Jump to content

Recommended Posts


  • Group:  Diamond Member
  • Followers:  12
  • Topic Count:  204
  • Topics Per Day:  0.04
  • Content Count:  1,271
  • Content Per Day:  0.24
  • Reputation:   709
  • Days Won:  0
  • Joined:  12/07/2010
  • Status:  Offline

Posted

The trials and testing of the believer in Christ are ever ongoing and can be quite daunting, but never “grievous” or “troublesome” (1Jo 5:3; Jn 14:1, 27). They may at time seem so but they’re really not, because it’s only God’s way of maturing us in our faith when we exercise it in the Word against all difficulties. It helps a lot to realize that this life is now a wilderness to the believer; and it’s the wilderness that forms and shapes our faith in the Lord Jesus, with every little-to-big trial which is brought about by the Father’s hand for one purpose—to be like Christ (Eph 4:15).

Maturity in Christ will bring with it the knowledge of being, not on the earth but in heaven, with Jesus—not praying from earth to heaven—but praying from heaven to earth (Eph 2:6)!
NC

 

 

 

 

Heavenly Wilderness


The longer you are in the wilderness as a Caleb, with an actual acquaintance with Hebron, the better you know the marvelous unchanging nature of His care and ways with you; your garments wax not old, neither does your foot swell, and yet your heart is made more ready for dwelling in heaven. The wilderness is more to you, and heaven is nearer to you. The wilderness was immensely different to Caleb from what it was to the rest of Israel. At Eshcol you can fully say, “All my springs are in Thee” (Psa 87:7), and there everything cooperates to give full effect.

In the wilderness it is the same springs, but then everything hinders by temptation and distractions (hindering growth, not salvation—NC). If you know, and as you know, the joys of the Father, where everything divine contributes, so you seek those joys where Satan in every way obstructs and hinders. The wilderness is having all our springs in the Father while we are on earth. If I love the things that are in the world, I turn away from the wilderness.

I might retire from the world politically or positionally, and yet enjoy the things that are in it (e.g. enjoying things the wrong way - 1Ti 6:17—NC); and, inasmuch as I do so, I am not enjoying my Father’s provision for me in the wilderness—garments fresh and foot unwary (Deu 29:5), or in other words, comfort and strength—one unfailing, the other unchanging. Whenever I seek outside of Him, I do not receive from Him.

The more you taste what heaven is, the more you accept the wilderness in its true sense, namely, everything from the Father. “Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God” (Psa 92:13). You are blessed with “the upper springs and the nether springs” (Jos 15:19), and they increase simultaneously, because they come from the one source. But we must enjoy them in Canaan if we would trust our Father for them in the wilderness. We must come from heaven to earth; and as the springs which delighted us in the former, satisfy us in the latter, we learn the Father’s provision for us in the wilderness.

What a fine moral aspect to be in the world as a wilderness, and on our spirits vigorous, fresh and unweary. May you be so more and more! But as our joys are not simply in and from the Father unless we accept the wilderness, neither can we discern what is of the Father around us, except as we are sustained by the Father in it, before we can see what is for Him, and what is not. If we do not accept the wilderness, we have not the joys of the Father; and if we are not out of the world (e.g. not God dependent—NC) we cannot know what suits Him or discern things that differ (adiaphora – not moral nor immoral—NC).

As every animal recognizes its own species, so does the spiritual recognize the spiritual. If I know the joys of my Father in heaven, I seek them in the wilderness. It is the same One for both (earth and heaven—NC). The corn of the land makes me eager for the manna; it is the same. Life in different places. The more vividly heaven is enjoyed, the more do I appropriate the Father’s provision for me in the wilderness; and the more I am able to discern what is really of the Lord Jesus in this evil world, and to be proof against all that opposes it.


