Bushel of Ripe Peaches
Greetings in the Lord,
I want to share a story of something that happened this week, as I find it interesting and encouraging as a believer in Jesus Christ. Earlier this week the Holy Spirit said in my heart about my workplace, "Soon there will be a person to pray for a wicked request, and the demon they serve will demand blood for it. But the Lord Almighty will not let it happen because it is a wicked request."
I assumed that the evil request must be coming from the Wicca witch on staff, and of a serious nature, for the demand for a blood sacrifice after all. But I no sooner thought that when I discerned that it was actually a demonic enticement--a stumbling block for that person. You see, this person was raised with Christian values but left the faith sometime in her early adulthood. Now much later in life she is a practicing witch with all of the accompanying vices one would expect: smears Christians with lies, slander, ridicule, and works to ostracize them, all with a "friendly" smile and feigned "honesty." Now the Lord had allowed a stumbling block to be put in front of her; would she trip and fall down, unable to walk as carefree she had before? Would her wicked ways get her ensnared?
Well, the Lord is not fooled by pleasant appearances and secret sin. He knows everything, including our true motives and intentions. And He doesn't give His people a pass either. "The Lord observes everyone on earth; His eyes examine them." This word examine here is more like one who sorts through a bushel of very ripe peaches to remove the moldy ones and cut out the bad places in the others before using them. A good Father disciplines those He loves...but for those who oppose Him and look to destroy His servants? Look out! On the wicked He will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. Ps. 11:6
When the Lord examines our hearts, He knows those that are His and in His mercy He tries to burn the dross out of us until its simply just not possible--some people never respond to discipline. In Amos 7 we read a story about God telling Amos the judgments that He has planned for Israel because of their stubborn refusal to give up their idolatrous ways. But Amos intercedes for Israel and God relents, twice. However, it does not say that God Almighty forgave Israel for their sins, but just that He relented from bringing judgment upon them. However, on the third time the Lord simply says, "I'm setting a plumb line among My people...I will spare them no longer." The day of reckoning was upon them. And so it goes for all those who turn their back on God to serve false gods. A day will come when God will just say "Enough is enough," and He begins to turn up the heat in their lives; hearts will harden to the point of deserving judgment or they repent and return to God.
When I started working for this company, the Lord showed me that many people there were in this boat. They had turned their backs on God a long time ago and His patience was just about done with that. Most of that crowd worshiped idols even though they did not grow up doing that, and some had sexual addictions and so on, but all were pretty set in their ways and not looking to change their lifestyle any time soon. Well, the plumb line was being set among us and areas that are out of alignment are going to be dealt with one way or another. And thank God for it! Although its hard to change certain habits, especially those that we don't see as terribly sinful, God knows when we are on a slippery path that leads to spiritual captivity or worse.
Anyway, there comes a point when what we've been serving will look to take our agreement and fascination with sin to a new level where we are not calling the shots and do not have sound judgment anymore; that is a form of spiritual captivity. We become blind, powerless, and naked; a sitting duck. Today's word is an invitation to assess where you are against the "plumb line"--what areas of your entertainment, dealings with people socially or in business, spending money, devotion of time, etc. are out of whack? Are there habits that you need the Holy Spirit to help you to break? I discern that the Lord is inviting us to surrender it to Him; He will purge and burn off the dross in our lives if we are willing to go through the fire. 2017 is the 'Year of the Sword,' the Lord said, so surrender those things in your life that you know need trimming off--He is faithful and will do it perfectly. The plumb line has been set among us; it is time for throwing out the moldy peaches and cutting out the bad places so the rest can be used. Amen.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
I want to share a story of something that happened this week, as I find it interesting and encouraging as a believer in Jesus Christ. Earlier this week the Holy Spirit said in my heart about my workplace, "Soon there will be a person to pray for a wicked request, and the demon they serve will demand blood for it. But the Lord Almighty will not let it happen because it is a wicked request."
I assumed that the evil request must be coming from the Wicca witch on staff, and of a serious nature, for the demand for a blood sacrifice after all. But I no sooner thought that when I discerned that it was actually a demonic enticement--a stumbling block for that person. You see, this person was raised with Christian values but left the faith sometime in her early adulthood. Now much later in life she is a practicing witch with all of the accompanying vices one would expect: smears Christians with lies, slander, ridicule, and works to ostracize them, all with a "friendly" smile and feigned "honesty." Now the Lord had allowed a stumbling block to be put in front of her; would she trip and fall down, unable to walk as carefree she had before? Would her wicked ways get her ensnared?
Well, the Lord is not fooled by pleasant appearances and secret sin. He knows everything, including our true motives and intentions. And He doesn't give His people a pass either. "The Lord observes everyone on earth; His eyes examine them." This word examine here is more like one who sorts through a bushel of very ripe peaches to remove the moldy ones and cut out the bad places in the others before using them. A good Father disciplines those He loves...but for those who oppose Him and look to destroy His servants? Look out! On the wicked He will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. Ps. 11:6
When the Lord examines our hearts, He knows those that are His and in His mercy He tries to burn the dross out of us until its simply just not possible--some people never respond to discipline. In Amos 7 we read a story about God telling Amos the judgments that He has planned for Israel because of their stubborn refusal to give up their idolatrous ways. But Amos intercedes for Israel and God relents, twice. However, it does not say that God Almighty forgave Israel for their sins, but just that He relented from bringing judgment upon them. However, on the third time the Lord simply says, "I'm setting a plumb line among My people...I will spare them no longer." The day of reckoning was upon them. And so it goes for all those who turn their back on God to serve false gods. A day will come when God will just say "Enough is enough," and He begins to turn up the heat in their lives; hearts will harden to the point of deserving judgment or they repent and return to God.
When I started working for this company, the Lord showed me that many people there were in this boat. They had turned their backs on God a long time ago and His patience was just about done with that. Most of that crowd worshiped idols even though they did not grow up doing that, and some had sexual addictions and so on, but all were pretty set in their ways and not looking to change their lifestyle any time soon. Well, the plumb line was being set among us and areas that are out of alignment are going to be dealt with one way or another. And thank God for it! Although its hard to change certain habits, especially those that we don't see as terribly sinful, God knows when we are on a slippery path that leads to spiritual captivity or worse.
Anyway, there comes a point when what we've been serving will look to take our agreement and fascination with sin to a new level where we are not calling the shots and do not have sound judgment anymore; that is a form of spiritual captivity. We become blind, powerless, and naked; a sitting duck. Today's word is an invitation to assess where you are against the "plumb line"--what areas of your entertainment, dealings with people socially or in business, spending money, devotion of time, etc. are out of whack? Are there habits that you need the Holy Spirit to help you to break? I discern that the Lord is inviting us to surrender it to Him; He will purge and burn off the dross in our lives if we are willing to go through the fire. 2017 is the 'Year of the Sword,' the Lord said, so surrender those things in your life that you know need trimming off--He is faithful and will do it perfectly. The plumb line has been set among us; it is time for throwing out the moldy peaches and cutting out the bad places so the rest can be used. Amen.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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