By Mary Lindow
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Showing posts with label The Kingdom of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Kingdom of God. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
"Attracting the Eye Of God" – Part 1
God's eyes are searching to and fro over the earth looking for a heart that is fully His (2 Chronicles 16:9). What caught His eye when He came to Deborah? Was it the uncompromising fire of holiness, an unwavering faith or an unrelenting love that set her apart? Was it something about the integrity of her character, the depth and integrity of her wisdom and the richness of her kindness which produced confidence in both men and women?
The Lord is so jealous for each one of us to love Him and know Him. When we start to move away from Him, He allows evil kings to oppress us. The Word tells us that God is the one who appoints evil kings and magistrates, but He also raises up the godly judges and kings! Deborah was the fourth judge and for the first 20 years of her 40-year reign, the nation was oppressed by one of history's most powerful and cruel Canaanite Kings, Jabin, and his sneaky military commander, Sisera. (Judges 4:1-4)
DEBORAH CAPTURED THE HEART OF GOD
What is amazing is that the Lord raised up a woman to deliver a nation! What is especially surprising is that it happened in the Middle East thousands of years ago! Deborah was not only a wife, mother, intercessor and prophetess but also a judge and a national deliverer. That’s not a bad resume for a middle-aged woman living in that oppressive Middle Eastern culture.
Against great odds, God used her powerfully. Deborah broke outside of her culture but she wasn't in rebellion, she was in obedience -- to her God. She was used radically and set her people free, and the people loved her. It's a wonderful story of faith in God, and it champions men and women partnering together in a war to save their nation from great oppression.
When we read about this revolutionary prophetess and judge, it expands our religious studies of women being allowed to lead governmentally. But I really feel that God is raising up a troupe of end-time Deborah's. There is great global shaking that has only just begun, and the Lord is calling not only the men, but also the women of God! The Lord is saying,
“Wake up, Deborah, be a part of the army of the Lord.”
There are two root words for consecrate in Hebrew: naver (separating from) and kadesh (separating unto). Deborah, like the other defenders of the faith, was separated from the world and unto God. She did nothing on her own but spoke just what the Father taught her. This is where the true victory lies, in listening to Him.
DEBORAH'S WORK HISTORY
We tend to think of multi-tasking as a 21st century sensation, but Deborah was functioning in five major roles.
Intercessor
Many scholars believe that one of Deborah's roles before becoming judge was being a lamp lighter in the temple. In the Bible, oil is often a symbol for the Holy Spirit. Deborah was married to Lapidoth, whose name means, shine, lamp, flame, burning lamp, lightening, torch. Isn't it interesting? He, too, was a lamp that had oil!
Deborah was a keeper of the oil and light, carefully tending the lamps. This shows us that she was a woman who was passionately spending long hours dwelling in the temple. She was a woman of prayer and of worship. She lived between two villages, Ramah and Bethel, in Ephramin, which means the valley of fruitfulness. Biblical names often have profound prophetic meanings. The ancient village of Ramah was known to be the seat of high adultery. Bethel was known as the house of the Lord with open heavens, where Jacob had his ladder experience in Genesis 28. She stood in the gap interceding between the seat of high idolatry and pagan worship and the house of Bethel with its open heavens.
Now the picture becomes a little clearer as“ Deborah was raised up by God to intercede against idolatry (Ramah). She wanted to turn the hearts of the children of Israel back to the house of God (Bethel) to inherit a double portion of fruit (Ephraim).
Deborah's relationship with the Lord was very precious and intimate. I believe that in those twenty years of captivity, Deborah stood in the gap and interceded to change the course of Israel. God promised Abraham, in Genesis 18, that He would save a nation for the sake of ten righteous men. I believe that the righteous prayers of Deborah availed much!
She worshipped and had a deep intercessory life with God. She would go into the temple and fill the lamps with oil and ask God for revelation for people around her in great darkness. She was prepared in this secret place as she stood in the gap in desperate intercession for her people and her nation. She would hear from God and would bring down great wisdom and counsel. She spent long hours in the temple. This dedication moved the very heart of God and changed the very heart of Deborah. He led, she followed.
She led, Israel followed.
Oftentimes we have the misunderstanding that worship is merely the thirty-minute time slot before the sermon when we sing songs of devotion to God. This is part of worship. But doing small things with great love unto Him is living a life of worship. Deborah was a worshipper who loved the oil of the lamps, the Holy Spirit.
We need to be like Deborah, a people of prayer. Sincere and passionate prayer is the key to unlock our relationship with Almighty God. Many struggle with praying because they feel that their intercession is not much more than empty cries to an invisible God who seems so distant. We think that our prayers bounce off the ceiling and back to us unheard and unanswered. But beloved, God loves conversing with you! He promises that He will hear you and answer! It takes only a few seconds of a face-to-face encounter with God to change the course of human history for you, your city, or your nation.
In fact, connecting with God is the highest purpose for which you were created! This is eternal life to know Me! (John 17:3) Our hunger for God is what fuels our prayer life. When His presence is our passion and our hunger is for His heart, we can approach the throne of God boldly with the confidence that our Papa loves our prayers, but having this first love is so important.
For Deborah, intercession was an exchange of ideas in which God began to download strategic battle plans, blue prints from heaven, and keys to open doors that no man can shut and shut doors that no man can open. Isa. 22:22
How else could she have so wisely judged so many civil cases with the Israelites?
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that
complete message and website information for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank you. Copyright © 2011 "
THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
Friday, December 31, 2010
2011 – "An Unscripted and Formative Year" - A Prophetic Perspective
By Mary Lindow and the Holy Spirit
In the moments of waiting and listening for the insights from the heart of the Lord for the up and coming year, two words have reoccurred.
The two words are- “Unscripted and Formative”
The following terms defined, set the tone for what I have been given to share with you Dear Reader, in regard to the Father’s heart towards you personally, His Bride collectively, and those in rebellious resistance to His plan.
Definition:
Unscripted - Spoken or delivered without a prepared script; impromptu.
Definition:
Formative – serving to form or shape something, especially having a profound and lasting influence on a person's development.
The passing of time is nothing new to mankind and certainly not to God. The redeeming of time however is a unique and event that can save someone from error or evil.
The Lord has a tireless passion for redeeming lost years, lost time and lost people.
“Redeem me from human oppression,
that I may obey your precepts.”
Psalm 119:134
And so the Lord has plans set into motion for this next year that only He knows about and also which only He can execute. These plans are formative, they have a purpose within them to form and develop the lives of those on planet earth. And, the Lord is not going to pass out scripts or roles to those who feel that they deserve a place on the stage where these plans will be presented. He Himself will set into motion each specific event.
LEARNING HUMILITY IN THE HIGH PLACES
When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
But with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2
Many powerful men and women who were in elevated and highly visible positions of leadership politically, spiritually, and in the sport and entertainment fields, were uncovered as frauds and vile abusers during the past year of what appeared to be a virulent year of repeated and embarrassing exposures.
The Lord is again FIRMLY warning many out in these arenas, large and small, that there is still an opportunity for you to redeem the time. The falsifying of your claimed insights from God to manipulate financial support, fame, notoriety and honor for good deeds will no longer not only be tolerated, but will in fact be double-stamped with the seal of “liar and thief” if the appeals for connived support are not stopped. God is not behind what you have requested in His Name.
Some of you have gorged yourselves upon the offerings of widows and those who foolishly gave on impulse due to your slick emotional pleas and contrived media images and heart tugging background musical interludes. You have robbed and stolen from others whom God has anointed and blessed in smaller settings, and their cries for help and assistance have not gone unheard from the Heart of heaven.
UNDERGIRD THE UNDERDOG
The Holy Spirit would have you soberly hear the following words.
"There will be a fresh wave of conviction to "undergird the underdogs" and a trending back towards smaller, steady, and steadfast ministries and servants who have faithfully plowed and served in seasons of loss, lack, and persecution. Rob nor more! You have more than muzzled the servant who has been plowing, and you will be judged for feigned ignorance towards their needs and suffering.
To those who feel as if they are more graced, more anointed and who think that they have a "special and more unique calling" that needs a preeminent opportunity to instruct and be seen...
... beware of the pride of life, the lust for power, and the wares of selfish ambition. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves. Philippians 2:3
You will be found upon the trash heap of loss and sorrow if you grasp and hold tightly to what was never really yours to begin with. It is mine, mine, mine! If you cannot accept the terms of what I request, you will be known as a divider, weak, and immature.
Again, I will not bless your intentions or your ambitions. You rob the Body of authentic Kingdom service by remaining secretive and destructive to My purposes.
