Winter Life

There was a year my husband Tom and I endured a number of dreadful occurrences at the hands of misguided brethren and as a result of living in this world. Although it was a horrible time in our lives, it was also a season when our Heavenly Father made Himself very tangible to us.

It was the season of winter in our lives both physically and spiritually.

“I feel as dead as that old oak tree looks,” I commented one day to Tom as I was standing in his office looking out the window.

On a whim I flipped open one of his many books. The page I opened to spoke of the tree in winter and how it relates to a season in the believer’s life. I was amazed as I saw the hand of Yah in that moment.

I looked for that same chapter while writing this, but could not remember which book it was. I do remember the gist of it, though.

A deciduous tree in winter appears dead, yet that is far from the truth. Overwintering is a resting phase for the tree when its life processes continue but at a minimal rate. The tree looks dead but in reality its roots are in a stage of readiness. They are the energy storage ready to release growth whenever soil temperatures allow it.

This winter quiescence—when roots are resting but ready—is extremely important for the health of the individual tree and, by extension, for forests in general.

So it is for the saints of God. It may seem that nothing is happening in your life, yet the Holy Spirit is doing a deep work within your character as you rest in the Lord.

Resting in the Lord still includes an active relationship with Him--seeking Him--meditating on His Word and on the things of God. This parallels the energy storage of the tree roots; for Jesus, our Yahshua, fills us and strengthens us during this season through the Holy Spirit.

Just like the tree, you are resting but ready to minister to others when the spiritual temperature is right. This winter quiescence, this season of quiet, is important not only for the health of the individual believer but is important to the health of the Body of Christ.

Another interesting fact about tree roots is that they do not grow towards water. They grow where the water is.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law [instruction] of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3 KJV

Many thanks to Pam Clark Photography at http://www.moravianfalls.net/pcp/pamclarkphotography.htm

The Ruby Earrings

My husband Tom presented me with a pair of tiny ruby earrings. It was on one of my birthdays many years ago. They were not the first piece of valuable jewelry he had given me; but they immediately became my favorite, for he had written on the card that came with the earrings—“For my virtuous woman~Proverbs 31:10”.



His expression of love and adoration touched me very deeply and I wore my prize ruby earrings everyday.

Living in the country at the time, we heated our home using a woodstove stationed in the basement. I went outside to split a few logs to keep the fire going. Afterwards, I climbed the stairs to the living room and collapsed in the middle of the carpet while still dressed in my coat and knit hat exhausted from the day’s work.

After my cat nap, I went to the bathroom mirror to rub the indentations on my face and remove my knit hat. As I leaned forward to get a better look, I gasped when I noticed one of my treasured earrings was missing!

“Oh, no, Lord! Not my earring!” I prayed that somehow I would find it. My first thought was to look in and around the knit hat I just removed. I found the gold back, but not the ruby. Did I lose it outside? I felt myself sliding into a frenzy but then brought my mind captive to Christ.

“Lord, You know where it is. Where should I look?”

“The living room.”

The living room was dim for the sun had begun to set. Before I could reach the lamp to turn on the light, I saw a glint come from the rug. I knelt down to feel where I had seen the mysterious glimmer. It was my earring.

“Oh, Lord, thank you for showing me where it fell.”

“For My virtuous woman,” I heard in my spirit.

Blessings to all you virtuous women AND men~Let us continue to stand fast in Him who has called us to be holy~

Happiness Is?

While cleaning up some email files, I came across something I had written to my sister about five years ago after going through a great spiritual battle for our church. The experience left me despondent:


Kim,

A couple of months ago I did a word study on that word
'happy' or 'happiness' after crying out to the Lord. I
asked Him if it was wrong for me to want a little bit
of happiness in my life. Then I thought I better see
how the scriptures define 'happiness'. It didn't turn
out the way I had hoped.

According to scripture, happiness occurs when:

*you find and retain wisdom (Proverbs 3:13, 18)
*the Lord is your Savior (Deuteronomy 33:29, Psalm 144:15)
*God corrects you (Job 5:17)
*you have a quiver full of children (Psalm 127:4& 5)
*you fear the Lord (Isaiah 128: 1 & 2)
*you have mercy on the poor (Proverbs 14:21)
*you trust in the Lord (Proverbs 16:20)
*you don't condemn yourself (Romans 14:22; 8:1)
*you suffer for righteousness' sake (I Peter 3:14)
*you are reproached for the name of Christ (I Peter 4:14)
*you endure (James 5:11)

Selah, Lyn

Here again the Lord had to teach me that He alone was my sufficiency and that my idea of happiness was skewed. I’m sure Jesus our Yahshua was not ‘happy’ as He was tortured and dying, yet the joy that awaited Him allowed Him to endure (Hebrews 12:2).

As I am writing this, I realize HE is the fulfillment of my happiness. He is the author and finisher of our faith, our all in all. HE IS OUR HAPPINESS. It gives a whole new meaning to…

HAPPY New Year~

Lyn

P.S. Have you noticed that my blog is enabled with the Blue Letter Bible’s Script Tagger? You simply hover over a scripture reference, and a window pops up with the verse. Nice feature, eh?

2011~His Grace Is Enough

Sometimes while in the secret place, the Lord speaks to me about the spiritual season we are in.

Lately, what is impressed within me is that it is going to be “the best of times and the worst of times”. By this I believe the Holy Spirit is saying that we will see God move mightily in what will be tremulous times in the world. In the midst of great trouble we will witness the greatest harvest of souls for the Lord Jesus Christ that any human has ever seen along with signs, miracles, and wonders.

If indeed my impressions are accurate and we are entering or have already entered a time of great trouble in the world, we must—WE MUST—have confidence in our great God!

But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. Hebrews 3:6 and 10:35 KJV

It is tempting to forget who we are in Christ when calamity befalls us. Those are the times that ‘make us or break us’.

Around the time that God gave me those gold fillings in my teeth (see my blog October 21, 2010, Open Thy Mouth Wide), my husband Tom and I were honored to minister to several people who were miraculously healed. Not long after this, I went through a physical attack in my body. A friend who I confided in said, “Perhaps you are being humbled.”

This reminded me of the account in 2 Corinthians where Paul shares: And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 2 Corinthians 12:7 KJV

And that brings me to what I believe the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the Church for 2011.

As I worshipped on New Year’s Eve, I was inspired to play Matt Maher’s song, Your Grace Is Enough. God’s presence came over me in such a way that I knew there was specific relevance to what was being sung. The Lord is reminding His people of what He said in answer to Paul~~

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 KJV

I share this not to worry you but actually to encourage you! We, the Body of Christ who are alive in this day, were created for such a time as this! This is to be our finest hour IF we stand firm in our faith--the faith of Jesus Christ.

Let me exhort you to seek Him with your whole heart. Seek Him daily. He will reveal unknown things to you (Jeremiah 33:3).

If God be for us, who can be against us!