HE SEES DANGER AHEAD.
MY PRAYER IS, IF YOU HAVE NEVER KNOWN THIS KIND OF DEEP LOVE OR INTIMACY WITH THE LORD, REACH OUT TO HIM TODAY…HE WILL NEVER TURN ANYONE AWAY…I WILL LEAVE THIS LITTLE PRAYER BELOW…BUT REALLY IT IS JUST A SAMPLE, JUST TALK TO HIM AND SURRENDER EVERYTHING OVER TO HIM IN YOUR OWN WAY AND HEART. HE KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED BEFORE WE EVEN ASK….
SO OFF TO A FUNERAL I GO….DEATH TO SELF AND LEARNING TO WALK IN A NEW IMPROVED VERSION THAT HE IS CONSTRUCTING DAILY…REMEMBER HE IS THE POTTER WE ARE THE CLAY …NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE PRICELESS PIECE HE IS MOLDING YOU INTO….
IN HIS LOVE ,
JANISE
P.S THERE MAY BE SOME ADS OR LINKS WITHIN THE SITE, SO I JUST WANT TO LET U KNOW I DO RECEIVE COMMISSION ON THOSE…BUT NOT MY MAIN GOAL TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF THEM, JUST THEY ARE INCLUDED IF U COME ACROSS ONE..
THANKYOU AND HAVE A GREAT AND AWESOME DAY…