Grace In The Fire

 

9-25-20

 

Grace In The Fire

This morning I was reminded of when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were cast into a fire for not conforming to the king’s standards and commands.  There is a whole different lesson here, but I want to focus on the fact of the choice God made and allowed to happen in this situation.  Instead of removing them from the fire, or removing the fire from them, He joined them in the fire.  There are probably several reasons for this account.  He was strengthening their character in difficult times.  He was using this to display his miraculous power.  He was also using it to show his grace and his presence with them through what could have been the most difficult circumstance they had endured in their life.  This is the concept that led me to further delve into God really trying to help me in the understanding of his grace.

Maybe we have not really been placed in the fire, but we have been forced to stand at the fire’s edge and face the fire.  We feel the heat.  We feel the resistance to step and turn away, or back far enough away to not feel its intense effects.  Maybe we feel like we are actually in a fire with no way out or in a place where we see the fire burning around us and we may feel trapped and wonder if we too, will be found in the fire.  There are truly so many ways or circumstances that can leave us feeling the burn or the heat of the fire. 

In Daniel 3 when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were in the fire, they were found to not be found in the fire alone.  They were found to no longer being bound by evil intentions.  They were found to be free and walking around.  They were found to be accompanied by no other than God himself.  They knew the God they served.  They knew he was with them.  They knew of his power.  God didn’t remove the fire, or remove them from the fire, He joined them in the fire.  Think about this again, from a point of grace. 

Pausing to look more into the definition/s of grace from dictionary.com: 

noun

elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action:

a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment:

favor or goodwill.

a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior:

mercy; clemency; pardon:

favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.

an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied:

Theology.

the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.

the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.

a virtue or excellence of divine origin:

Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.

moral strength:

verb (used with object), graced, grac·ing.

to lend or add grace to; adorn:

to favor or honor:

to grace an occasion with one's presence.

 

I want to pause and just think about how many but different ways we see grace in this fire encounter. 

1.           God saw the beauty of the situation
2.           God saw the beauty and favor of the three men and their obedience
3.           He favored them but also chose to join them
4.          He granted mercy, by freeing them and protecting them in the fire
5.           He displayed his unmerited love not only to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, but also to the king
6.           His presence and influence strengthened who the men were in him.  The fire experience took them to a higher level of God’s excellence in their life.  Excellence is not perfection but reaching an improvement of character and favor.
7.           His presence showed how much he adored, favored, and loved them.
8.           His presence, favor, and love not only was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego but also with the king.  He showed mercy and favor that the king did not deserve.  There was no level or time to find a level of perfection in hopes to earn God’s favor.  It was used to bring him to acknowledgment and repentance.

After thinking about these thoughts, I was taken to a verse God has been keeping at the front of my mind, but this time to show me something different.  2 Corinthians 12:9 (familiar verse) says, Each time he said, “My grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness.”  I am quite sure, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego might have had weak knees.  They made a choice not to let their feelings and weakness of feelings to change what they chose to believe in who they knew God was.  God was making them stronger in the fire.  They had a confidence and gift of faith in the God they served.  They chose to face with boldness, courage, and strength.  They did not let fear, or doubt whether God would deliver them change their belief in the God, they served (no matter if it did possibly give them weak knees so to say).  God strengthened them in the fire to prepare them for their next assignment.  God’s grace was all they needed.  In probably trembling knees they waited on God.  He renewed their strength to a level of excellence.  They mounted up walking in and out of the fire freely and unburned or smoked.  (Isaiah 40:31).

I have recently been finding myself facing the edge of the fire while dealing with some health flare-ups/ relapses.  Wrestling with feeling defeated and discouraged while standing at the fire’s edge.  There have been days I was unable to do anything within my own strength.  I would see my day as being wasted and consumed by the smoke and fog in my brain.  There was nothing I could do in those moments to try to earn God’s grace or favor.  He says in Ephesians 2:8 God saved you by his grace when we believed (not felt).  And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  My ability to accomplish things or have desired perfection in my thoughts could not and would not change how much God’s adored thoughts toward me.  On my worst days, he says look at my child with who I am very pleased with.  He was saying that in Matthew 3 about Jesus.  However, when we make the choice to become part of his family, we too are his children and he is very pleased with us.  On our days, when disappointment, discouragement, frustration, all set in He looks down and says how much favor and adoration he has for us.  It is in our weakest moments, that if we just pause and just choose to pick up our head with confidence we can see and receive mercy and grace in our struggles and fire.  The king could not help but see the confidence God gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego and he too received God’s mercy and grace.   Trust in the Lord.  Find your strength in him (even in the fire).  He is preparing you for your next assignment to excellence and soaring high like eagles with him.  He wants us to pick up our head and see him in the fire with us because his presence never leaves nor forsakes and abandons us. (Is 40:31)   He says I have all you need, and my favor, love, and adoration are upon you.  Be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1

Joy In The JOurneY

 9-6-2020

God is so good!  I was able to do something today that I have not been able to do in several years.  I was able to walk the furthest I have walked.  I was able to go hiking with a friend.  Not one trail, but three!  I am not only proud of myself, but so proud of living out God’s healing and testimony in my life.  I am regaining my life in so many ways.  He took a mess and is writing a message.  He takes broken pieces and creates masterpieces.  I am one of those who get to live out a life of his redemption, love, and healing in so many areas of my life.  I am one of those that pain has a purpose and a promise for his plan.

