Jeremiah 29

I was reading through Jeremiah 27-30 this morning, which tells of Jeremiah being sent to tell the Israelites that they were to go into captivity of the Babylonians, to not listen to false prophets to tell them not to go to Babylon, and then gives them the famous promise "For I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope"...Jeremiah 29:11

The Lord spoke to me several things while I was reading this:

1. The path of God's will is not the easy one, the obvious one, nor the closest one -- it is just the "right" one, and His blessings follow those that stay on the course...

2. "Do not let your prophets and your diviners ....deceive you, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name" I count myself blessed to be under an anointed ministry, but it is important to be careful who I allow to prophesy and speak words into my life; whoever magnifies my "self-life," rather than my Spirit Life in Christ, should be rejected as a false prophet. It is in Christ that I am victorious over every enemy of my soul; it is in Christ alone I have everlasting, effervescent, energetic, and exceedingly abundant life.

3. God did allow Israel to go into captivity, and He did say in Jeremiah 30, "I will discipline you in just measure," but then He gives them hope that after 70 years, they will return from captivity and be once again blessed. He goes to say that those that did not obey His Words that came through the true prophet Jeremiah would not be blessed, but instead under a curse.

4. The Lord spoke to me about starting to write all these things down, whatsoever He is speaking fresh to me each day, Jeremiah 30:1, "Write in a book all the Words that I have spoken to you." I struggled with obedience to this word --why? i don't know---laziness? fear of failing somehow? an inability to begin? not sure about that one yet, but I confess it to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and know that He is faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness...praise God He's not finished with me yet :)

Embracing God's Ways

I had a discussion with a friend the other day about the estrangement of my father, and whether it has caused me a lot of pain.

To think and pray deeply about this has been my privilege for going on 5 years now. While I do feel pain when I have tried to call or otherwise reach out to my father, and he still will not talk with me, I have come to a better understanding of my own life in Christ because of this estrangement happening.

First of all, having battled with a spirit of rejection most of my life, I feel this particular trial has been tailor-made by God to wean me from my dependence on outward, visible signs of love from those people close to me. My heart has been, and continues to be, turned from the need for others, to the need for God alone to supply ALL my needs. There is such a freedom in finally knowing that God really does love me, really has always known me from my mother's womb, really does have all my best interests in heart. Such a freedom in finally believing these things in my heart...and not just in my head. Having this love in my heart, filling every crack and crevice of my being, frees me to love BECAUSE I am loved by my Creator, rather than in response to others.

Now, it is in the School of the Holy Spirit that I am learning to honor those who God tells us to honor, regardless of how they treat or mistreat you. I lay my tongue flat on the altar, (and sometimes feel the need to anchor it there), as well as any resentment or bitterness that may surface, and consider myself dead to all that is sin, and alive to the Christ in me. I honor my father, because he was a hard worker - working 3 jobs to make a home for us and feed the 3 of us plus his wife. I honor him because he perservered in working a shift-work job, even though his body never could sufficiently adjust to one schedule before having to switch to another schedule. He never quit, but retired with a good pension from that job.
I honor him, because he didn't leave us, as so many fathers do these days, and he spent time with us. Some of my fondest memories are sitting on his lap when I was a little girl, or holding his hand.

And, yes, I embrace the ways the Lord is using to mold me into His image. You might even say I hug to myself the very people who would try to pain me. My own image is flawed by sin and selfishness, but His image is so full of glory and light and love! Gazing on Him while allowing Him to change me into His image always bears the good fruits that He desires. I am learning to rest in Him; He is the ultimate Promise to me. All that He is is meat enough for my nourishment and not only Spirit-survival, but Spirit-flourishing, Spirit-health, Spirit-wholeness. To God be the Glory.

Not I but Christ

Like a weaned child is my soul within me, O Lord...
My soul is quieted and stilled within me.

You alone are my destination.
You alone are the source and aim of all my desires.
All else disappears,
Eclipsed by the Beauty of the Son.

It is in the quiet private place
Where we commune together
That no outside circumstance
Can disturb me

No other soul can
Touch Your peace in me.
You truly are
Everything I need for Life
and Godliness.

I fall like a little child
Into the big fluffy mattress
Of Your love,

Ahhhh....total comfort, total rest, total peace....