James 3:14
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
James 3:16
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
"You have heeded another voice, one who would put you upon the pinnacle of the world and promise you all power and wealth if you but just bow down.The Lord wants you to know, (although I tremble at even delivering this), that you have already bent one knee downward.
Get up and RUN from deception and self-indulgence, blatant lying, and entitlement!
You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them — the typical indicators of idolatry — will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ.
You have been taken in and spoiled by religious smooth talk. I am furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but who really want nothing to do with Me. You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain.
So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. If you don’t, you will be one of the next in line for public exposure. Everything you hide in darkness and in deceit will be brought out into the spotlight for all to see.
Do not waste your time on useless productions and glamor, silly busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. "
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
Watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get.
These are desperate times! Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly.
Make sure you fully understand what the Master wants."
GOD MOVES AMONG THE CASTAWAYS
“Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?” declares the LORD.
These are the those I look on with favor:
The two words are- “Unscripted and Formative”
The following terms defined, set the tone for what I have been given to share with you Dear Reader, in regard to the Father’s heart towards you personally, His Bride collectively, and those in rebellious resistance to His plan.
Definition:
Unscripted - Spoken or delivered without a prepared script; impromptu.
Definition:
Formative – serving to form or shape something, especially having a profound and lasting influence on a person's development.
The passing of time is nothing new to mankind and certainly not to God. The redeeming of time however is a unique and event that can save someone from error or evil.
The Lord has a tireless passion for redeeming lost years, lost time and lost people.
“Redeem me from human oppression,
that I may obey your precepts.”
Psalm 119:134
And so the Lord has plans set into motion for this next year that only He knows about and also which only He can execute. These plans are formative, they have a purpose within them to form and develop the lives of those on planet earth. And, the Lord is not going to pass out scripts or roles to those who feel that they deserve a place on the stage where these plans will be presented. He Himself will set into motion each specific event.
LEARNING HUMILITY IN THE HIGH PLACES
When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
But with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2
Many powerful men and women who were in elevated and highly visible positions of leadership politically, spiritually, and in the sport and entertainment fields, were uncovered as frauds and vile abusers during the past year of what appeared to be a virulent year of repeated and embarrassing exposures.
The Lord is again FIRMLY warning many out in these arenas, large and small, that there is still an opportunity for you to redeem the time. The falsifying of your claimed insights from God to manipulate financial support, fame, notoriety and honor for good deeds will no longer not only be tolerated, but will in fact be double-stamped with the seal of “liar and thief” if the appeals for connived support are not stopped. God is not behind what you have requested in His Name.
Some of you have gorged yourselves upon the offerings of widows and those who foolishly gave on impulse due to your slick emotional pleas and contrived media images and heart tugging background musical interludes. You have robbed and stolen from others whom God has anointed and blessed in smaller settings, and their cries for help and assistance have not gone unheard from the Heart of heaven.
UNDERGIRD THE UNDERDOG
The Holy Spirit would have you soberly hear the following words.
"There will be a fresh wave of conviction to "undergird the underdogs" and a trending back towards smaller, steady, and steadfast ministries and servants who have faithfully plowed and served in seasons of loss, lack, and persecution. Rob nor more! You have more than muzzled the servant who has been plowing, and you will be judged for feigned ignorance towards their needs and suffering.
To those who feel as if they are more graced, more anointed and who think that they have a "special and more unique calling" that needs a preeminent opportunity to instruct and be seen...
... beware of the pride of life, the lust for power, and the wares of selfish ambition. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves. Philippians 2:3
You will be found upon the trash heap of loss and sorrow if you grasp and hold tightly to what was never really yours to begin with. It is mine, mine, mine! If you cannot accept the terms of what I request, you will be known as a divider, weak, and immature.
Again, I will not bless your intentions or your ambitions. You rob the Body of authentic Kingdom service by remaining secretive and destructive to My purposes.
James 3:14
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
James 3:16
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
"You have heeded another voice, one who would put you upon the pinnacle of the world and promise you all power and wealth if you but just bow down.The Lord wants you to know, (although I tremble at even delivering this), that you have already bent one knee downward.
Get up and RUN from deception and self-indulgence, blatant lying, and entitlement!
You can be sure that using people or religion or things just for what you can get out of them — the typical indicators of idolatry — will get you nowhere, and certainly nowhere near the kingdom of Christ.
You have been taken in and spoiled by religious smooth talk. I am furious with people who are full of religious sales talk but who really want nothing to do with Me. You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain.
So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. If you don’t, you will be one of the next in line for public exposure. Everything you hide in darkness and in deceit will be brought out into the spotlight for all to see.
Do not waste your time on useless productions and glamor, silly busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It's a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. "
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
Watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get.
These are desperate times! Don't live carelessly, unthinkingly.
Make sure you fully understand what the Master wants."
GOD MOVES AMONG THE CASTAWAYS
“Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?” declares the LORD.
These are the those I look on with favor:
those who are humble and contrite in spirit,
and who tremble at my word.”
Isaiah 66:2
You've probably never been marooned on a desert island. But you may know pretty well how it feels. In a world of bad relationships and superficial relationships and broken relationships, a lot of people know the feeling of being emotionally marooned, abandoned, and maybe even discarded. Because of some of what you've been through, you may feel like you're the castaway.
But your days on that island may be almost over. In fact, it could be that all your failed or frustrating relationships have actually been preparing you to experience the central relationships you were being readied for.
Anyone who has ever felt like an emotional castaway needs to hear the fabulous promise of Jesus Christ in this word for 2011 from the Word of God. Jesus says to all those who belong to Him, "I will not leave you as orphans. I WILL come to you.” John 14:18
This is the same Savior who says, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews. 13:5
He's the One who promised, "The one that comes to me, I will certainly not cast out."
John 6:37
And from now on, that promise of Jesus can be all about you,
"The one that comes to me I will certainly not cast out."
The Lord would say these words to you.
“You now understand the pain of betrayal, losses so great that you can no longer talk about them. You have ached in such agonizing despair, that at times you have begged me to let you die. Friends have turned and chosen to see you through blinded eyes of their own making, and have refused to help you to find your footing again, thinking they are doing you a service by letting you grovel and weep in painful loss and sorrow. You have been reduced in the past season to identifying with those who were forced to make bricks for Pharaoh without straw.
I too was a man of sorrows and endured the shame, in order to be formed, shaped and made ready for the moment of redemption.
And so shall it be with you. Redemption from the losses will come to those who choose obedience over pleasure, servanthood over being the served one, and letting go of the dreams of greatness you cling too, no longer using my name or gifts as a calling card.
Maturation is the call of the moment. Let the follies of your dim visions fall away.
I have a more perfect way that I am forming in you and for you.
I have caused you to cease from striving, from worrying, and from being anxious. You now rest up again my chest, waiting, trusting, wanting only ME. You have become kinder, a better listener, a more trusted confidant.
I can work well with those attributes. Just Watch Me in this Year.
I WILL Open the Way of Hope and shine Light on the pathway for those who have ceased from manipulating the moment.”
SEARED OR SOBER?
“The spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
Isaiah 66:2
You've probably never been marooned on a desert island. But you may know pretty well how it feels. In a world of bad relationships and superficial relationships and broken relationships, a lot of people know the feeling of being emotionally marooned, abandoned, and maybe even discarded. Because of some of what you've been through, you may feel like you're the castaway.
But your days on that island may be almost over. In fact, it could be that all your failed or frustrating relationships have actually been preparing you to experience the central relationships you were being readied for.
Anyone who has ever felt like an emotional castaway needs to hear the fabulous promise of Jesus Christ in this word for 2011 from the Word of God. Jesus says to all those who belong to Him, "I will not leave you as orphans. I WILL come to you.” John 14:18
This is the same Savior who says, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews. 13:5
He's the One who promised, "The one that comes to me, I will certainly not cast out."
John 6:37
And from now on, that promise of Jesus can be all about you,
"The one that comes to me I will certainly not cast out."
The Lord would say these words to you.
“You now understand the pain of betrayal, losses so great that you can no longer talk about them. You have ached in such agonizing despair, that at times you have begged me to let you die. Friends have turned and chosen to see you through blinded eyes of their own making, and have refused to help you to find your footing again, thinking they are doing you a service by letting you grovel and weep in painful loss and sorrow. You have been reduced in the past season to identifying with those who were forced to make bricks for Pharaoh without straw.
I too was a man of sorrows and endured the shame, in order to be formed, shaped and made ready for the moment of redemption.
