On the other hand, there is going to be the ending of broken relationships this year. They will either be completely severed or completely restored although, not necessarily as they were before. Relationships that were previously lost—perhaps even in 08’ may likewise be restored as even the separations themselves may come to an end.
ABRAHAM'S EXAMPLE
Now is the season to follow Abraham's example regarding his willingness to sacrifice even his own beloved son or that which he loved maybe “too much”. I find it ironic that sometimes it is possible to become consumed even with a promise that GOD Himself has given.
For some of us, if we lift the knife to the thing that is important to us in worship and/or obedience, it is possible that He may no more require it from us but instead, reward our worship with restoring back to us that which we offered to Him and afterwards grant us something else to offer up in the name of worship. As it is written He provides “seed to the sower” or a “ram in the thicket”. Once Abraham lifted his knife, under the leadership of the HOLY SPIRIT or in worship to GOD—offering up from his heart that which he loved perhaps “too much” the LORD stopped him almost in mid thrust from having to follow through. As Abraham corrected his priorities with his obedience there was no more need to continue.
Most often the LORD may lead me to do something at the expense of what I may love or enjoy doing. But, once the thing marked for loss (the thing required or threatened) is placed again back into its proper perspective then it may be possible for the LORD to restore it again unto us. It also means that He will grant us something else to sacrifice or something else to give with— as giving is the expression of love. i.e. “For GOD so loved the world that He gave...”!
In the same way that the LORD supplied Abraham a ram in the thicket or what was normal for him to offer up unto the LORD, the LORD will provide for us what is normal for us to offer up whether it be teaching for the teacher; prophecy for the prophet; council for the counselor; healing for the healer; business for the businessman or sustenance for the giver; encouragement for the encourager or the preacher; and revelation to the revelator...or whatever is normal for the individual saint to offer up.
Indeed, once we regain our perspective or priority, life for many of us may return to some semblance of normalcy—even with an entire world crumbling around us.
Those of us Christians that don't understand relationship with the LORD may struggle with what I have come to coin as “legalistic lopping”; which is a relationship with GOD based mostly on what they are not supposed to do. But this is fine as the thing cut may be restored later in its proper context. For example, I know a brother who felt led of the LORD to throw away his television because of his captivity to it as well as for the evils and temptation regarding it. I really don’t doubt that the LORD led him to throw away his TV. But most likely it was because the brother let it get in the way or out of balance. As Paul said “all things are permissible but not all things are beneficial”. The LORD might not have bothered him much about it if he kept the TV in its proper context, so that he didn’t let it consume him to watch it too much or watch things that hurt his walk...or allow it to interfere with his time with the LORD or his relationship with his family.
But because he didn’t judge himself, he developed the problem of loving TV “too much”. The same thing could be said regarding the computer, a job, career, or business; a ministry, a person, place, or thing.
But, if I can learn to cut it back myself under the direction of the HOLY SPIRIT, the LORD may not find it necessary to have to cut it off. Indeed. “Everything is permissible— but not everything is constructive”... and especially in this season... too much may be too much.
FALLING ON THE ROCK
In this season’s reality, though it is a cut year, the LORD may relent from serious cutting from me if I regain my perspective. However, He may indeed call me to follow through with my offering to let the knife fall upon its appointed target. If I humble myself and willingly fall upon the rock it will hurt and I will be broken. But if I do not willingly let go— the rock will fall on me and I will be crushed or be “grinded to powder” (Lk 20:18)
Bear in mind that whatever is broken can heal. But whatsoever is crushed is lost. It is the difference between suffering loss and losing. It is possible to lose ground but still win the game. No matter how deep the cuts you’ve suffered in 08’—it is important to humble yourself to let go and move on. When a broken bone heals, the bone becomes denser and grows back stronger...better! Those things that you may have suffered loss in— the LORD may in fact heal and restore it presenting it back to you stronger...better!
