On the fence

Words the Lord wants me to share with one in particular, just not sure when...
On the fence....
I sent out a word from a list, that was part of this...
Something I must share with YOU alone...
The Lord says you've been on the fence too long... You yearn to be close to Him and follow His ways, but there are things of/in this world you have not been willing to let go.
How long will you expect His patience? How long do you think you can play 'halve-sies'?
Choose you THIS day whom you will serve. The WORD says to whom much is given, __________, much is required...you have been saved long enough to be a meat eater, not just a milk drinker. When you eat meat, you don't go back to bottle feeding. Stepping up means just that. The Lord knows you have a tough situation at home, but He would remind you that those He calls, He equips. He asks you to set aside YOUR expectations of what YOU want and ONLY pick up HIS Cross for you. There are things He's asked you time and time again to set aside; you do for a time, then like a dog digging for a bone, you seek out old patterns again. He reminds us that OLD things are passed away and all things become new. If we go back to old ways, we re-crucify Him and bring Him to an open shame. We must then come back to repentance and renounce old patterns and then walk away. We must not look back.
Sin IS fun for a season, but the long term repercussions will be felt. Remember, the books will be open and all will come to light. Let our words, works and every thought be brought under HIS captivity.

OK __________ I'm not sure what all this is about - trying to second guess will only get me in trouble, so take it - read it, check with the WORD and in prayer. I leave it with God and you.
He loves you so!
Mrs. Lorenz

Personal note: These words are always timely. Some are intrinsically "mine", others received , "well I know xxx and yyy are going through zzz, this might help them." Some just hit us all universally...This is one of those. It brought me to tears. One I'm printing it out and re-reading a few times! Be encouraged, be convicted, pass it on, work it out...whatever the Lord works in you, be open, be challenged! To top it off, read the devotional...think it is co-incidence I got these BOTH?
Humbly,
Kimery

Walk In Holiness Before Me


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This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis [ts@godspeak.net]



Walk In Holiness Before Me

Dear child, don't you realize that there is a difference between having
been purified and walking in purity? It is true that the blood of My Son
cleanses you from all unrighteousness, and that blood cannot lose it's
power--No matter how badly you fail or how low you fall, the forgiveness
and restoration that My Son purchased for you is yours when you put your
faith in Him.

But, dear one, I do not expect you to continue in sin and rebellion and
disobedience after you have been redeemed. I have placed My Holy Spirit
within you to transform you. I am at work in you to change your nature,
so that you might be more like Myself. I want you to think like Me, to
begin to desire the things that I desire, and to distain the things that
I distain. I will make these changes in you if you let Me, but you have
to choose to cooperate with Me in this process.

Dear one, once you have been redeemed and cleansed, you are not supposed
to return to the mud and filth of this world and continue to wallow in
it. You have been transformed from death to life--don't run back to death.
If you embrace the ways of this world, then you will also embrace the
sorrows and troubles of this world. That is not a good choice for you,
dear one, since the riches of Heaven are available to you here in this
life. But you cannot access them in this life unless you choose to walk
in holiness and purity before Me.

Don't you realize, little one, that if you give yourself to sin and
uncleanness, that you nullify and void My promises of protection and
provision over your life? I have so many blessings that I want to pour
out on you, but you must learn to walk in holiness and purity before Me
in order to receive them. I am a Good Father, and as such, I cannot
reward shameful behavior and misconduct. But when My children choose
to obey Me, and to honor Me, and to walk in My ways; then I begin to
pour out all of My promises and blessings on their lives.

Dear child, you need to choose to walk in holiness and righteousness if
you want Me to pour out My blessings upon you. If someone has told you
that you can do whatever you want and sin and rebel, and yet still
receive My blessing and favor; they have lied to you. It is true that,
as you repent, the blood of My Son is applied to your account and you
are forgiven. Your walk with Me on this earth can be a failure the
majority of the time, but your sins are still forgiven because you
believe in My Son; because you put your faith in Him.

But if you live in the sins of this world, you will not walk in My
blessings and you will not be an overcoming one.

I am looking for a Holy people, who obey Me because they love Me. I am
looking for those who will lay aside their own will for Mine. I am
looking for those who will turn aside from the shallow pleasures of the
world that are in disobedience to My word. I am looking for those who
will honor Me and choose to walk in My ways. I am looking for those who
will forgive others because I have forgiven them. I am looking for those
who lay aside bitterness and desires for revenge to embrace My ways. I
am looking for those who will choose to set themselves aside as My own;
who will obey Me without question; who will love Me with all of their
heart.