And so shall it be with you. Redemption from the losses will come to those who choose obedience over pleasure, servanthood over being the served one, and letting go of the dreams of greatness you cling too, no longer using my name or gifts as a calling card.
Maturation is the call of the moment. Let the follies of your dim visions fall away.
I have a more perfect way that I am forming in you and for you.
I have caused you to cease from striving, from worrying, and from being anxious. You now rest up again my chest, waiting, trusting, wanting only ME. You have become kinder, a better listener, a more trusted confidant.
I can work well with those attributes. Just Watch Me in this Year.
I WILL Open the Way of Hope and shine Light on the pathway for those who have ceased from manipulating the moment.”
SEARED OR SOBER?
“The spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
SUCH TEACHINGS COME THROUGH HYPOCRITICAL LIARS, WHOSE CONSCIENCES HAVE BEEN SEARED AS WITH A HOT IRON.”
~ 1 Timothy 4
To have a seared conscience means to cause something to wither. To make (someone's conscience, heart, or feelings) insensitive.
Without the willingness of heart to fall upon the rock of God’s word, allowing every strength and support of our being to be fully broken, the wicked heart of mankind will continue to allow the searing effects of indifference and insensitivity to the effects of their choices to permeate more and more of the moral and sacred places of society.
I have been impressed to warn believers that the increase of sexual lures and smutty language has begun to pay a toll much larger than they realize. Many women who call themselves a follower of Christ have sadly joined the ranks of those who bare their deep cleavage and bellies (and more) as acceptable choices, joining in with “edgy fashions” and have been lulled into trends that sell away the sweetness and purity of a holy life. The warning voice of the Holy Spirit has been pushed away in order to better receive the leering complements from men.
Dear Sisters…
...Redeem the time.
The Lord says, “Wash yourselves clean from the stink of sexual prowling for validation, and come back to the place of simple beauty.”
Many men who call themselves believers have been equally lulled into patterns of television viewing that sears their minds into accepting whorish strutting and teasing to appear attractive and necessary to their manhood.
1 John 2:16
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
RUN from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Honor God with your bodies.
Ephesians 5:16
Redeem the time, the days are evil;
MATURED AND SOLEMN
Sobriety-The quality of being matured or solemn.
Huge numbers of people are being brought to ruin because they are not thinking; thoughtlessly causing hurt or inconvenience to others is the devastation of thousands, and many a precious soul has been shattered through carelessness. The Lord is asking you to "consider your ways," and return to a walk with "The Still Small Voice" and begin a familiarity with him yet again. With conviction, it would be the most profitable relationship you could fall into! While you covet to see the world, you are a stranger at home.
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober.
PRAYER AND A THANKFUL HEART
Colossians 4:2
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
As I close this word and insights for the year, I will share the last whispers the Lord spoke clearly to me.
“Each day, upon waking, where does your heart and mind wander to? Is it the plans and lists of things you must accomplish for the day? Is it the meal you are about to eat? Is it worry and the bracing yourself for another grinding day of dealing with the pressures of life?
Return to those early awakening moments where you and I share in the dialog of my plans for you. Each day you have to live and to give, you have been given the opportunity to impact someone and to do a kindness or act of training for another. Where has your thankful heart wandered? Without it, evidence of bitterness and drudgery will manifest and sour even the brightest flower of hope.
Return to the heart of the issue and clean away the rusty decay of treadmill thinking. Each day can be a fresh adventure into Kingdom purpose or, a continual repeating of a dreary existence. Choose ever so wisely.”
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,
~ 1 Timothy 4
To have a seared conscience means to cause something to wither. To make (someone's conscience, heart, or feelings) insensitive.
Without the willingness of heart to fall upon the rock of God’s word, allowing every strength and support of our being to be fully broken, the wicked heart of mankind will continue to allow the searing effects of indifference and insensitivity to the effects of their choices to permeate more and more of the moral and sacred places of society.
I have been impressed to warn believers that the increase of sexual lures and smutty language has begun to pay a toll much larger than they realize. Many women who call themselves a follower of Christ have sadly joined the ranks of those who bare their deep cleavage and bellies (and more) as acceptable choices, joining in with “edgy fashions” and have been lulled into trends that sell away the sweetness and purity of a holy life. The warning voice of the Holy Spirit has been pushed away in order to better receive the leering complements from men.
Dear Sisters…
...Redeem the time.
The Lord says, “Wash yourselves clean from the stink of sexual prowling for validation, and come back to the place of simple beauty.”
Many men who call themselves believers have been equally lulled into patterns of television viewing that sears their minds into accepting whorish strutting and teasing to appear attractive and necessary to their manhood.
1 John 2:16
For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
RUN from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Honor God with your bodies.
Ephesians 5:16
Redeem the time, the days are evil;
MATURED AND SOLEMN
Sobriety-The quality of being matured or solemn.
Huge numbers of people are being brought to ruin because they are not thinking; thoughtlessly causing hurt or inconvenience to others is the devastation of thousands, and many a precious soul has been shattered through carelessness. The Lord is asking you to "consider your ways," and return to a walk with "The Still Small Voice" and begin a familiarity with him yet again. With conviction, it would be the most profitable relationship you could fall into! While you covet to see the world, you are a stranger at home.
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober.
PRAYER AND A THANKFUL HEART
Colossians 4:2
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
As I close this word and insights for the year, I will share the last whispers the Lord spoke clearly to me.
“Each day, upon waking, where does your heart and mind wander to? Is it the plans and lists of things you must accomplish for the day? Is it the meal you are about to eat? Is it worry and the bracing yourself for another grinding day of dealing with the pressures of life?
Return to those early awakening moments where you and I share in the dialog of my plans for you. Each day you have to live and to give, you have been given the opportunity to impact someone and to do a kindness or act of training for another. Where has your thankful heart wandered? Without it, evidence of bitterness and drudgery will manifest and sour even the brightest flower of hope.
Return to the heart of the issue and clean away the rusty decay of treadmill thinking. Each day can be a fresh adventure into Kingdom purpose or, a continual repeating of a dreary existence. Choose ever so wisely.”
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,
let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”
Hebrews 12:28
Hebrews 12:28
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed
as long as the complete message and website information
for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You! Copyright © 2010-2011
" THE MESSENGER "
Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
Sunday, November 21, 2010
"Walking in the Way of the Widow"
By Mary Lindow
“If Jesus Christ be God and died for me,
Then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.”
~C T Studd
“If Jesus Christ be God and died for me,
Then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.”
~C T Studd
She was a woman. She was poor.
These are two facts anyone could tell that day in the Court of the Women in the Temple in Jerusalem
She was also a widow who was down to her last two coins. These are facts that Jesus also knew about her.
She was a woman of great faith. She became a living sermon. She remains a picture of faith as she put her whole trust in God, not holding anything back.
This unnamed woman is known now by her marital status and her coins rather than her name, for the story is “The Widow’s Mite” and she is “The Widow.” Yet we should be careful to note that it is the story of “The Widow’s Mites” as the woman had two small coins. Each of her coins were worth one four-hundredth of a shekel or what we might think of as an eighth of a penny each. Too small to bear a stamped imprint, they were the grimiest of coins in the empire of Rome.
Mark sets the scene for us in Mark 12:38-44
JESUS HAD BEEN TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE COURTS.
On his way out, he pauses over and against the coffers to watch as offerings are made. Each person would walk up to one of the thirteen trumpet-shaped receptacles, which were lined along the wall of the Court of the Women. As they tossed in their offering, the person was expected to say out loud the amount and purpose of the gift in order to be heard by the priest taking collections.
It would have been a remarkable sight to see people in fine clothes tossing in large sums, calling out to all how much they gave. And in such a group, who would even notice the widow tossing the two smallest coins in the empire into the offering? Yet, in a move that is so very like him, Jesus notices and calls attention to this act of faith.
Jesus calls his disciples together and says,
“Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are giving to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Jesus knows that these are not any two coins, but the woman’s last two coins. The text says, “All she had to live on,” but in the Greek translation the meaning is even more moving and meaningful. What is really said is that she put in her “bios.” It’s the word from which we get “biology,” the study of life. For Jesus tells us that the widow put her “life” into the temple treasury that day.
THE WIDOW WASN’T DEPENDENT ON HER MONEY OR HER STATUS IN LIFE;
she had none of these. She was dependent on God and her neighbor for everything. She didn’t have two feet to stand on; she didn’t have bootstraps to pull up. She was totally dependent -- and that’s what Jesus pulls out of her story like a pearl of great price. This is what we are to be like before God -- dependent on nothing but the grace of God. We are to be people without any resources except the riches of God’s mercy.
