Being Refined

I want to share some scripture with you all and explain what God has been showing me this week. This week was difficult in numerous ways, it was one that I needed to recognize some things in my life. Many times we run from the hard pressing of the Lord and seek a place of comfort while ignoring the ways God is trying to get our attention. We don’t want to dig deeper or be exposed of areas in our life that still need refining. It’s been that kind of week for me. So instead of going into all of that, I want the reason for this post to be solely focused on scripture and how God has met me where I am…

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”. Isaiah 41:10

“My flesh and my heart my fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”. Psalm 73: 26 

“He works out everything in conformity with the purpose of HIS will”. Ephesians 1: 11

“I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14

“You are my God; my times are in your hands”. Psalm 31:14-15

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of LIFE…it is sweet to the soul”. Proverbs 13:12,19

Today, Sunday, I listened to a podcast from The Village Church. Matt Chandler is the lead pastor and we are in the Luke series. He was teaching out of Luke 18 and below is what I was able to take away from the sermon...

Jesus is speaking to The Rich Young Ruler

“You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come, follow me”. Luke 18:22

• Wealth was what the Rich ruler held on to. He was asked by Jesus to sell all that he had. To give up what he held on to most...SO THAT he could gain more of Jesus! 
• Jesus will use the very thing that we cling to and hold onto the most. He will expose us in those places in order to show us what exactly we lack
• Only the Lord knows what we lack and He will press down on us until we give in and realize our need for HIM

Some other revelations...

There are times that we fail to recognize one thing. KNOWING HIM. We have become more focused on serving (doing things) than knowing Him.

We must return…call upon…and cry out for the Mercy of God…HE wants to rescue us…HE wants to restore us…HE wants us to lay everything at HIS feet…He wants to see and know that we are not living for ourselves…but for HIM AND HIM ALONE!!!