Make your Battles Count!!!

As I was reading a good friends status this morning on face book, it really spark something in me. I want to share with you what the Lord showed me through this , but will also show you her status.

Worldwidestayathome Momsministry

Don't allow the enemy to pull you into a battle that God has not called you to fight.

Wow those words speak volumes. 

To often as Christians we see battles going on around us and sometimes even in our own lives and our human reaction is to fight, and although it says in several places in the word that we must fight the good fight and also we are to fear not, we are also called to be wise  and to be watchful. We are also warned that the devil, our adversary is seeking whom he may devour. 

There are some out there whom it is easy for satan to trap and devour but, then there are some Christians that are  firmer in their stand and satan will use a system of small attacks to wear them down to the point where they are not strong enough to stand when he comes in with the big one. 

We are given example after example in the word of how and when to stand and when to fight, and my favorite example is Jesus. 

When He was   going through the 40 days in the wilderness, the devil was on His case badly trying to break Him.  And i am sure that after a few days that old devil was starting to get on Jesus' last nerve but, as easy as it was to just loose it and call down His heavenly authority, he walked it out.  When He was ridiculed and accused and beaten and falsely arrested , He could have spoken up for Himself , He could have  called down all of Heaven  to defend Him. But He stood silent, not bowing to the World or the enemy but, also not fighting . When He was hung on the cross and crucified more innocent then the world has ever known, He stood.

Because in His death He brought each and everyone of us redemption, in His death He conquered  an even greater war, against death, And in His resurrection, He took the victory over Death , Hell and the grave!

No we are not called to be wimps or doormats but we are called to use wisdom so in the time when we need it most we will be able to stand and , fight, being over comers in Christ.  And when we have done all that we can do stand and watch the redemption of the Lord take the victory for us.

In closing , these are how I see it. This earthly world has many evils, many demons doing the work of satan but, we don't need to go chasing after battles. Be guaranteed, if you are living and walking and working the life of Christ, they will come after you. I pray you are not to war weary to stand at that crucial moment but, if you are take heart ... the Lord strong and mighty will fight for you and He never looses. God be with you my spiritual brothers and sisters until we meet again.

Beauty for Ashes!!!!

                                        Isaiah 61:3 (KJV)

" To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified."

How many times have we seen or heard this verse and connected it immediately to  God giving us beauty in place of our troubles. Or that when bad things , pain, loss etc. happen to us that God will turn it into beauty.? We tend to often connect this scripture with the scripture that says " What you meant for evil, God has turned around for the good, Genesis 5:20" And I am not saying that that  isn't a meaning for this scripture but, let's take a look at another view of it.

The other day as I was reading this verse I felt led to research it and study it more. I happened upon this particular teaching that really stood out to me and  I felt led to share it with you. Many times when things go wrong or bad things  happen to good people, or innocents are harmed or killed by someone who is evil or being led by evil. We often tend to ask of God; where is the beauty from this ? 

The teaching that I found that really touched me was written by: Goodwin Tam Brisbe, and he brings us another view of Isaiah 61:3.

What does it mean when God says I will give you beauty for the ashes?  Well, let's first understand the meaning of ashes and where they come from.Ashes come from things that are burnt up. They turn to ashes and become an entirely different substance than it began as. They take on a new state that scientist call "irreversible reaction".  Then we begin to realize that our beauty will not come until we are completely burnt up and turned to ashes. When we get to the point of "no going back" to where we came from.  His beauty for us will come when  all of our trials and tribulations have come to an end and we are completely burnt up.

Now at first when I read that I was a bit confused and unsure of what this was saying. It seemed to me that it was saying that when my life is over and I go to be with the Lord, that He will turn all my trials and tribulations into beauty and I will receive my reward.  But, then after bringing it before the Holy Spirit and asking for clarification this is how I understand better. I felt led to read this verse "Galatians 2:20, I am crucified with Christ; never the less I live, yet not I ; but Christ who liveth in me"

Now as I look back on the teachings on Beauty for Ashes , I understand it to mean, when I have completely died to self,  all sin is washed a way and my old nature is completely burned up., when I have allowed Christ to transform me into a new creature and the old person has become completely burned up to ashes. Then I will see the beauty from my ashes as I walk in the new person that Christ created me to be.

This is by no means saying that any other way of teaching this is wrong, only that this is another way to understand this verse.