THE ISSUE IS NOT HOW MUCH WE HAVE IN THE BANK,
but what that money is for us and to us. Is it our heart, our security our source of power, or is it a tool? Are we dependent on our money to give us all we want and need from life, or are we dependent on God to make us flourish? “If you follow me”, Jesus teaches, “You will walk in the way of the widow.” Live lives that show in everything you do and say that you are dependent on God for all you have and all you are.
As free people we’ve been taught to celebrate our independence, but Jesus teaches us to celebrate our great dependence on God alone. If independence is a sign of strength and success, how can we possibly rejoice in dependence?
Our culture counsels us to become like the honored scribes, but Jesus instructs us to become like the dishonored widow. We are to model our lives on one we would normally overlook. Not by being too busy admiring the lifestyles of the rich and famous.
IT WOULD BE NICE IF MARK FILLED IN MORE DETAILS FOR US.
Was Jesus’ arm around the woman as he said, “This poor widow has put in more …” or was the woman blending back into the crowd, never to be seen again? Or perhaps Jesus asked his own keeper of the purse, Judas Iscariot, to give something to this woman so that she would not go hungry that evening. Or better still, did the widow come to be a Christ follower? Did she join with the other women who journeyed with Jesus from Galilee to the cross and beyond?
THE GOSPEL NEVER ANSWERS THESE QUESTIONS.
The nameless widow who gave two small coins fades into the background. We may want to know her name in order to name churches, schools, and organizations in her honor. We may want to give her a place of honor in Jesus’ stories alongside disciples whose names we know, though their trust in God wasn’t always so exemplary.
But perhaps namelessness is appropriate for this living parable. And maybe it is best, too, that we don’t find out how her story ends. The nameless woman whose ultimate outcome we never know is perhaps an even better picture of trust, for her story was a precarious one. She went to the temple that day not knowing if she would ever have two little coins to call her own again. It could have been her path to a life of begging or even a place on the road to starvation.
BUT IN FACING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE,
the widow reached out to God. She trusted that if she gave everything she had to God, even the little she gave would be honored. And whether she was repaid generously by Jesus himself, or God cared for her in some other way, we, too, have to trust. We trust that the widow’s story turned out all right. We trust that whether she lived or died, she was God’s.
By her example, Jesus shows that what we withhold may matter more than what we offer. The widow was a woman of great faith, who held nothing back. She knew what Jesus’ disciples were just learning: we are to share; knowing that everything we have is God’s already. We can’t give God anything. But we can offer our very selves to the Kingdom of God, holding nothing back.
I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY IN MY LIFE TIMES HAVE BEEN TRYING,
and supplies for living and provisions for simple pleasures have become leaner. The ability to go to the nations and cities that I have been to in past years to tell of Christ’s goodness, and to care for those whom he sent me too has suffered a great cutting back, as others who could once assist in sending me, have also met with leaner times. I have recently worked three quarter time job positions to help financial obligations. I find it amazing just how many well intentioned folks find reasons or theories that seem to comment on why God is "allowing me" to encounter some of these adjustments. Truly, it is best to remain silent and not engage in too much dialog with those who lack the basics of discernment and empathetic graces!
YET, MY LOVE OF GIVING AND SHARING HAS NOT DIMINISHED.
It in fact, has increased. I am finding creative and sometimes extreme sacrificial ways to bless others and to care for others whom I love and desire to bring help and a modicum of comfort to.
HAVING TO “GO WITHOUT” IS NOT A MODERN DAY POPULAR THEME
to many, and is often viewed as repulsive to those who seem to have plenty. Sadly, also found among some groups of self-gratifying and critical believers, there is a cynicism that breaks the heart of God when they voice their “concern” when others who are Christians as well may be losing jobs, homes, and other sustainable things.
Their condescending snarls and “tisk tisking” posturings sicken and shatter the hearts of those who are in agony and loss. I am absolutely certain that God is not only horrified that one of his children would rise up as judge and commentator regarding another child of God in this type of struggle, but in fact, am sure that God Himself probably has brought those who are in such sorrow, across the paths of those who need to be broken and delivered from their carnal deceit and passivity to help free another from the chains of anxiety and grief.
IF YOU GIVE, DO IT PURELY.
Not to get, not to demand multiplication, not to posture, not to be known and certainly not to be thanked! For all of these are repulsive in the eyes of God.
When you give, let it go freely to those whom God has shown you, those whom HE is directing you to. And…. LEAVE it in His hands to manage.
JESUS SHOWS US THAT OUR DEPENDENCE ON GOD LEADS TO JOY,
and thanksgiving. If God is running the universe and ruling my life, I no longer have to save myself, prove myself or justify myself. I’m the work of God’s hands. I rest and work in those hands and I shall die in those hands. To be free of those hands would be death to me, because in them is life abundant.
She was a woman.
She was poor.
She was a widow down to her last two coins.
She was a child of God who placed her whole life back in her loving creator’s hands.
Can you and I do the same?
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that complete message and website information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank you.
Copyright © 2010 " THE MESSENGER " ˜ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerrooms.com
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Friday, July 23, 2010
"THIS LONG SEASON OF TRANSITION FROM SOWING TO HARVESTING"
by Mary Lindow
Are you in a place where you risk laying down what might cost you your
past history and which will create a new and fresh beginning in the walk of
the saint on earth?
ARE YOU YEARNING FOR REFRESHING FROM THE HEART OF GOD THE
FATHER?
Sadly, many choose to return to the safe place of familiarity and control
to gain perspective, and lose the joy set before them.
THE FATHER IS WATCHING THOSE WHO ARE NOT CREATING AGENDAS
AND PROGRAMS TO ATTEMPT TO HAVE AN "EDGE" DURING THIS LONG
SEASON OF TRANSITION FROM SOWING TO HARVESTING.
He is allowing the breaking and "coming to the end of ones' self" to
continue. Few have stepped over the line into the abandonment He desires
from those who claim that their lives are for His use.
IN THIS CRUCIAL HOUR
Yes… Right now even as you read and contemplate, the Lord is not
requiring acts of greatness and profound gatherings to bring glory to His
plans. The Lord Jesus says these words to those who will choose hear:
"THE SACRIFICE I WANT IS A BROKEN SPIRIT.
A BROKEN AND REPENTANT HEART,
THIS MY BRIDE, I WILL NOT DESPISE.
(PSALM 51:17)
WHAT IS IT THAT JESUS REALLY WANTS FROM US? REALLY?
The obedience to do the simple, and often at times, mundane acts of
“silencing our fleshly need for action and comfort."
JESUS REQUIRES THOSE WHO WOULD BE HIS FOLLOWERS TO A RADICAL
DEVOTION AND AN EVEN MORE RADICAL DEPENDENCE ON GOD.
His followers must be meek,(this does not mean weak)
Must not retaliate,
Must go beyond the Word of God’s “rules and regulations”
And instead, understand its spirit.
They must do what is right when only God is looking,
Must depend on God for their needs,
And pursue His interests rather than their own.
HIS DEVOTED FOLLOWERS MUST LEAVE SPIRITUAL MEASUREMENTS
OF OTHERS' HEARTS AND ACTIONS, “SEEMINGLY GOOD OR BAD”
- TO GOD.
In short, true people of The Kingdom live for God, not for themselves.
"ARE YOU IN AN “UNCOMFORTABLE” SEASON BECAUSE
YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO WALK THE NARROW PATH?
"But small is the gate
and narrow the path that leads to life,
And only a few find it."
Matthew 7:14
THIS IS THE AGONY THAT TURNS INTO A GODLY CONTENTMENT!
When we fully realize that only God the Father can be the full and well
trusted Redeemer and Rescuer in all of our life situations right now, at this
moment, in this time of pruning and trimming away of the things we cling
to that bring a temporary band-aid to a deeper issue! Learning to trust and
know that God is truly, truly FOR us.
So Fear not!
He is dealing with the hearts of those who still cling to hidden control over
their brothers and sisters.
HE IS PROBING EACH HEART WHO CALLS HIM LORD!
He is allowing a spiritual discontentment and a holy frustration to stir up
all unsatisfied and unfulfilled hearts until they begin to wail out loud,
”How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?”
Psalm 13:1
THE LORD IS TRAINING US!
And if you wonder why there is such a limited level of joy and rest in your
heart, it is because until you have a heart that is broken and repentant for
assuming you are allowed to call the shots in your decision making in this
life, He will not expose you to His full measure of Glory!
