Life pointless?

Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil... it has no point!

John Hagee

Pruning....in me!

2 Samuel 12:7

 Nathan then said to David, “You are the man!

It's no secret that the church I attend is going through a difficult time.  To be honest and frank, we have people leaving and going to other churches.  God has spoke to me about this.  Our church is going through a pruning.  We are a church that has been around for over 200 years.  We've had times of abundance and times of lean, I'm sure.  

John 15: 2b every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit

Our pruning is happening not because we've been a church that doesn't bear fruit but because we have.  But now, God is doing a new thing.  He is pruning us, so we can bear even more fruit.  But so many view the fruit as numerical.  I believe, it is not.  I believe God is pruning us, so that we can know and experience HIM more intimately, more fully- more real.  I'm no wordsmith.  I wish I could eloquently express these things but I cannot.  The fact is that God is pruning us so that we are REAL and not superficial, Sunday-morning Christians.  He wants us to know Him, and live in the truth of Who He is, what He has done for us and who we are because of Him.   He desires to trim away the unfruitfulness.  See, God wants our church to be a church full of- well- Himself.  

If tomorrow all the good music and good speakers are gone- then what would our churches consist of?

What does the real body of Christ look like?  Well, He tells us:

It's EXACTLY HIM, living IN US- doing a great and mighty work in our inner man.  Him, healing us from all that may oppress us.  He doesn't want our inner or outer man encumbered or enslaved to anything.  He wants us to freely live from Him!

It's EXACTLY HIM, living THROUGH US- when and as He is doing the "work" in us- He is living through us, the same thing!  He won't do it through us until He has done it in us!

So what EXACTLY do we look like as He is living in us and through us?  Well, we look like Him, because it is Him.  So, what does Christ look like?

^{Galatians 5:22-23}  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

That is Who Christ Jesus, Himself, is.  He is Love (yes, because He is love, we can love the unlovely).  He is true Joy (no matter the circumstances), He is Peace (that passes all understanding), He is Patience (when we are out), He is Kindness (when we will not be), He is Goodness (that follows us all the days of our life), He is Faithfulness (when we are faithless), He is Gentleness (when we want to be careless or harsh) and He is Self-Control.  Because He is Self-Control, we can allow Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness and Gentleness to- transform us from the inside out.  

Titus 3:2

malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men

I believe with all my heart, that we are going through this pruning so can strip us of all our hindrances, encumbrances- FLESH- so that we do not depend on ANYTHING but HIM.  He is getting our focus back on HIM and not the STUFF.

Michael Wells said, "What brings the people must keep the people".  

So what happens when the music becomes unsatisfactory?  What happens when the great teacher becomes unsatisfactory?  What happens when the programs become unsatisfactory?  What's left? Time to move on the the next BETTER thing.  

The the good is the enemy of the Best- and friends, Jesus is the Best.  I WANT to be apart of this church that is going through this great pruning because I know in the end- (the end of our self and stuff! Praise God!) Jesus is going to be our Focus and our Best!  

But for some reason, lately, it could be the enemy attacking me- I have had a sense there are those that want our church to fail.  They seem giddy when talking to me about people leaving.  My heart hurts.  

So last night, I was feeling really down about it.  I even talked to a friend at my church about it and she said she sensed that same thing.  That others seem to want our church to fail.

I pondered these things.  And God spoke to me. Read the very top verse I just put- 2 Samuel 12:7 "You are the man!"

My beloved Lord said to me, "You are the man!"

Oh friends, I have been doing the very same thing!  I have been criticizing and judging, maligning-other churches, congregations and pastors.  Oh, the guilt and shame I felt.  

Father, forgive me.  

"Starla, it's time to pray.  You are praying for MY BODY, my children.  As a whole.  Not just your church but as a whole.  Pray for these churches and their pastors."

How and what exactly am I to pray for them?

"The same you are praying for your church.  Pray for the pastors as they lead my children.  Pray that first they have an intimate oneness with Me.  That they find their life, strength, focus, encouragement in Me- first and foremost.  Pray that they know that I love them.  I am their Life.  Pray they know what I have done for them and IN them.  Pray they lay aside their "learning" and embrace Life.  Pray they allow me to speaking into- and they listen, understand and act (obey).  Pray for their families.  Pray that the churches worship Me in spirit and in truth.  Pray they learn what worship really is- not outward alone, but inward. For I live in them. I want to transform each person, from the inside out.  Pray that My people learn to live from Me."  

So, I am praying.  God has laid upon my heart several churches and pastors to pray for- how can I hold FLESHLY resentment against someone I am asking God to do a great and mighty work IN- as He has done me?  I want to LOVE them.  I want to be Kind to them.  I want Goodness for them.  I want them to to know the Joy and Peace that I have!!!!  I want them to KNOW these things (God, Himself!) and share these truths with their families and those they lead.

That is REAL transformation!  It's time for the Church of Christ to know Who God is!  It's time they KNOW what He has done for them!  It's time for them to KNOW who He has made them to be- He has created us anew from the inside out!  We have a new spirit and a new heart!  A new inner man!  To not live from the fleshly desires of that old dead man!  

He wants His Church to lay aside these encumbrances so we can do with genuine LOVE (Himself, in us and through us!)- what He has called and created us to do!  Know Him and Share HIM!

Amen and amen!

Father, thank You for speaking into me last night things that I held onto that were not from You.  I know it was flesh!  Not Spirit! And flesh always always leads to death.  Forgive me for condemning and speaking ill of my brothers and sisters in Christ.  I pray You will fill me with great love for them- for their prosperity in You!!!  For we all have the same goal- to know You intimately.  To trust, rest and abide fully in You.  And to share YOU, with all that we come in contact with-in some shape, form or fashion.  I ask You, to continually speak to me about ill will or feelings against others, to always be open to Your word to me and in me.  I do not want to be "the man!"  I want to be Your daughter that loves fully and completely- all peoples.  In the name of my beloved Jesus, I ask these things- Lord, know that I love You with all that I am.  I am overwhelmed and grateful for Your hand of love and correction.  Amen.  

Michael Wells

I heard this this morning:

Jesus ministers to my heart- not my behavior.

Amen!

Resurrection Day!

I LOVE this and planning on creating it for Resurrection Day!



Plant a Resurrection Day Garden! Using potting soil, a tiny buried flower pot for the tomb, shade grass seed, and crosses we made from twigs. Sprinkle grass seed generously on top of dirt, keep moistened using a spray water bottle. Spritz it several times a day. Set it in a warm sunny location. Sprouts in 7-10 days.

I'm BACK!

After a two and half year absence-  I'm back.  I've deactivated my facebook account (my goodness, it can consume me!) and I hope to do some blogging.  I just need somewhere to write my thoughts, hopes, dreams and feelings.  I need to write about my Jesus and what He is speaking into me....

So...hello again.

: )