SIFTED SAINTS

When we choose to follow the voice of God; it will not come without resistance.  Challenges, temptations, or circumstances will come to either destroy our vision or sharpen us to complete it.  So, what’s the promise God’s given you?  It’s important to write it down, memorize it, but it’s most valued when we believe it.  Satan’s going to try everything possible to sift you as wheat but Jesus is praying for you. 

It’s comforting to hear those words from others, “I am praying for you!”  It brings comfort, care, and reassurance.  Nevertheless, people may forget to lift me in prayer but Jesus NEVER will.  It’s a truly comforting truth of Scripture, Jesus prays for me.  "Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25.  Right now upon the mercy seat, He intercede on our behalf.  Although the enemy is trying to make sure our faith falters or fails; it can’t because Jesus is praying.  Jesus has faced our fears, faced our struggles, and faced our enemy!  So, He knows what it’s going to take to endure-prayer! 

 

 
"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22:31

 

Without prayer; we have no strength!  Without prayer; we have no power!  Without prayer; we are defeated!  Yet, the promise of Jesus is I have prayed for you!  Jesus knew the test of Simon before it occurred; He told him.  So, Jesus isn’t worried, confused, or scratching His head about your situation.  Jesus is already aware of Satan’s tactic in your life, so rest in knowing Jesus is watching with a careful eye.  As the old song says, “His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me.” 

If your faith is never tried, you will never have a testimony to declare or a song to sing.  Faith isn’t made for the weak of heart; it’s what makes a true heart of a believer.  Mouth of lions can’t be closed if we never stood in the den.  Stepping out of the furnace can’t be true unless we been through the fire.  Your faith isn’t going to burn out; it’s going to be used to pour out the greatest worship song!  What’s the promise God has given you?  Go back to the day!  Stand firm in knowing God’s Word will NEVER come back empty; it can only accomplish what He desires. It will not be voided or changed. 

“So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” "For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:11-12

Trials and test come to mature us, to bear good fruit, and show we belong to Christ.  We are not greater than Our Master, so we will suffer for loving Him.   Nevertheless, the most important line of communication must be with the Father, we can’t stop praying! Jesus didn't stop praying even before He was to be arrested in Gethsemane.  Sadly, He called for the prayers of His followers who were sleeping.  However, if no words come don't be alarmed.  God hears the most sincere prayers even if no words are spoken. We don't have to use words; tears are an expression from the heart. Jesus wept, felt forsaken, and asked for this cup to pass; He was human just like us. Yet, the most important truth: Jesus expressed it all to the Father.  Sifted saints can testify of the power of God, the presence of God, and the promises of God.  It’s not just for reminiscing it’s for declaring to the body.  Why is the book of Psalms so dear to the heart of believers?  It's a collection of praises of a person who has sang our song!  Psalms actually means "a melody of praise" in the Hebrew.  So, pick a Psalm!  Declare the praises of God again!  If you can't pray it through; sing it through! 

As Jesus speaks to Simon beforehand about the trial of Simon he is about to face, He knew the outcome.  May it comfort your heart; Jesus already knows the outcome of your trial!  So, when you come out on the other side share it with others.  Testimonies are useless without a story to tell.  So, what’s your story?  Can you recall a time of God’s deliverance in your past?  Well, the story is still continuing! So, don’t get hooked on the back pages, keep turning the pages, God’s still writing!  It’s going to have moments of suspense, moments of failure, but always moments of triumph! 

 

 

 

Written On the Capsule of My Heart

                                                                               
 Above my desk, I have a cork board of promises.  All of the promises are scriptures, confirmations, and dreams spoke from God about my life.  It’s a daily reminder of God’s spoken promise to me.  It wasn’t spoken through the mouth of man; it was spoken directly to my heart from God.  As each promise was spoken into my life; I have written it upon the capsule of my heart.  Deep within my soul I hold tightly to those precious promises; only shared with a select few.  Yet, the promises are held within the hand of God to fulfill them.  As the sparkle in my eyes eagerly awaits the fulfillment; God’s preparing my life for it.  As each day dawns, my life is challenged to grow for God’s call.  All of preparation comes through trials and tests, lessons of my past, continued prayer, and education from different seasons of my life.  All of seasons hold different lessons to prepare me; each one molds the dream to reality. 

     When I am too weak to fight the good fight of faith, God reminds me who I belong to.  When I walk in the midst of trouble, I can still have peace.  I can’t escape Him because the love of my devotion runs deep, the cross keeps me anchored.   The promises of God will be fulfilled because He spoke them.  I can’t force the promise to appear, God’s timing produces the blessings.  God never disappoints us; He will never fail us.  Our best intentions is what God has for us, it’s one of the beautiful benefits of belonging to God.  

Often we get impatient for God to move within our lives, we don’t see the evidence of our faith.  It’s during the waiting periods; we learn to trust God with the outcome.  We can’t have a harvest without a seed planted or tending to the field, it does require our actions.  Our faith contributes to the outcome but we can’t force the seed to grow.   When we have done our part; we have to trust God with His.  The walk of faith starts with a relationship with God but it’s nurtured through love and trust.   The experiences of life will eventually test our faith but God will bring loving assurances to protect it.  When we are tested; we must be faithful.  We can’t stop being faithful because of the length of the trial or the period of waiting.  Our faithfulness will declare our devotion, so God will entrust us with more.  Faithfulness produces the reality of dreams but the timeframe belongs to God.  God’s dreams for your life will be fulfilled; that’s a guarantee.   It’s time to write it down upon a tablet to hold unto.  

Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.  For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not be proven false.  Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” ~Habakkuk 2:2-3

Also, meditate upon those moments to build your faith of God’s promise.  Carefully listen to Gods’ voice to guide your steps, realize life’s difficulties produce opportunities for growth, and faithfulness produces blessings.   

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” ~Psalm 32:8

 Recognize there is a cost for God’s dream, a person cost.  It’s a cost of sacrifice, being misunderstood, trial’s to falter your faith, and even persecution possibly from family.  The journey of life will prepare you for the dream but your faith in God will fulfill it.  Although his dream saved the lives of Israelites; his dream came with a price.  Although he was deeply loved by his father, he questioned and rebuked his dream.  Out of jealous for their father’s love and his dreams, his own brothers sold him into slavery.  As he entered the home of Pharaoh’s officials, the Lord granted him success.  Yet, the enemy tempted Joseph’s commitment to God through Potiphar’s wife.  Although he did nothing wrong; he went to prison.  Joseph was favored with the prison warden who gave him certain responsibilities for the jail.  Each experience brought Joseph opportunity to be faithful, so he was granted favor with God and man.  Although the prison doors held his life; it didn’t stop the preparation or withhold opportunity to be used. 

     As the story of Joseph’s life unfolds in scripture, it’s not an easy journey.  All of the obstacles didn’t prevent the fulfillment; it prepared him.  Only in the capsule of his heart could Joseph hold unto the promise, God’s promise.  A dream spoken into his life at the age of seventeen; it wasn’t fulfilled until he was a man.  As the dream started his life’s journey; the understanding came from a personal relationship with God.  What brought Joseph out of jail?  It wasn’t the dream but the ability to interpret dreams, a gift from hearing God’s voice. 

     Joseph had to develop his relationship with God; it’s what brought his deliverance.  So, remain faithful in your devotion to God.  Our God never sleeps or ignores the details of our lives; He is acquainted with them all.

“Yet what is due me is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God."~Isaiah 49:4

PURPLE SOCKS

     Since I was a little girl, purple has always been my favorite color.  Purple is still feminine but it’s not so “girly” as pink.  When I think of pink, it reminds of the little girls with pig-tails and ruffles who are afraid to get dirty.  Throughout my childhood, I was a tomboy until I recognized this cute boy at school.  Only in my adolescence, I discovered make-up and curling irons.  It was a complete challenge to transform my hair but I really learned more about myself.  Something unique most probably don’t know, I enjoy looking beautiful for my husband but I enjoy getting my hands dirty.  If you want to knock down a wall of your house, remove tile, or remodel, I am your girl.  I can make a mean lasagna, bake cookies, and love to fix stuff.  Most of the major tools in my husband’s toolbox, I can advise what it is.  It’s funny though.  Although, I am married to a maintance man, I usually fix it myself; my husband’s a major procrastinator.  It’s a personality trait of his; I am trying to be patient with. 

     As I have matured, I have learned it’s not about the great hair styles or wearing mascara, it was about learning what makes me beautiful.  As I re-discovered myself, I learned a precious truth, God made me precious.  I am an original.  Although we are all different, I can still be unique.  My worship, my service, and life can still be a precious fragrance to offer God, it’s my own.

     At this moment in my life, I expected to be fulfilling God’s call upon my life.  So many nights, I have stayed awake to imagine the millions of souls who found Christ or were healed during a service.  Just in awe, of the Spirit moving so strong all who are sick start to walk, run, or see for the first time.  So, many stories I have read of past revivals or those who walked in the Spirit with such an anointing, it’s creating a hunger for a deep move of God.  Before I leave this earth, my prayer is to see God move as I have read about.  Also, to see all of God’s written promises fulfilled in my life.  What a beautiful moment, I can’t wait.

     Although I clearly know my destination, it’s the overwhelming details to get there.  When will I get there?  As my children scream in the back of the car, “Are we there yet?”  “No, so stop asking me!” “When we arrive, I will tell you.”  Our children have to trust us to arrive to the vacation destination; they can’t arrive on their abilities.  Well, it’s the same with God.  We can’t fulfill God’s desires for our lives on our own abilities; we have to ride together to the location.  God is preparing us; we have to allow Him to drive.

     Recently, I was allowing the enemy to speak a terrible lie into my heart, I was a failure.  On Facebook, letters, and some phone conversations, I have learned about my friends who are successful and fulfilling God’s call.  It seems all of the doors are opening very quickly, while I am just starting.  Yes, we shouldn’t compare ourselves but I admit it, I did.  All of the voices of insecurities, doubt, and fear started to overcome my faith.  As I started to withdraw, my dearest friend confronted me about it.  She quickly realized the lie, so I could start walking the truth.  She is a precious gem, one of God’s precious daughters.  She challenged me to write all of God’s promises or goals in my journal.  As a declaration to God, I will trust until it’s complete.

 After the morning of our conversation, I did something very daring.  My work uniform requires a certain dress code; we are to wear white socks.  Instead, of the normal daily attire, I wore my favorite purple socks, as a reminder, God’s promise is coming.  When you think of the color purple, what’s the first thing to come to mind?  When I think of purple, I think of royalty.  Will I ever be a princess?  Although I have a prince, he isn’t from a royal family.  My husband will always be the love of my life.  He will always be, “my handsome” who captured my heart. 

     Galatians 3:29, "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."  Nevertheless, my heart belongs to the King of Kings, so by the blood, I am a princess.  Galatians 3:6-7, "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father".  So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir."  I am an heir to the throne of grace who has access to all of the richest treasures of Heaven.  The promise doesn’t become a dream until God grants it.  So, my King declared it, I wait in expectation.    

    

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