Those are the ones who will see My goodness and My blessings in this
life. Those are the ones for whom I will supply their needs in miraculous
ways. Those who honor Me in this life--I will honor them. I will take
care of them and I will bless them. They will have peace when others do
not. I will provide for them when there is much lack, and I will release
My angelic resources to watch over them and keep them safe.

I am a holy God and I desire a holy people, set apart from the ways of
this word for My purposes. Choose to be Holy before Me, dear one.

If you want to walk in the fullness of My blessings and abundance in
this life, then learn to walk in holiness before Me. Learn to obey Me
because you love Me. Give yourself to Me, set yourself apart for My
purposes--and I will pour back of My glory, My riches, My protection
and My blessings upon your life.

__________________________________________________________________________

Secret Places June 30, 2008 Secret Places By Lisa Whittle, She Speaks! Graduate "He searches the sources of the rivers and brings hidden things to light." Job 28:11 Devotion: Have you ever noticed how often Satan uses secret things to trip us up on our journey…those secret places that reside deep within our soul that we keep hidden from others and even try to hide from God? Think about it… pornography is usually done in secret. Excessive shopping can be done over the Internet, with no one watching. Eating disorders develop in isolation when we binge by ourselves, then purge with no one around. Or when we publicly pretend to eat, but privately starve ourselves. The things we watch, what we think and how we spend our time are the "secret places" Satan can and will use against us. Yet often we continue in our secrecy, afraid to reach for Truth. Why? Secret places seem safe. Secret places are familiar. Secret places feel comfortable to us. So we cling to them. It's not that we don't want to be honest and get real about the secret places in our soul. It's just sometimes easier to keep the truth hidden than it is to get real about things from the inside-out. Though most of us crave authenticity, our fears of being "found out" are what keep us living in secret, exactly where Satan wants us to stay. The crafty, conniving one knows that if he can get us to continue to bury our secret places deep within our heart, we can't be effective for God. He knows that thoughts of our private sins will eventually eat away at us, causing us to feel fraudulent and unworthy of the love and acceptance of others, and most of all, our Heavenly Father. But the truth is, we are the ones who don't love and accept ourselves. Not God. Friends, the message of Jesus Christ is one of hope and restoration. It is one of freedom. It is one of unconditional love and acceptance. And it is one of Truth and spiritual exposure. What He is after from all of us is greater authenticity, greater genuineness, and the Truth, found in Him. In His sovereignty, He knows it is what we truly crave. "What you're after is truth, from the inside-out" Psalm 51:6 (MSG). So, how do we combat those secret keeping habits we've developed over time? 1) Practice telling the truth. Telling the truth is a choice and needs to be a conviction. Healthy habits can and will be formed when practiced repeatedly, and truth telling is an important habit to get into. 2) Develop a genuinely authentic faith. Recognize the importance of authenticity, and begin making it of utmost priority. Do things to strengthen your walk (prayer, Bible study, etc.) and guard your mind. 3) Recognize that no one has it all together. See Satan's lie for what it is and determine not to get into the comparison trap with others. You cannot know what a person is all about by what they look like on the outside. 4) Stop trying to be perfect, act confident, appear happy, and seem super spiritual. These are some of the most common ways we, as women, pretend. It is only when we operate in a spirit of truth and openness that we will be able to live without pretense. 5) Determine to live your life with a genuineness that others will cling to and want to emulate. Honesty facilitates honesty. When you begin to get real and honest, hiding nothing in your relationship with God and others, people will begin to take notice and follow suit. This will strengthen all of your relationships and build up your self-esteem! When we no longer hide in our "secret places," we can venture down a different path of greater authenticity and truth, bringing us to a place of ultimate and lasting freedom. And it is in freedom that we find no value in being a secret keeper any more. Lord Jesus, thank You for knowing me completely, and loving me just the same. Help me to seek Your Truth and deny my natural tendency to hide from You and others. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Related Resources: The Seven Hardest Things God Asks a Woman to Do by Kathie Reimer and Lisa Whittle Do You Know Him? For more on this topic, visit Rachel Olsen's blog as she discusses the new book "Behind Those Eyes: What's Really Going on Inside the Souls of Women" by Lisa Whittle Application Steps: Submit yourself to the scrutiny of the Lord and ask Him to show you the areas of your life that you are trying to keep hidden. Write them down and pray over each one, claiming the victory in your life by the power of God over each and every area. Reflections: How does keeping secrets affect my relationship with others, God and even, myself? Power Verses: John 8:32, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (NIV) Job 28:11, "He searches the sources of the rivers and brings hidden things to light." (NIV) Proverbs 31 Ministries 616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road Matthews, NC 28105 www.Proverbs31.org