Humble yourself and accept the loss as the LORDS will...so that the loss you suffer will be in Him. Or those that seek to save their lives shall lose them but them that lose their lives shall save them. Let it go. Stop obsessing over your losses and let it go. Do not try to save something once you see it has been marked for loss. Fall on the rock willingly and allow it to be broken. Don't try to steady the cart. If it is falling, entrust it in the LORD’S hands and let it fall and break. Let it go. The LORD may... in His time heal it —restore it and make it stronger...better than it was before.
To be clear though, offering things to the LORD willingly is no guarantee that He will keep us from sacrificing our babies or even restore them to us better. He may in fact close the door on certain chapters or aspects of our lives completely. But the good things about the closed door of 08' is that it was for the sake of the new beginning or newly opened ones. Therefore, for those that learn to let go and let GOD, there will be no meaningless suffering during this season of loss. But rather pain with a purpose...as He will cause all things to work together for the good for them that love Him and are called according to His purpose.
CERTAINTY IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY
One of the prevailing characteristics of this season of transition is the terrifying black cloud of uncertainty in the air. Many have lost their jobs while others are waiting to see how the tumbling economy will affect them. Many of us can almost literally be described as being like deer in the headlights.
Men's hearts everywhere are threatening to fail them— gripped in the anxiety of a terrifying uncertainty...not knowing what will become of them and theirs.
But the hand of the LORD is in this.
For those that choose to cast their cares on the LORD and entrust Him with their lives, will be truly blessed as from His perspective, we will finally be allowing Him to have the most control He could ever have regarding us. Most of the time because we tend to fight for control over our lives, the LORD is relegated to having to work with whatever portion of ourselves we have rationed out to Him. This often forces Him to have to humble us—positioning us to having to seek His face that He might gain more of our hearts.
This place of complete trust is actually where the LORD would have us to live always...with our lives ever in His hand...allowing Him to lead and we follow. This is the proper order of things. In fact His desire is that we learn to become comfortable in living in this kind of “blind faith”. For as much as I have control over my life is as much as I am LORD. Surely, we must decrease so that He may increase.
Yet also, even though 9 is the number of finality or the ending of a season or era...it is also the number of the bearing of fruit. For, there are 9 fruit of the spirit, 9 gifts of the spirit— and a baby is birthed in the ninth month of the pregnancy process. So there will be many kinds of ''babies'' birthed out this year as the fruit of many wombs will be revealed. Likewise there will be hard endings for where there is not fruit being borne. We must make certain to remember and be faithful to the revelation of Himself He developed in us and/or fine tuned in us in 08’—to bring unto full term lest our own disobedience abort the Fathers will in our lives --or we birth something dead or still born.
Therefore, the thing that was conceived in 08’ will be birthed out in 09’... or rendered barren. The LORD planted His seed in the womb of many people’s faith in 08’. He gave a concept as to His will for His people’s lives.
So in 08’ we conceived or were given a concept. Many of His people became pregnant with new beginnings, new opportunities, new prospects, new levels, newly opened doors, new relationships, and new seasons.
In many cases, our new revelations of GOD were really our old or original understanding of what it meant to be a Christian—as many of us were brought back to the basics or back to our basic relationship with the LORD—or our first love or initial way of believing. Many of us have been taught doctrines and ways of believing that caused us to stray away from our hearts consciousness of GOD or what it originally meant to us to serve the LORD. And we did what we were taught according to other men’s ideals of GOD instead of in accordance to the spirit and truth of our own conscience.
For others of us the LORD finally honed the revelation that He Himself had for years been developing in us above what we learned from others.
UNKNOWN PREGNANCIES
Some people became pregnant in 08' but are unaware of their pregnancy. Sometimes a woman can become pregnant and be unaware of it. She can usually tell by the missed menstrual cycle. They will experience the power to be free from certain devastating life cycles both generational and otherwise—that they had always been hopelessly bound to.
Others will be able to tell by their morning sickness. They will begin getting sick of their own lifestyles or own ways of doing things and almost seem to vomit them up without having to struggle to change. They will be given grace to make the transition to where the LORD is calling them to.
