This past few weeks, as we have entered into this LENTEN SEASON,
Jesus has been digging deep in the garden of our hearts...
our spirits...to root out all that is hindering us
from moving out in full victory.
"Pressing every hindrance aside, out of my way, I want to know you, Lord."
~ "In the Secret"
Today, I read a blog post from my former pastor, Jonathan Tagg,
at The River, in Blacksburg, VA
His post just brought together so much that has been stirring up in me these
last few weeks and I commented on his post.
I wanted to share it with all of you...
you Moms at home with little ones,
you Home School Moms pouring into your children,
you missionaries out there who hunger to be EMPTY and FULL to
walk out fully what Jesus has called you to,
you pastors out there who are the mediators between Jesus and the flocks
He has given you to serve (2 Corinthians),
and everyone who calls themselves a DISCIPLE of CHRIST!
I pray that this exchange...Jonathan's Blog Post and my comment
will be a place of refreshment for all of us who are
walking out this LENTEN season
TRULY seeking the time in the desert
as Jesus did 40 days before his ministry began.
BATTLING the FLESH
that is Satan's realm.
We are more than CONQUERERS...
Sing psalms...hymns...and spiritual songs one to another...
forgive one another...
break bread together.
JT ~
It really is amazing how Jesus uses this season of LENT to really penetrate and prune us as we seek Him to "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23 -24)...He will! Because He is GRACIOUS and wants us to TRULY enter into HIS promised land...vibrant, fragrance filled. "crushed grapes and poured out wine" (Oswald Chambers) LIFE in Christ..."pick up your cross daily and follow me."
We've been going through this refining as we seek Jesus to clean out and refine and purge and cleanse and make ready US for the harvest to come at this new church plant of Healing Grace Church in New Bern. WE NEVER ARRIVE! = ) It's a continual deepening and refining so that we can be made more and more usable in His kingdom work. It truly is a "dying to self"...not allowing the enemy to get a foothold ANYWHERE...MUCH prayer...and forgiveness "70x7 times" ...and that's forgiving others, ourselves, and Jesus in those areas that we are sometimes so blind to for whatever reason.
But to lay open...always open...open hands, open heart, HUNGERING for His deeper work in us! ALWAYS!!! And when we surrender...which is a day to day journey...His pruning yields so much fruit! But will we allow the rubbing when we enter the realm of no control...but allow Him to be in control?
I think the greatest thing is His GRACE...that as we as leaders and as followers impart His GRACE to each other at every turn we thwart the enemy from getting that foothold in there where bitterness, negativity, hurt, hardness, and what you spoke of as not trusting happens. Putting the Cross between us ALWAYS and laying ourselves down and being willing to engage the pressing of our flesh, our agenda, our fear, our control, that will lead us to the land of VICTORY and POWER.
I'm just amazed at how the Lord is moving DEEP in so many of us this LENT...and though the rubbing is hard... it is AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL and POWERFUL!!! "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead WILL GIVE YOU LIFE IN YOUR MORTAL BODIES through his Spirit, who lives in you." (Romans 8:11)
Thank you for your transparency and your post today, JT. Very cool! "Jesus, please put a salve over our hearts as we allow You to take us through your refining fire...because we know that YOU have created us for MORE and that MORE is Your INCREASE in us and our DECREASE so that we can be the crushed petal that gives off the 'Aroma of Christ in every place'. We love you, JESUS, and we THANK YOU for not ever allowing us to be comfortable, but You press us to be SATISFIED in You! 'You MAKE US to lie down in green pastures.' In Jesus name. Amen."
Peace of the Lord be with you, Jonathan ~
Cheryl
It really is amazing how Jesus uses this season of LENT to really penetrate and prune us as we seek Him to "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23 -24)...He will! Because He is GRACIOUS and wants us to TRULY enter into HIS promised land...vibrant, fragrance filled. "crushed grapes and poured out wine" (Oswald Chambers) LIFE in Christ..."pick up your cross daily and follow me."
We've been going through this refining as we seek Jesus to clean out and refine and purge and cleanse and make ready US for the harvest to come at this new church plant of Healing Grace Church in New Bern. WE NEVER ARRIVE! = ) It's a continual deepening and refining so that we can be made more and more usable in His kingdom work. It truly is a "dying to self"...not allowing the enemy to get a foothold ANYWHERE...MUCH prayer...and forgiveness "70x7 times" ...and that's forgiving others, ourselves, and Jesus in those areas that we are sometimes so blind to for whatever reason.
But to lay open...always open...open hands, open heart, HUNGERING for His deeper work in us! ALWAYS!!! And when we surrender...which is a day to day journey...His pruning yields so much fruit! But will we allow the rubbing when we enter the realm of no control...but allow Him to be in control?
I think the greatest thing is His GRACE...that as we as leaders and as followers impart His GRACE to each other at every turn we thwart the enemy from getting that foothold in there where bitterness, negativity, hurt, hardness, and what you spoke of as not trusting happens. Putting the Cross between us ALWAYS and laying ourselves down and being willing to engage the pressing of our flesh, our agenda, our fear, our control, that will lead us to the land of VICTORY and POWER.
I'm just amazed at how the Lord is moving DEEP in so many of us this LENT...and though the rubbing is hard... it is AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL and POWERFUL!!! "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead WILL GIVE YOU LIFE IN YOUR MORTAL BODIES through his Spirit, who lives in you." (Romans 8:11)
Thank you for your transparency and your post today, JT. Very cool! "Jesus, please put a salve over our hearts as we allow You to take us through your refining fire...because we know that YOU have created us for MORE and that MORE is Your INCREASE in us and our DECREASE so that we can be the crushed petal that gives off the 'Aroma of Christ in every place'. We love you, JESUS, and we THANK YOU for not ever allowing us to be comfortable, but You press us to be SATISFIED in You! 'You MAKE US to lie down in green pastures.' In Jesus name. Amen."
Peace of the Lord be with you, Jonathan ~
Cheryl
May the PEACE of GOD dwell in you RICHLY
this day and may He continue to PRESS you to
the GREATER PRIZE
the PROMISED LAND
the Easter Resurrection
in our own hearts.
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