Psalm 19:13 (CEV)
”Don't let me do wrong on purpose, Lord,
Or let sin have control over my life.
Then I will be innocent, and not guilty of some terrible fault.”
IT IS TRUE THAT THE KINGDOM IS AVAILABLE TO US ONLY
BY GRACE THROUGH TRUST.
But! Genuine faith (trust) means genuinely embracing and yielding to God's
supremacy, not simply acknowledging it and then passing it by as if it did
not exist.
The Kingdom is a supreme treasure, not just a nice “prize”, and those who
really believe this, will sacrifice everything else in their lives for its agenda.
Professed Christians who crave worldly wealth and position but are not
nearly as excited and consumed with the advancing of God's kingdom,
really need to take a brutal and laser piercing look at the true state of their
souls.
If you hear more talk of someone’s ministry title, mission statement
or the things that God has let them acquire, rather than the
stories of God’s redemption, salvation, and mercy, you will have
witnessed the “kingdom of selfish ambition” in the name of the Lord,
but most certainly not the Kingdom of God.
After all the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink
[one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a
person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Romans 14:17 (Amplified Bible)
When we preach that people who simply “pray a prayer” will automatically
be saved from hell regardless of whether they truly commit their lives to
Christ and commit to trust that He is saving them from sin (from
selfishness, from going their way instead of his), we preach a message
other than the one our Lord has taught us.
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this
inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who
confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
Romans 10:9 (CEV
So you will be saved, if you honestly say,
"Jesus is Lord," and if you believe with all your heart
that God raised him from death.
ONCE WE OBEY…HE WILL RETURN WITH HIS FRESH AND SWEET JOY!
Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—
Now let me rejoice.
Psalm 51:8
IT IS AN INTENSE STRUGGLE TO CHOOSE TO BE EXPOSED BEFORE GOD!
But the delight of allowing nothing of the soul to influence your decisions
when the Lord speaks and gives command far outweighs this present
suffering between spirit and flesh!
If you put yourself above others, you will be put down.
But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.
Matthew 23:12 (CEV)
MANY WHO ARE NOW HIDDEN AND YES, BEAT DOWN, TESTED, RIDICULED
AND SEEMINGLY FORGOTTEN, WILL SHORTLY PASS THROUGH THE OPEN
DOORS OF FRESH OPPORTUNITIES…
…AND PATHWAYS OF TRUTH WILL LEAD THEM.
<br>He makes me strong again.
He leads me in the way of living right with Himself
Which brings honor to His name.
Psalm 23:3 (NLV)
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SLOWLY ARISING FROM A HIDDEN PLACE
WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO GROW IN WISDOM,
UNDERSTANDING, AND DYING TO SELF-LOVE…
…STAY THE COURSE!
”We are pressed on every side by troubles,
But we are not crushed and broken.
We are perplexed,
But we don't give up and quit.”
(2 Corinthians) 4:8
HE HIMSELF WILL BIND UP EVERYTHING BROKEN IN YOUR HEART,
YOUR DREAMS AND YOUR REPUTATION, WITH HIS OWN HAND,
AND HE WILL RESTORE YOUR JOY!
He heals the brokenhearted,
Binding up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3
**********************
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed provided
that complete article or message and website information
for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You!
Copyright © 2010 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerrooms.com
Sunday, July 4, 2010
"DEEPER AND YET DEEPER STILL"
by Mary Lindow through the Holy Spirit
It will be an era like none other.
The setting forth of a new and fresh openness to God's supreme
directions.
A shaking off of youthful folly and petty “scrapping” over who
imparts the greatest message or anointing.
As the Lord continues to shake out and stir up the dross in the life of
each believer there will be a corresponding stirring again to deep repentance.
Believers will come out of their groggy existence and begin to allow the
deep purging and removal of fleshy perceptions about whom God has blessed
and whom God might use for his glory, and for His purposes.
Instead of well planned out speaking rosters for heavily and slickly
advertised conference invitations, there will continue to be spontaneous
and Divinely orchestrated gatherings throughout all nations.
It has already begun in several unannounced convocations.
It is being lit and ignited by the very hand of a Sovereign
and brilliantly strategic God.
Gatherings large and small, in halls, homes, and barns, have become a
focus of God's heart. He indeed has an agenda. It is to call the bride,
His beloved, the one He lavishly spent all of his life's blood upon,
to rise up from her slumber and be shaken and stirred to see that He is
beckoning her deeper and yet deeper still...
...to enter into a place of profound grace, mercy, and safety.
As the cry of repentance from dead works, and foolish masterminding of
plans and programs that only led the bride into morbid obesity, is stirred in the
hearts of those ailing and sickened by the results of such overindulgence, deeper
and deeper still will the Spirit of God draw his people into a communion of
body, spirit, and soul, with his plan and purpose.
Those that wait upon the Lord in their gatherings, in their brokenness, in
their humility, will begin to experience a hush of holiness falling upon their
gatherings. The hovering presence of the pleasure of God will invade and
permeate the hearts of those who have come simply to fellowship in the
power of His word and the presence of His Holiness.
THE WEIGHT OF HIS GLORY
This is not to be confused with what has been termed “The Anointing”
or “The Holy Spirit Falling Upon God’s People.”
Not a whisper, not a sound, not a song, nor a shout will be needed.
I have been in meetings the past year, while on ministry assignments or
as an attendee where believers who chose to enter into repentance and allowed
the “Dross work” of God to have full access to every
corner of their souls, where without warning or fanfare, weightiness
invaded the room, the conference, or the meeting halls.
It was as if a drenching tangible mass of warmth and comfort wrapped
itself around every human being present.
It mattered not whether they were youthful or stooped over in
the aging of their bodies.
The weight of the very glory and magnificence of the Supreme Being,
The Sovereign One was unmistakable.
Complicit stillness and sweetness flowed into and out of every soul
present. All who were sitting or standing in this weight of glory did not
need anyoneto tell them the phenomenon that transcended man's orchestration
was happening.
It did not last 5 minutes, 10 minutes, for 15 minutes. It came in waves
and beckoned with the mercy fragrance that only The Still Small Voice can
infuse a room with.
It seems that the more willing the hearts of those in these gatherings who
would simply sit in the weight of this glorious silence, the richer and
deeper the peace became.
And then again, the sweet song of the Lord would begin to sing out over
the people and the people would begin to sing out the sweet song of
repentance and devotion unto the Lord. It transcended ethnic backgrounds,
Deeper and yet deeper still His presence, His glory, His weightiness
would hover.
In one such meeting the waiting in His glory, in His presence, waiting
upon Him, lasted for 45 minutes. No one wanted to leave, and no one
had any personal formats, styles, preferences or agenda.
“Be still!” the Lord said.
“Be still and know.”
“That I am God!”
HEART WRENCHING REPENTANCE
“Repent, then,
And turn to God,
So that your sins may be wiped out,
That times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
Acts 3:19
There have been voices in the body of Christ crying out that she must
repent for her sluggishness, smugness, and presumption.
These voices will be amplified and multiplied throughout the year.
There will be required by the Lord, a setting apart in the heart of every
believer.
The call to separate the coarse and dry husks of chaff, suffocating the
grain of their lives, which was meant to be made into the bread of life so
that others may taste of true and sweet communion with the living God.
Deeper and deeper still will the call to shake off slumber, to once and for
all lay down the sins and arrogance that so the easily traps and ensnares
the life of the bride.
The life of each believer will be tested and the dross, the presumption,
and entitlement will be refined away in the lives of those who count
themselves as servants of Christ, not simply fans of Christ.
THE GREATER THE SURRENDER
THE GREATER THE INCREASE OF HIS GLORY
As each member of the body of Christ willingly steps in to the full scan of
the Holy Spirit's convicting radiance, a fresh awakening of the empowering courage
and strength of Christ as the glorious bridegroom will be brought to the forefront.
He will be the central focus and no longer will the bride lag behind in
adolescent drudgery and laziness.
Wave upon wave of adoration will be lifted up as a love sacrifice to the
Beloved One. And the weight of His glory will shake and rock religious agendas
until they crumble and strip off the need for the noise and glitter that has
cluttered and stifled the rightful honor due unto the King of glory.
When with deliberate consideration, the weight of God’s glory is given full
access to flow as it begins to invade and permeate, be prepared for
unbelievers who may be simply walking by a home gathering, a fellowship service, or
a conference, to be drawn into your gatherings as if wooed or summoned
by a fragrance or sound that they have had move them to go and seek out
where it was coming from. The Lord shall draw them and show them of His might,
His presence, and you shall lead them to Him…
… And they shall find salvation.