I remember so clearly God telling me that he was going to healing me in layers.  How nice it would be for it to all come at once?  By him taking me through this layering process so much more has happened as a result.  Not only in physical healing, but heart, and emotional healing as well.  He says in Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper not to harm.  Plans to give you hope and a future.  We may not always see or understand God’s plan.  We may not even like it at times, but it is all necessary for the greater good of his plan for our life.

It was 6 months ago, I was still walking with a wheeled walker.  I remember being at a night of worship with some friends, as I said to my one friend, I want to walk so bad I can almost taste it.  She said let’s do it!  As she took my hands to steady me, walking backward as I took steps to walk forwards, I started in faith and prayer taking the first steps to claim healing in my ability to walk again.  There had been some bumps in the road, but I held onto the promise and never gave up, what I knew God set out and was doing in my life concerning this area.  A month ago, I could only reach around 2000 steps a day.  Two weeks ago, I managed to walk a little over 4000 steps.  Today, I went well over 8000 steps.  I am feeling it, but feeling it never felt so good.  It stirred things up, but faith and healing are not based on feelings, but clinging and be grateful for the promises of God. 

If I could offer one thing in a quote/s I like so well, and it is this.  I am not where I am going, but I am not where I was.  Rearview mirrors are only to view how far you have come, not windshields to view your past.  Your life and/ or your health may seem like nothing but shattered pieces, but God…  There is JOY in the JOurneY and you are in the middle.  You are not where you were, and you are not where you are going.  Stop.  Take in the beauty of the lessons and gifts he has for you along the way.  Don’t be afraid of those he may remove because he has someone better.  I have lost many friends and relationships, but I am even more grateful at the ones he has in my life now.  Flowers are not so beautiful when they get choked out by the weeds.  The weeding process may be painful, but it beautifies the garden God is growing through you.  Enjoy the journey and praise along the way.

Caught In The Web

9-2-2020

I have to admit this post is not coming easy to write and comes with much procrastination on my part.  It all started as my attention was drawn to a spider who has a web outside my window.  I found it interesting to watch how quickly the spider rushed to securely wrap its prey in the web.  It can be seen as the black dots on the picture.  I love to watch and see the intricate details of things in God's creation and what there may be to learn from such observations.  It seemed I was given this vision almost immediately that I found somewhat troubling.  I asked God what is it you are showing me and telling me.  If you ask him, don't be surprised by his answer whether you like it or not.  I admit I don't like this one, yet I am not surprised.  I think sometimes those hard things he shows us can easily take us in the wrong direction if we let it.  It has for me at least.  That is not part of his plan.  These things are meant to grow us, stretch us, force dependence on his truths, and find spiritual balance in our lives.

So back to the vision and the different key aspects he showed me concerning the spider and its web.  This may come as a harsh reality, but I want it to be a warning for my own heart and soul as well as for others who may need this.  

How many times do we really see spider webs without first noticing maybe the things that may be trapped in them, the dew resting on them, or eye captured glisten from the sun hitting it just right, or maybe from the spider itself?  The vision I saw was so many walking into the spider's web of deception by their view on other things around them.  Before they know, the spider scurries down the web from hiding to wrap them and bind them in the entanglement of lies and deception.  Unless someone steps up with the skills to save the spider's victim by tearing away the web of lies and demonic deception, they succumb to their own death.

In my asking God what all this was supposed to tell me, he gave me some very clear warnings and pictures of what is going on along with some verses he pointed me to.  

We are now living amongst the spiders.  We have watched the eggs hatch and more spread out around us.  We see the spiders but have become blinded to watch for some of their webs they are making before us.  God is calling for us to pull out his light of truth to illuminate the deceptive webs that will entangle us.  Isaiah 59 gives us a clear picture of what is before us.  In verses 5-6 it says 

They hatch deadly snakes and weave spiders’ webs. Whoever eats their eggs will die; whoever cracks them will hatch a viper. 

6 Their webs can’t be made into clothing, and nothing they do is productive. All their activity is filled with sin, and violence is their trademark. 

We see so much of this going on and sadly we are seeing it in the churches.  We are falling into the web of fear and lies and choosing to eat and partake of the dictated menu before us instead of the meat of truth of God's word.  The government has told churches and people to cower in fear and not look for the webs being placed in front of them that will capture their freedoms to worship and preach God's truths.  The government has made you a dinner it wants you to eat filled with mind-altering poison  One bite of their poisonous eggs that were eaten and we watched vipers and spiders being released at a rapid and destructive rate.  However, many are still choosing to be caught in the web of fear for the sake of the gospel.  Many are choosing to be caught in the web of deception and lies laid before us.  If we don't start picking up our flashlight of God's truths to illuminate the webs being made rapidly before us, we will be caught in the entanglement of their plan only to be eaten by the spider satan himself.  Many will be caught in this web who proclaim Christianity but will succumb to death of a mark from falling prey to a web of lies and deception.  Churches and Christians God is calling you to not get caught in these webs, but to go out with your light and sword and start standing in the truths of his word, cutting away the web of lies and deception entangling others with his love and truth to save others from the death trap of the spider's web.  

In Job 8:14 says What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider’s web.  What are we trusting?  What are we relying on?  Are we trusting the fragility of life and government?  Are we relying on the deceptive lies of the spider's web being set before us?  

Isaiah 22:2 says Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem?

John 14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.

Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Psalm 56:11  In God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?

If we say we trust in God, then what are we fearing and teaching others to fear?  I believe God is not saying all of this to just me, but to others as well.  It is time to learn to really learn to stand and exercise God's truths and stand up.  Time to turn on our flashlights and not fear worship and church nor put restrictions for worship and church assembling.  Webs ensnare and separate and it is time to take down the webs, stand in the truth, and spread the light and truth of eternal life, not death.