Moving Beyond the Hurt...Towards Great Expectations

Today was one of the most difficult days I've had to endure in this year.  There were thoughts of moving on, giving up, even thoughts of spiritual suicide.  What could get such a person as myself to the point of giving up? Real simple, the power of words.  Words and thoughts are things and have the power to build up, tear down, bless and even curse. It matters not whether they are spoken, written down or even heard about second and third hand.  Much can be said of a person's character by the way they use their tongue. 

It has been said that, "Speech is the index of the mind." JESUS said that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matthew 12:34) According to Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." In James 3:6, the Bible says that the tongue is "a fire, a world of iniquity", and James 3:8 calls the tongue a "deadly poison."

After getting myself together from my aforementioned whirlwind and actually allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to me and restore my determination and zeal to go on in HIS Name, HE took me to I Corinthians 4:9-13 where the Apostle Paul was found saying, "For it seems to me that GOD has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for CHRIST, but you are so wise in CHRIST! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored!  To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment." (NIV)

If I understand this text, it appears to me that Paul is saying that this apostolic grace isn't just something we do only when we surrounded by our "creature comforts".  No, the love of GOD drives and compels us to move on even if:

(a) we might hunger
(b) we might be poorly clothed
(c) we might be beaten
(d) we might be without a home
(e) we might have to do manual labor in addition to preaching and healing
(f) we might be reviled - people might speak bad of us
(g) we might be persecuted
(h) we might be defamed
(i) we might be viewed as the lowest of the low, as "dirt".

If people were worth the SON of GOD dying for, then they are surely worth a few short temporal seasons of pain for us to REACH with the message and the LOVE of GOD.

This is the true spirit of apostleship. It is to go out of the comfort zone as CHRIST's representative, and live as HE lived in a world which does not yet understand or appreciate what we are doing. "He who says HE abides in him ought himself also to walk just as HE walked." (I John 2:6)

Today was also the beginning of "Lent" those 40 days when we give up something that is precious or dear to us (or so we think); we are also according to the Jewish calendar in Adar II which is our "shana m'uberret" or "Pregnant Year". With pregnancy comes great expectation and the birthing out of something new. So for these 40 days I've decided to give up every unpleasant desire, thought and those around me that only perpetuate the status quo. I have a renewed focus and purpose.  Then the Sonographer came by and showed me an image of the baby that is on its way; the enemy thought to knock me off my square and have me miscarriage - but I saw the report.  I yet believe the Word of the LORD.

"Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your GOD.
For gracious and merciful is HE, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps HE will again relent and leave behind him a blessing, Offerings and libations for the LORD, your GOD." (Joel 2:12-14)

I pray blessings upon your life and this ancient holy apostolic ministry. Now through the intercession of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul, may the peace of GOD, which is beyond all understanding, keep your heart and mind in the knowledge and love of GOD and of HIS SON, our LORD. In the name of the FATHER, and of the SON and the HOLY GHOST. Amen…

In Persona CHRISTI

+KJC 

"Expect the Great"