INSIGHT AND WARNING
Many are indeed standing in a difficult place, not knowing where to turn or
what to do, and will fall headlong into further disaster if they do not awaken
from the hardness of heart and spiritual presumption that have become
companions and corrupt habits.
Today you have heard His heart; you have heard His voice,
Harden not your heart, and instead quickly heed His voice.
Allow the shaking; willingly permit any condescension, elitism, control,
manipulation, cowardly blame shifting, hateful speech, competition,
anger, and vengeful and revengeful thoughts, to be once and for all
purged out of your soul!
Jump headlong into folly,
Or
Fall into the hands of the living breathing God.
“Take care, brethren,
That there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart
That falls away from the living God.”
Hebrews 3:12
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed
provided that complete source and website information for
Mary Lindow is included.
Thank you!
The Messenger " ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerrooms.com
_________________
The International Prophetic Mentoring Council
“Give instruction to a wise man,
And he will be still wiser,
Mentor a righteous man,
And he will increase his learning.”
~ Proverbs 9:9
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
WHAT IS ON THE SPIRITUAL HORIZON?
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MARY LINDOW
While attending a gathering of believers who were hungry for a
deeper understanding of truly walking in the Lord’s presence, I
was shown a vision from the Lord while a teacher by the name of
Peter Stott from the United Kingdom was speaking in the main
session.
THE LORD SHOWED ME IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE,
A VISION …
…of the time that Elijah was hiding out under the juniper tree.
He was afraid, exhausted, and was really having a rough
conversation with God!
He had killed a bunch of false prophets with the sword, he had
commanded the rain to not fall for three years, and now, he was in
trouble with Jezebel who was coming to kill him! He was letting
God know that he had been a really good guy and had preached
and taught and obeyed God all this time, and now his life was
being threatened! He decided to tell God to just let him die. He
told God that he wasn't any better than the father's in the faith that
had gone on before him. (1 Kings 19:3-4)
THE LORD BEGAN TO SPEAK TO ME ABOUT THE WAY
ELIJAH RAN FROM RESPONSIBILITY…
…and even left his faithful friend and servant behind
to possibly suffer torture or even be killed! (I kings 19:3) This
servant had been sent before all of the depressed and angry actions
of Elijah took place, to go and look towards the sea one and seven
times. Eight times. On the seventh series of running and looking,
the servant saw a small cloud about the size of a man's hand.
Seven (7) biblically indicates the perfection of god. Eight (8)
indicates new beginnings. God truly perfected the promise of no
rain until the three years had been completed. And Elijah was
beginning a new prophetic season in the near future. One where he
would pass on his ministry to another to finish.
THIS IS WHERE THE LORD BEGAN TO GIVE ME
INSIGHT ABOUT THIS.
He impressed me with the words, "a cloud the size of a man's hand
was coming up from the sea." I asked the Lord, "what does this
mean for this season?" He impressed me with the thought that the
cloud although it appeared small, was moving towards dry land
with a purpose. The purpose of bringing a great rainstorm.
THERE WAS A MUCH-NEEDED BREAKTHROUGH FOR
REFRESHING AND REVIVAL TO COME TO A PARCHED
PEOPLE AND A DRY LAND.
And… a change was needed in the heart of God’s man.
THE HAND CONSISTS OF FIVE FINGERS.
The Lord spoke clearly about this. He said that, "although it looks
as if unity and mutual honor in the body of Christ and among
those in it who move in five fold ministry gifts, seems a long and
far way off, I will pull them together in the midst of a time when
evil spirits have taken hold of the hearts of God's people with fear,
passivity, and intentional disobedience, and will cause a great
storm to arise."
THIS WILL STIR UP A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
ANGER AND SELF-JUSTIFICATION AMONG THOSE
WHO HAVE BEEN POISONED BY SELF INDULGENCE
AND APATHY TOWARDS THE VOICE OF GOD!
Just like Jezebel was enraged. But, as the church grows closer and
closer to the promised season of harvest, God will not relent until
his people see him act with such strength that they will be
repentant and be delivered from their hardened and selfish hearts.
ELIJAH HAD AN ISSUE WITH HIDING
AND PROCRASTINATING.
This took place earlier than when the 1 Kings chapter 19:3-10
events took place! He hid by the brook Cherith and was fed by
angels and ravens after declaring that no rain would fall!
And...When that word came to pass...the previous provision of
God at the brook stopped being delivered and the brook dried up
due to a terrible famine and drought. Again. Elijah ends up in yet
another setting where there was little food and other people were
despairing of life. Yet...the Lord again provides sustenance and
fresh oil in a dry and parched setting.
Even though this glorious time of refreshing occurred and he
provisions for sustenance were miraculous...
…Elijah was again challenged and affronted by the woman whom
he had ministered to! Her son after a season had become ill and
died.
In Kings 17: 18 She said to Elijah, "what do you have against me,
man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my
son?"
ELIJAH WAS JUST GETTING IT FROM EVERYBODY
ON ALL SIDES!
He could never have a moments rest from all of the needs,
demands and cries of the people! He took the boy up to his room
and prayed to god, and the boy was raised up form the dead. A
most amazing miracle!
BUT MIRACLES DO NOT MAKE THE MAN
(OR WOMAN) OF GOD!
THE WILDERNESS DOES!
Basically, Elijah was holding God responsible for his situation and
had spent lot of time brooding and worrying over all of those
people who had been mean to him and didn't appreciate his hard
work! Elijah was also afraid that God would not protect him and
ultimately silence those that pursued him with threats and evil
intentions!
The Hebrew word for this juniper tree or bush that Elijah was
resting under is “rothem.” This was a shrub found everywhere in
southern Palestine. It had long slender branches with small leaves
and provided very poor shade or protection from the sun. And so it
goes with our man-made solutions from which we seek shelter,
refuge or solutions to our pain.
OUT OF EXHAUSTION, ELIJAH FELL ASLEEP.
God has ordained sleep and rest as necessary for our survival and
ability to function, so the Lord allowed a time of sleep before He
brought on the next phase of his provision for Elijah.
HOW AMAZING!
GOD REMEMBERS THAT WE ARE FRAIL.
He knows our make up and that we are but dust. He is fully aware
that we have material bodies that must be cared for, often, before
the spiritual part can function
(Ps. 103:14)
As a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
For he knows how we are formed,
He remembers that we are dust.
BEFORE WE EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM OURSELVES…
…OR FROM OTHERS,
whom we are seeking to encourage with the word, let’s remember
this principle of the need FOR rest, and that sometimes the
physical needs to be cared for before spiritual events can occur.
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed provided that
complete source and website information for Mary Lindow is
included.
Thank You
Copyright © 2010 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerroom
Thursday, January 28, 2010
THE “SECRET THINGS” OF PERSONAL RENEWAL
THE “SECRET THINGS” OF PERSONAL RENEWAL
By Mary Lindow
By Mary Lindow
To listen to the free Messenger Podcast go to:
www.gcast.com/u/MaryLindow/main
I invite you to step out from the familiar comfort zone in which you now
are and take a risk.
In the body of Christ today there are many different kinds of comfort
zones. Step out from your comfort zone that leaves you in the place of
being a “Fallow ground- Christian.”
What I mean by that statement is – “being currently inactive but with the
possibility of activity or use in the future.”
THINK HONESTLY.
Are you living as unto yourself, basking in self-approval or self hatred, or
are you self-consciously living for God’s glory and for the encouragement
of others?
Is there joy in your life, and a deeply developing love for God, in the
“routine” you have carved for yourself?
We all need the discipline of doing something that goes beyond our
comfort zone. Some of us need to risk being at an event whose only
purpose is to pray instead of going to get something or hear something
that will feed our own need for more attention and self-focus.
How many times have your heard the line, “If I won the Publisher’s Clearing
House Sweepstakes, I would do sooooo much to help others who are poor
or are going through difficult times?!” Or, maybe you have said, “When I
close this business deal, get my family inheritance, sell that piece of
property (uh…brings to mind a certain Ananias and Sapphira from Acts 5)
then I will obey the prompting of the Lord to “Do something to help.”
If we are truly going have a move of God’s Heart not just His Hand in the
form of a “Harvest” we need to start living the lifestyle that sets a
precedence for such a move! Meaning? Prying our fingers away from what
we will not share with others until “we” are first satisfied and justified in
our own “Self preservation.” This does not just apply to material goods. It
means sharing from the heart humbly, partaking openly with others
allowing them in, and allowing tears to flow in vulnerability. These make
us equals in painful times and equal when we rejoice.