Love's ways from "Far Above Rubies" devotions

Love’s ways, 5/5
LOVE'S WAYS, PT 5 of 5
Matthew 5:44, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.""
We love and enjoy our friends and family with phileo love. But agape love goes beyond this. With God's love we can love our enemies. With God's love we can love those who make us mad. With God's love with love those who hurt us to the very core of our being. Agape love is...
Never Failing Love
"Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:8) I cannot make a better comment than the J.B. Phillip's translation, "Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that stands when all else has fallen."
Abiding Love
"And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13) Abiding love does not fluctuate because it is not based on feelings. It does not hate one day and love the next. Agape love remains the same and remains to the end.
Fearless Love
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4:18). Agape love does not fear to love. It does not fear for itself. It can continue to love in the face of situations that would naturally cause fear. In her article, A Different Road (Above Rubies 72) our daughter, Serene talks about fearless mothering as she continues loving with God's love in the face of circumstances that could easily make her fearful. You may like to read her testimony again. The Knox translation of 1 John 4:18 says, "Love has no room for fear; and indeed, love drives out fear when it is perfect love...The man who is still afraid has not yet reached the full measure of love."
Holy Spirit Love
"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5:5) Way's translation says, "The brimming river of God's love has already overflowed into our hearts, on-drawn by the Holy Spirit, which He has given to us." If you are born again, the Holy Spirit indwells you. If He indwells you, the love of God indwells you. It is shed abroad in your heart. The word 'shed' comes from the Hebrew word shad which means 'breast'. It speaks of the pouring forth of sacrificial and maternal love.
Why not stop now and affirm these words out loud, "The love of God is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit." Did you notice that it says, IS? It does not say "it might be." It does not say, "one day when you get to heaven." It says that it "is" shed abroad in your heart right now! Yes, even when you are feeling the opposite. It is important to confess this wonderful truth out loud. As you do, it will become more and more your personal experience.
Romans 15:30 Way, "the love inbreathed by the Spirit."
Colossians 1:8 Way, "the love kindled in you by the Holy Spirit."
Reactionary Love
We have reached the last point. I have been convicted of each one of the 32 revelations of agape love that we have shared together. But more than all, God is speaking to me about reactionary love. What do I mean by this? I want it to become my habit in life to react with love. To react with love to every vibe, word or action that is negative, abusive or hurtful.
What a challenge! When a glass is bumped, what spills out? Whatever is in the glass! In the same way, what is inside me will immediately spill over. My longing is that when I am rubbed up the wrong way, when things don't go the way I want, when words are spoken that would ordinarily make me mad, that I would, without ever having to think, respond with love. I want to automatically react with love.
Jesus gave us the example. He told us to react to our enemies with love. (Matthew 5:39, 44)
Paul gave us the example. When he was reviled, he reacted with blessing. (1 Corinthians 4:12)
Peter tells us to not pay back injury with injury, or hard words with hard words, but to react back with a blessing instead. (1 Peter 3:9) Read also Leviticus 19:18; Proverbs 20:22; 24:29; Romans 12:14, 17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:15.
In the same way, I want to react to negative behavior with love. How on earth can I do this? I certainly can't with my earthly nature. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit. The amazing truth is that I am filled with the love of God because of the Holy Spirit who lives in me. Therefore it is possible.
Let us seek to "Walk in the ways of love, love like Messiah's love for us..." (Ephesians 5:2 Way).
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER:
"Lord, I thank you that your brimming over love fills my heart because you live within me. Please help me to react to every situation with your love. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:
Love's flower-petals never fall!
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If you have missed the previous four devotions in this series, go to the Above Rubies Archived Devotionals web page, where you will be able to pick them up under Previous Devotions.
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