Indeed Satan has asked for you,
that he may sift you as wheat.
But I have prayed for you,
that your faith should not fail;
and when you have returned to Me,
strengthen your brethren."
-Luke 22:31-32
See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven."
Now this, "yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.
- Hebrews 12:25-29
For thus says the Lord of hosts: "Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory." says the Lord of hosts. "The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine," says the Lord of hosts. "The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former," says the Lord of hosts. "And in this place I will give peace," says the Lord of hosts.
- Haggai 2:6-9
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
- Matthew 3:12
For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.
- Amos 9:9
- Amos 9:9
But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
- Isaiah 43:1, 2
Certain friends of mine are in pain and hurting. They are in a season of sifting in which God is teaching them valuable lessons the hard way. Circumstances in their lives are happening not the way they planned or intended it, and I consider it a privilege to be an agent of healing in their lives, even without a full understanding of what is going on behind the scenes.
It is easy to point the finger, and accuse.
But I choose not to look at them with judgment or condemnation but to believe in what the Father is doing in this difficult hour in their lives.
Oswald Chambers says that the Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to correctly judge... for He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding.
I truly appreciate and agree with what he writes in one of his devotionals:
There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about,
in every person's situation.
From another angle, people have pointed out wrong and sinful responses. Their assessment seems correct, when things are viewed from where they stand.
But it is also true that there is another angle, and one more fact about them, which we know nothing about.
Abba Father alone knows the real score.
Dear friends,
It may be a painful season for you to be in, but Abba Father knows the real score.
May I be to you an agent of healing, understanding, and peace in the midst of what you are experiencing.
May your hearts be soft and pliable, tender and flexible in the hands of the Father.
May your healing process go deep, and may the restoration be complete.
May this result in a humble response of obedience and extending forgiveness to those who have wronged you.
Above all, may God our Father be truly glorified in all your responses.
The Journey
Now I'm struggling with what has always been
And I stumble underneath the load of sin
The questions to the answers never end
Can I ever find the peace within
But You loved me through it all
Your grace embraces me every time I fall
I know this is a journey
I can't walk alone
Carry me Jesus
I can't make it on my own
When I can't understand
You guide me by Your plans
Carry me Jesus
My life is in Your hands
When I think of how Your love has rescued me
On a lonely cross You died to set me free
Looking back it isn't hard to see
How Your loving arms have always carried me
Lord You loved me through it all
Your grace embraces me every time I fall...
Through the fire
Through the flood
Carry me Jesus
Surround me with Your love
When I'm broken
When I'm weak
Carry me Jesus
You're everything I need...
When I can't understand
You guide me by Your plans
Carry me Jesus
My life is in your hands