If folks can’t share during their good times and seasons of abundance,
they will not fully obey the Lord in caring for their brothers and sisters
when times are difficult.
SHARE WHAT?
Time, resources, wisdom, counsel, transparent dialog. And how about a
focused “Listening ear” instead of a benevolent sort of “tolerant” dead-pan
stare as someone pours out their deeply bruised soul, looking for a
handhold or foothold that will assist them in grappling with the
overwhelming “mountain” of life.
…For the LORD searches every heart
and understands every motive behind the thoughts.
If you seek him, you will find him;
but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
1 Chronicles 28:9
Woe to those who think they are fooling themselves when they say that
they “need to be careful” when they give so people don’t “depend on them
or expect more from them!
Imagine Jesus saying that! He would never withhold from us in order to
protect “His” investments or hard earned, worked to the bone assets! He
gave ALL with no guarantee that we would ever appreciate or value it.
Invite another family or friend to your home. Don’t wait to be invited. Take
the initiative. Eat together around the table in your dining room or kitchen.
Talk together. Pray together. Start a plan of blessing someone in need that
you know of - together.
DO YOU HEAR VOICES?
Stop the mindless chattering that is allowed in most of our self-talking
heads that allows the flesh to push aside the promptings of the Lord!
Times are getting tough, and those who have been reluctant to share when
the times were not nearly where they are heading now, will be called up for
service again, and asked by the Lord to assist those who
are perhaps weaker, lesser, and much “leaner” in their provisions.
Start with something small, something useful. Keep it going. And whatever
you do, keep it between you and the Lord, where your reward is given
weight in the records in heaven for eternity, not just for a few fleeting
strokes of the ego here on earth.
THE “PRIVATE THINGS” OF PERSONAL RENEWAL EXPOSED!
Begin a private life of personal devotion. Rediscover your prayer closet.
”Very early in the morning, while it was still dark,
Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place,
where he prayed.”
Mark 1:35
Gut it out with God. Confess your dissatisfaction with the stale places
where you have allowed “moss” to grow over in your devotion to the
discipline of Reading the words of Jesus, Heeding the words of Jesus, and
then Feeding the Words of Jesus to the hungry, lost, and scared people
around you in your daily “Missionary calling” as a follower of the Great
Reviver of your soul.
Isaiah 57:15
For this is what the high and lofty One says—
He who lives forever, whose name is holy:
"I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Personal revival is usually needed when something in our walk with the
Savior has gone into a “Flat line” and needs to be shocked back into a
proper heartbeat.
The closer we become devoted to and more intimate with The King, the
Comforter, and Savior, the more near He is to us and, will reveal His daily
“Divine Appointments” for our lives and for His Glory.
If Jesus did it to survive- so must we!
But Jesus would often go to some place where he could be alone and pray.
Luke 5:16
We NEED to be alone. Why? In order to not have the distraction of leaning
on someone else to “do the praying or talking” for us for one! We gain
perspective, and refreshing after repenting, and a “reality check” regarding
how we are to live the lifestyle of a Christian in an ever-darkening world
where morals and values are crumbling at an uncontrollable speed.
LET US SEE AND HEAR AND ACT!
As we face the fallow ground left unfruitful (through intentional denial that
we allowed this) in our lives and allow the Father to create a clean heart in
us, and renew or “Revive” a right spirit (godly attitude) within it, the soil
can be a host for seed and harvest.
He gladly does this! WE are His faith seeds in the soil of Earth!
Psalm 126:6
”He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”
”He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”
Psalm 23:3
WISDOM FROM THE SPIRIT
If you want present day revelation, you must have a level of solid Christian
maturity to not only discern it, but to apply it. There are more and more
”Muddy” approaches regarding how to be wise or savvy in living your life,
being sold in bookstores and every media venue out there! If you want to
drink or eat re-cycled food…well, be my guest. BUT! If you truly desire
depth and a secure anchor for surviving and flourishing in any
circumstance that you surely will have attempt to sidetrack and undermine
your Godly Destiny, you and I will have to go to THE SOURCE of Wisdom
and stay there until we “Get it.”
1 Corinthians 2:6
”We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature,
but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age,
who are coming to nothing.”
”But solid food is for the mature,
”which by constant use have trained themselves
”to distinguish good from evil.”
Hebrews 5:14
GIVE JESUS JOY
Romans 12:12
”Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
These are the attributes of the faithful and true follower of Christ. And as
Jesus watches over our coming and our going, every moment of every day,
His joy is made complete when He sees the evidence of a restored life
being fruitful and steadfast, no matter what the condition of their
circumstance or surroundings.
Believer. Let us press on into the walk of maturity in Christ where nothing
shakes or shatters us anymore, because we live in the light of His Glorious
Grace.
Ephesians 1:6 (New Living Translation)
”So we praise God for the glorious grace
he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.”
QUOTE FORM OSWALD CHAMBERS~
”Whenever we are obstinate and self-willed and set upon our own
ambitions, we are hurting Jesus. Every time we stand on our rights and
insist that this is what we intend to do, we are persecuting Jesus. Whenever
we stand on our dignity we systematically vex and grieve His Spirit; and
when the knowledge comes home that it is Jesus Whom we have been
persecuting all the time, it is the most crushing revelation there could be.”
Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed
as long as complete message and website information
for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank You!
Copyright © 2010 " THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerrooms.com
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The God who Sees -The God who Hears - The God who Knows
By Mary Lindow
EL ROI – Hebrew for the God who knows and sees all.
”THE RIGHTEOUS MAN OR WOMAN RUNS INTO
THE STRONG TOWER OF THE GOD WHO SEES”
(Genesis 16:13)
ARE YOU LONGING FOR REFRESHING FROM THE HEART
OF GOD THE FATHER?
Are you in a place where you risk laying down what might cost
you your past history, and which will create a new and fresh
beginning in the walk of the saint on earth?
Sadly, many choose to return to the safe place of familiarity and
control to gain perspective, and lose the joy set before them. They
also will return to religious metaphors, forms, and familiar patterns
as to how to deal with difficulty or things out of their control. No
nation will be changed, no crisis will be silenced as long as the
believer does not first deal with the issues that are hidden and
that are well nurtured within their own flesh.
THE FATHER IS WATCHING THOSE WHO ARE NOT
CREATING AGENDAS AND PROGRAMS TO ATTEMPT TO
HAVE AN "EDGE" DURING THIS LONG SEASON OF
TRANSITIONING.
He is allowing the breaking and "coming to the end of ones' self"
to continue. Few have stepped over the line into the abandonment
He desires from those who claim that their lives are for His use.
Breaking is not done just through loss or strain, It is also a
persistent blow to the hardened soul who presumes that they are
perhaps more blessed or more righteous because it appears as if
the Father is blessing them above their brethren who appear
impoverished, humiliated, and even sick in body. BEWARE of the
lies of arrogance and selfish ambition! It was a similar voice that
tempted the Savior to bend the Word of God to fit His situation.
And He as your model, stood firm against the voice of any
religious spirit and temptation and did not cave in under pressure.
IN THIS CRUCIAL HOUR
Yes… Right now even as you read and contemplate, the Lord is
not requiring acts of greatness and profound gatherings to bring
glory to His plans. The Lord says these words to those who will
choose hear:
"THE SACRIFICE I WANT IS A BROKEN SPIRIT.
A BROKEN AND REPENTANT HEART,
THIS MY BRIDE, I WILL NOT DESPISE. (PSALM 51:17)
WHAT IS IT THAT JESUS THAT JESUS WANTS FROM US…
…REALLY?
The obedience to do the simple, and often at times… mundane
acts of “silencing our fleshly need for action and control."
JESUS REQUIRES THOSE WHO WOULD BE HIS FOLLOWERS
TO A RADICAL DEVOTION AND AN EVEN MORE RADICAL
DEPENDENCE ON GOD.
His followers must be meek,
Must not retaliate,
Must go beyond the Word of God’s “rules and regulations”
and instead, understand its spirit.
They must do what is right when only God is looking,
Must depend on God for their needs
And pursue His interests rather than their own.
HIS DEVOTED FOLLOWERS MUST LEAVE SPIRITUAL
MEASUREMENTS OF OTHERS' HEARTS AND ACTIONS,
“SEEMINGLY GOOD OR BAD” - TO GOD.
In short, true people of the kingdom live for God, not for themselves.
ARE YOU IN AN “UNCOMFORTABLE” SEASON BECAUSE
YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO WALK THE NARROW PATH?
But small is the gate and narrow the path that leads to life,
And only a few find it.