—J B Stoney

 

 

 

 

 

MJS daily devotional excerpt for Oct 6


“We are more disposed to be occupied in telling the Father what we are in ourselves, than to allow Him to tell us what we are in the Lord Jesus Christ. So often the believer is more taken up with his own self-consciousness than with the Father’s scriptural revelation of Himself. His revelation is one thing; my self-consciousness is quite another “

“It gladdens the heart to hear the new convert speak of the blessings he has received, and of his new-found joy in those blessings; but we can often see very distinctly that he is wrapping all these benefits of grace round himself, and we feel pretty sure that he will have to learn some lessons presently that will take the shine out of him. He will have to learn what a poor wretched thing he is, as in the flesh, that his heart may be transferred to a new center altogether. —C A Coats (1862-1945)
http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/
 

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Our picks

    • You are coming up higher in this season – above the assignments of character assassination and verbal arrows sent to manage you, contain you, and derail your purpose. Where you have had your dreams and sleep robbed, as well as your peace and clarity robbed – leaving you feeling foggy, confused, and heavy – God is, right now, bringing freedom back -- now you will clearly see the smoke and mirrors that were set to distract you and you will disengage.

      Right now God is declaring a "no access zone" around you, and your enemies will no longer have any entry point into your life. Oil is being poured over you to restore the years that the locust ate and give you back your passion. This is where you will feel a fresh roar begin to erupt from your inner being, and a call to leave the trenches behind and begin your odyssey in your Christ calling moving you to bear fruit that remains as you minister to and disciple others into their Christ identity.

      This is where you leave the trenches and scale the mountain to fight from a different place, from victory, from peace, and from rest. Now watch as God leads you up higher above all the noise, above all the chaos, and shows you where you have been seated all along with Him in heavenly places where you are UNTOUCHABLE. This is where you leave the soul fight, and the mind battle, and learn to fight differently.

      You will know how to live like an eagle and lead others to the same place of safety and protection that God led you to, which broke you out of the silent prison you were in. Put your war boots on and get ready to fight back! Refuse to lay down -- get out of bed and rebuke what is coming at you. Remember where you are seated and live from that place.

      Acts 1:8 - “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses … to the end of the earth.”

       

      ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
        • Thanks
        • This is Worthy
        • Thumbs Up
      • 3 replies
    • George Whitten, the visionary behind Worthy Ministries and Worthy News, explores the timing of the Simchat Torah War in Israel. Is this a water-breaking moment? Does the timing of the conflict on October 7 with Hamas signify something more significant on the horizon?

       



      This was a message delivered at Eitz Chaim Congregation in Dallas Texas on February 3, 2024.

      To sign up for our Worthy Brief -- https://worthybrief.com

      Be sure to keep up to date with world events from a Christian perspective by visiting Worthy News -- https://www.worthynews.com

      Visit our live blogging channel on Telegram -- https://t.me/worthywatch
      • 0 replies
    • Understanding the Enemy!

      I thought I write about the flip side of a topic, and how to recognize the attempts of the enemy to destroy lives and how you can walk in His victory!

      For the Apostle Paul taught us not to be ignorant of enemy's tactics and strategies.

      2 Corinthians 2:112  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices. 

      So often, we can learn lessons by learning and playing "devil's" advocate.  When we read this passage,

      Mar 3:26  And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 
      Mar 3:27  No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strongman; and then he will spoil his house. 

      Here we learn a lesson that in order to plunder one's house you must first BIND up the strongman.  While we realize in this particular passage this is referring to God binding up the strongman (Satan) and this is how Satan's house is plundered.  But if you carefully analyze the enemy -- you realize that he uses the same tactics on us!  Your house cannot be plundered -- unless you are first bound.   And then Satan can plunder your house!

      ... read more
        • Praise God!
      • 230 replies
    • Daniel: Pictures of the Resurrection, Part 3

      Shalom everyone,

      As we continue this study, I'll be focusing on Daniel and his picture of the resurrection and its connection with Yeshua (Jesus). 

      ... read more
      • 13 replies
    • Abraham and Issac: Pictures of the Resurrection, Part 2
      Shalom everyone,

      As we continue this series the next obvious sign of the resurrection in the Old Testament is the sign of Isaac and Abraham.

      Gen 22:1  After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
      Gen 22:2  He said, "Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

      So God "tests" Abraham and as a perfect picture of the coming sacrifice of God's only begotten Son (Yeshua - Jesus) God instructs Issac to go and sacrifice his son, Issac.  Where does he say to offer him?  On Moriah -- the exact location of the Temple Mount.

      ...read more
      • 20 replies
×
×
  • Create New...