Superior fellowship this morning!!! Just love those early hours that I spend dwelling on what God wants to have me learn. Yesterday I read a description of what heaven might be like from a book called The Unknown Prophet and I was so overwhelmed I cried for an hour. You think you might have an inkling as to how glorious it will be and then these words made me fall to my knees.
It has been a busy week so far as we really start the countdown for our precious grandchild to makes his or her journey into this world. I am making plans for the dog sitter (Uncle Ben),buying baby gifts,packing,getting the car ready and just plain worrying about all the things that won't get done and won't matter one way or the other if they do. It's like one of the most wonderful events is on the verge of happening and your mind can't even comprehend how you are going to handle it. I can only imagine how on edge with excitement Jill and Eli are as they enjoy these last few days of being two.
A few things have stood out this week that have made me stop in my tracks and really think. It started yesterday when Suzanne sent me this email:
"Like your blog from Friday. I've been thinking about rotten apples since Wed, too. Peter and I talked about it a little. One scripture you quoted reminded me of a story - "Don't spend time with those who are foolish or eventually you won't be able to discern knowledge. (Proverbs 14:7)"
Ruth Bell Graham was at a dinner party - and seated beside her was the Chairman of the Fed Reserve. So she started talking to him about his job - he was explaining about the Reserve, how it worked, etc. They were talking about counterfeit money - and Mrs. Graham commented that they must have looked at and studied a lot of fake bills. He said No! On the contrary - they spent all their time studying the real thing. Then when they saw a fake - they knew it immediately. I thought that was an interesting reverse way to look at it. And funny, I thought of that story immediately when I read that verse.
Another thing Peter and I were talking about last week - you and I were discussing "crucified with Christ.." Peter said remember, crucifixion is a slow death. We didn't have the chance right then to discuss it further - but it made instant sense to me."
And to me also. The action that causes death and our reception of it, is quick but the dying part of the flesh is a slow process. I never really thought of it that way before. We won't be able to say "it is finished" until we see Him face to face. So...in the mean time this week I am getting quite a lot of conversation on fruit. Last week it was rotten apples and this week the bearing of the fruit. I read several things on this subject yesterday. This one from Nelson Mandela:
"It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."
David Wilkerson wrote this:
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit” (John 15:16).
Many sincere Christians think bearing fruit means simply to bring souls to Christ. But to bear fruit means something much larger even than soul winning. The fruit Jesus is talking about is Christ-likeness. Simply put, bearing fruit means reflecting the likeness of Jesus. And the phrase “much fruit” means “the ever-increasing likeness of Christ. Growing more and more into Jesus’ likeness is our core purpose in life. It has to be central to all our activities, our lifestyle, our relationships. Indeed, all our gifts and callings—our work, ministry and witness—must flow out of this core purpose.
If I am not Christlike at heart—if I’m not becoming noticeably more like him—I have missed God’s purpose in my life. You see, God’s purpose for me can’t be fulfilled by what I do for Christ. It can’t be measured by anything I achieve even if I heal the sick or cast out demons. No, God’s purpose is fulfilled in me only by what I am becoming in him. Christ likeness isn’t about what I do for the Lord, but about how I’m being transformed into his likeness. So, do you want to bear the “much fruit” that springs forth from becoming more like Christ? We fulfill our life’s purpose only as we begin to love others as Christ has loved us and we grow more Christ-like as our love for others increases."
The image that I was led to in the analogy of a piece of fruit helped me to see it. Exposing yourself to the negative energy of decay also gave me a vivid picture of how much bad company corrupts good character. Always learning with these little tidbits.
I have had good opportunities this week to first of all feel God's love and then to instead of "hiding my light under a bushel" move out into the world and shine a bit. I have been spending way to much time withdrawing from the world these past few years. It was so obvious to me the minute I moved out of my safe,non stressful place I have been stagnating in. The enemy wants nothing better than to render you useless and that's kind of how I've been feeling lately. Your life is so full in the beginning with children and careers and all the planting going on(there's that image of seed to fruit again) and then what happens? Fruit is formed but doesn't grow and stays green and eventually falls off the tree and rots. I feel like God is saying, "get a hold of yourself and remember who you are. You come from a royal lineage,predestined to do great things for My Glory. Keep moving, keep growing and I'll tell you when to stop which will be when you're ready to leave this world and you get to experience first hand that Glory you got a taste of the other day." It's kind of hard to let your light shine which in turn reflects the sun/Son when you hide in the shadows and don't take risks. What does that all mean......I don't know for sure. In hindsight it will probably all make sense. I'm just expressing what He's showing me for today and hope it blesses someone else as well.