Matthew 7:14
THIS IS THE AGONY THAT TURNS INTO A GODLY DELIGHT!
When we fully realize that only God the Father can be the full and
well trusted Redeemer and Rescuer in all of our life situations
right now!
So Fear not! He is dealing with the hearts of those who still cling
to hidden control over their brothers and sisters.
HE IS PROBING EACH HEART WHO CALLS HIM LORD!
He is allowing a spiritual discontentment and a holy frustration to
stir up all unsatisfied and unfulfilled hearts until they begin to wail
out loud,
“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?”
Psalm 13:1
HOW MUCH DOES EL ROI CARE?
“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent?
And yet not one of them will fall to the ground
apart from your Father.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”
Matthew 10:29-31
THE LORD IS TRAINING US!
Do you ever wonder why there is such a limited level of joy and
rest in the heart? It is because until the body of believers in Christ
have a heart that is broken and repentant for assuming that they
are allowed to call the shots in decision making in this life…He will
not expose us to His full measure of Glory!
Psalm 19:13 (CEV)
Don't let me do wrong on purpose, Lord,
Or let sin have control over my life.
Then I will be innocent, and not guilty of some terrible fault.
IT IS TRUE THAT THE KINGDOM IS AVAILABLE TO US
ONLY BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH; BUT…..
But! Genuine faith means genuinely embracing and yielding to God's
reign, not simply acknowledging it and then passing it by as if it did not
exist.
The kingdom is a treasure, and those who really believe it will sacrifice
everything else in their lives for its agendas.
Professed Christians who crave worldly wealth and position but are not
nearly as excited and consumed with the advancing of God's kingdom,
really need to take a brutal and laser piercing look at the true state of their
souls.
When we preach that people who simply “pray a prayer” will automatically
be saved from hell regardless of whether they truly commit their lives to
Christ and commit to trust that He is saving them from sin (from
selfishness, from going their way instead of his), we preach a message
other than the one our Lord has taught us.
2 Timothy 2:19
“Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this
inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who
confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
Romans 10:9 (CEV
So you will be saved, if you honestly say, "Jesus is Lord," and if you
believe with all your heart that God raised him from death.
ONCE WE PASS THROUGH TIMES OF DISTRESS,
HE WILL RETURN WITH HIS FRESH AND SWEET JOY!
Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—
Now let me rejoice. Psalm 51:8
IT IS AN INTENSE STRUGGLE TO CHOOSE TO BE EXPOSED
BEFORE GOD!
But the delight of allowing nothing of the soul to influence your
decisions when the Lord speaks and gives command far
outweighs this present suffering between spirit and flesh!
“If you put yourself above others, you will be put down.
But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.”
Matthew 23:12 (CEV)
MANY WHO ARE NOW HIDDEN AND YES, BEAT DOWN,
TESTED, RIDICULED AND SEEMINGLY FORGOTTEN, WILL
SHORTLY PASS THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR OF FRESH
OPPORTUNITIES…
…AND PATHWAYS OF TRUTH WILL LEAD THEM.
“He makes me strong again.
He leads me in the way of living right with Himself
Which brings honor to His name.”
Psalm 23:3 (NLV)
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SLOWLY ARISING FROM THE
HIDDEN PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO
GROW IN WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING AND DYING TO SELF-
LOVE…
…STAY THE COURSE!
“We are pressed on every side by troubles,
But we are not crushed and broken.
We are perplexed,
But we don't give up and quit.”
(2 Corinthians 4:8)
HE HIMSELF WILL BIND UP EVERYTHING BROKEN IN YOUR
HEART, YOUR DREAMS, AND YOUR REPUTATION, WITH HIS
OWN HAND, AND HE WILL RESTORE YOUR JOY!
“He heals the brokenhearted,
Binding up their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3
EL ROI SEES YOUR PAST MISERY, YOUR PRESENT PAIN,
YOUR UNCERTAIN FUTURE.
He is so watchful that He knows when the smallest sparrow
perishes (Mt. 10:29, 30, 31).
And He is the God who sees and cares for you and I today.
Duplication and re-transmission of this writing is welcomed
provided that complete source and website information for Mary
Lindow is included. Thank You! Copyright © 2009
THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerrooms.com
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
THE “CLIMATE” OF THE HEART IN THIS “GOD SEASON”
By the Holy Spirit through Mary Lindow
OH HOW PRECIOUS IS THIS SEASON IN THE EARTH TO THE LORD!
In the spirit I see Him strategically placing people into
settings He has had designed from the very beginning of His
heart’s plan to redeem the earth.
At this time the Master King is simply stating...
…“Hold fast; do not let go,
until I have shown you My faithfulness.”
Psalm 119:31
I hold fast to your statutes, O LORD;
Do not let me be put to shame.
This is a bit of a test for those who love to be in that
“forerunner zone” of “let’s run!”
And! There is nothing God loves more than those
visionaries that have the foresight to see what is coming
down the road!
However! The Lord does not want any move orchestrated
by His voice, “tainted” with presumptions! He really does
know what He is planning and exactly how to facilitate this!
Psalm 19:13
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me:
Then shall I be upright,
And I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
WE ALL ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE “SHIFT” IN THE SPIRITUAL HAPPENINGS OF GOD.
It is going to required great amounts of personal discipline
and again...(that word!).... Accountability to each other in
order to not “sour” or short circuit the will of God for our
lives. Our old habits and way of doing things die hard!
THE LORD URGES THOSE CALLED INTO THE STREAMS OF THE APOSTOLIC/PROPHETIC TO "LISTEN WISELY”
“ to the voice of the Holy Spirit and
not give in to merchandising the anointing nor take on any
form of “one-upmanship” in these days of the tempering of
the soul.
THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD UNDERSTANDS THE “CLIMATE” OF THE HEARTS OF MEN AND
WOMEN IN THIS “GOD SEASON.”
If any ministry calling “assumes” to know totally what the
body needs...they are in error! We only know and see in
part. That is why hearing the hearts and attitudes of others
are of highest importance at this time.
1 Corinthians 13:12
”For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a
dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or
enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see
in reality and face to face! Now I know in part
(imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand
fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have
been fully and clearly known and understood by God.”
CHOSEN ONE OF GOD!
HEAR THE VOICE OF THE GREAT AND WISE AUTHOR!
He is the foremost Father of the “harvest wave” about to
break upon the heart of mankind.
He the Spirit of God can speak clearly to you and direct you
in the way you walk, make decisions, and will help you flee
from temptation.
Psalm 29:4
”The voice of the LORD is powerful;
The voice of the LORD is majestic.”
THE FATHER IS SUPERNATURALLY AND
SYSTEMATICALLY CONNECTING PEOPLE OF HIS HEART AND THOSE WITH LIKE-
MINDED KINGDOM VISION…
…to fulfill His plans in the earth. Surprising Divine
relationships will be established among those who
understand the cost of finishing past Kingdom assignments
and did not bail out when the attacks and losses came
to rob the promise and God placed vision of their hearts.
Isaiah 6:8
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
"Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
YOU WHO HAVE SURVIVED THE ONSLAUGHTS OF DISCOURAGEMENT,
anxiety, near poverty, and desperation, have been made
into steeled vessels that can no longer be penetrated by
disappointment and ridicule.
Job 11:15
“Then you will lift up your face without shame;
You will stand firm and without fear”
Your trust is in the name of the Living God who will do
exploits in the face of those who mock the people of His
heart.
Daniel 11:32
“And such as do wickedly against the covenant
shall he corrupt by flatteries:
But the people that do know their God shall be strong,
and do exploits
“NOW IS THE TIME, SAYS THE SPIRIT OF GOD, NOW!”
“Stand. And having done all you know to do and all that I
have asked you to do. STAND, and see the salvation of your God.”
Proverbs 10:25
“When the storm has swept by,
the wicked are gone,
But the righteous stands firm forever.”
“LISTEN, LEARN, AND PREPARE.”
“I the King and Keeper of the seasons have sharpened your senses to obey
only to the promptings of My voice and not the voice of man.
I will trust you with the hidden things of My Kingdom as you
honor Me with offerings of worship, songs of the Spirit,
and self-abandonment.
The timing for My plans is measured in the scales of justice
and redemption.”
Psalm 33:5
“The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of his unfailing love.”
Psalm 115:1
Not to us, O LORD,
Not to us but to your name be the glory,
Because of your love and faithfulness.
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed
provided that complete source and website information
for Mary Lindow is included.
Thank you~
”The Messenger " ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
www.globalprayerooms.com
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