this is where i have been for the last few weeks or so. life is incredibly busy ... i'm teaching two post graduate courses at two colleges, preparing for the upcoming Cleansing Stream retreat at which i am one of the speakers (on freemasonry!!), and trying to keep up with all of the demands of full time ministry. people are struggling. i have heard little from my son since he left with milly. i have been doing all i can to walk in the Spirit ...
there are many Scriptures to support what i am going to write, but i do not have the time this morning to link to them. i'll come back later to do all the linking.
the foundational teaching of the Cleansing Stream Seminar is teaching the church how to Walk in the Spirit. Based upon Galatians 5 and Romans 8 for a start, the growing Christian is taught that we must crucify our flesh and walk according to the Spirit of God.
Once we are able to truly give the Lord control ... to surrender our lives to His perfect plan for our lives, we are ale to live in that secret place ... the strong tower of the Lord ... the peace that passes all understanding. the joy of the Lord becomes our strength. it's a beautiful place.
the Lord allowed me that awesome revelation in a powerful way the day that i pulled robby's bail. i had a client show up at my home later that evening... it was his regular time but he had not been scheduled. i was really out of it. sad. crying. afraid. since he was going through something far worse than i, i 'sucked it up' and went down to meet with him.
well, God does meet us when we crucify our flesh, because then we are 'in the Spirit' and able to hear His voice. the fact that i had been fasting for a week didn't hurt either. so i find myself telling this precious man that although he finds himself in a place that appears to be a set back, that God knows all ... that He may be taking him out to do the work in others, and in him. That God is in control. He knows all. Nothing surprises Him. Not 'their' actions. Not our actions. and ... He is able to bring all things togther for all of our good. He is interested in our eternal future ... our character ... our likeness to Jesus.
ding
ding
ding
in my own heart
i could release my son, his girlfriend, his career, his school, his safety, his future ... and our relationship.
i've had a sense of peace for the last two weeks that is beyond understanding. and joy. and strength. and purpose. and trust. and ... well, it is well with my soul. why? because my soul (and body) is securely tucked in under my spirit, which is hidden with Christ in God. yoked up with the Lord ... easy and light.
sigh
it is a beautiful place.
so my question is ... why do we struggle to stay o u t of that place? are we nuts? why do we fight the Lord's work in our lives when we know it will bring us into perfect peace? i speak to myself as much as i ask others.
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9 comments:
Carolyn, I'm so happy to hear that you have found some peace with all this. As for the last question - I wish I knew! Is it sin? Is it "the devil on my shoulder?" Is it our inability to live "on" this earth but not "in" it as Jesus instructed us? I know I don't have the answer.
I just know that the more I taste of it, the more I feel that peace, the quieter and quieter the roar and pull of the other place has on me. Maybe it's that our human lives are so desiring of being "hooked" to other human lives while our spiritual side is being drawn to God and, at this point, one cannot outweight the other. Like a yo-yo, we bounce back and forth between the two...desperately needing human companionship while constantly craving more time with God?
Just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration. Your post got me so worked up I ended up blogging about it.
I think we struggle b/c, by nature, we are sinful. Period.
We are prideful and every thought of the heart is evil. There is a continual struggle between the spritual and the flesh.
I'm curious what you teach on Freemasonry. I know most of what gets brought up is of a negative stereotype, but I'm hoping I am wrong. Would you care to elaborate at all?
Greg Stewart
Freemason Information
http://www.freemasoninformation.com
Carolyn this is good news. May you continue to be inspired as you walk with the Spirit of God :)
be blessed
PS re freemasonry. It's worth a post of its own I think :)
I wanted to thank you for your words of encouragement on my blog. I am grateful.
Happy Thanksgiving.
i'm sorry i haven't posted in thanks for your prayers and support.
greg ... i'd be happy to discuss it ... as lorna said, it is worth a post all on its own. unfortunately, i'm incredibly busy right now and must prepare for a conference/retreat.
curious, you have such a precious heart, i love your blog and wish i had more time to visit.
have a great weekend and a great thanksgiving to my U.S. friends.
I think that since the garden we have been so desperate for someone to love us that we run around shouting for everyone to pay attention to us. We just rush past His door wailing about how alone we are. Ironic.
curious, you are so right. sigh ... so right. just this weekend i ministered at a retreat and as we were preparing as leadership, all i could feel was God's delight and excitement that His children had set aside three days to be in His presence. it was the most incredible thing.
even as i prepare for church this morning, i still feel His excitment and even contentment (if that makes sense) that His kids worship Him. it's like He longs and cries for our fellowship.
wow, worth study in the Scriptures and another sermon (and post) after i deal with the freemasonry topic.
i promise .. a couple of days at latest ...
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