Areas in other people’s lives will suddenly fall sick...perhaps they will become sick in a number of areas in their lives often simultaneously. They might become sick in their finances, their bodies, their relationships, or in some other part of their lives. This morning sickness will be a sign that they may have conceived whether knowingly or unknowingly. They may be unaware of the seed the LORD vested into their spirits...unconscious of the grace the LORD deposited into their hearts. Yet they may feel a sudden inclination, desire, or motivation to change paths or direction in some area of life. It is a sign that though you know it not, you could be...pregnant.
Even though the crumbling of their lives can be the marking of their pregnancy, there is still a hope regarding the terrible pain that much of the world is experiencing during this season, and that is—this 9th year is the 9th month. Therefore the ripping life pain is the first fruits of the birthing process. The gripping labor pains are an indicator that something good s about to birth forth from my bad situation. And if I remain in step with Him to full term, light is going to dawn through the darkness; new beginnings are going to raise forth from the grave, and tears of Joy will be birthed forth from tears of sorrow and pain…! Paul said that Jesus, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross and despised its shame. During this time of what may prove to be extraordinary and traumatic suffering, set this joy before you and be encouraged in knowing that any trial and tribulation you may experience during this season—no matter how tough...are but labor pains. And allow the truth of this perspective to help you find His grace to endure this cross and despise its shame.
BIRTHING PANGS
America herself became pregnant in 08'. And the tribulation that has befallen her along with the rest of the world by way of the economic meltdown is not the end of all things but birthing pangs...of what will be the end.
It began in 08’ but the labor will continue and have its climax in 09’. Indeed. The LORD is going to birth forth His will for this nation, the world at large, for the sake of His church and His sovereign will for His people. But it will be with great labor pain. Indeed it is not purposeless pain but pain with a purpose.
People rarely turn to the LORD when things are going well. And as soon as trouble subsides so also does our freshly renewed commitment to Him. This time however the labor pain is not going let up until His will is birthed out of us individually, corporately, nationally, and internationally. And in the same way that the nation will be birthing forth people with renewed hearts after GOD so is the Church birthing forth her remnant.
Indeed in this year there is going to be birthing on manifold levels. We are going to begin to see the first fruits of our labor…albeit through the turmoil of labor. It's going to hurt. There is no other way around it. No baby can be born without pain. Therefore, no matter how badly it hurts…push! Don’ stop pushing until you’re through. Push through the pain. Push through the sorrow. Push with all your worth until you hear the sound of your baby crying...alive, kicking, and filled with possibility.
In fact, there is going to be an almost ironic contrast this year of the joy of crying newborn babies amid bloody and battered wombs seemingly stretched beyond capacity.
Most often during the birthing process the wife is known to curse the husband in the heat of her agony. But the LORD is saying that if we keep step with Him and stay with Him during this birthing process and content ourselves in Him proving by often blind faith in Him with our manifest praise or expressed shows of our appreciation—as a labor of love, He would be gracious and remove from us the curse of Eve's labor.
Remember it is because of Eve's sin that women today have such hard and traumatic labor. But contrary to popular belief, even before Eve sinned, she would have still experienced at least some labor pain because the LORD said in Gen 3:16 that He would "greatly increase" her pain during childbearing, implying that there would have at least been some pain or discomfort even before the curse.
Therefore the LORD is saying that if instead of fighting Him, I content myself in Him to humble myself and willingly follow where He is leading me or where His undercurrent or momentum seems to be taking me—He would greatly decrease my childbearing labor pains. If we stop trying to hold unto what will become obvious that He is wanting us to let go of—place our all into His hands —with a great commitment to showing Him our submission and faith with our praise of HIM...then not only will my labor pains be greatly decreased but I will experience the unfettered joy of new birth.
Now of course in 2010, ''10'' being the number of man's responsibility towards GOD...is where I will be made responsible for nurturing and caring for the baby born in 09'. For as it is written...to much is given much is required".
Meanwhile during this year of labor, I must therefore labor to enter into His rest...labor in prayer to place all things into His hands and keep them there...and labor faithfully in doing those things He fine tuned in me or given me a concept regarding in 08' to bring them full term in this year...!
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