The Country HomeKeeper

These last few weeks have been pretty rough...major emotional turbulance I guess you could say. I could easily be overwhelmed with it all but God in His mercy, gives me the grace and peace which surpasses all understanding, and I am so thankful for it. Without the Holy Spirit, I would be overcome.

So back to my reason for writing:

God is so good to me. There I was yesterday, sitting in the van waiting on James while he went in the store and I just felt so overwhelmed with everything that is happening, like I could implode in seconds...

Have you ever felt that way?

I turned on the radio. A distraction maybe???

Nancy Leigh Demoss was speaking....I obviously caught her program at the very end but in those last few minutes, God spoke to my heart through the scriptures she was referencing:

"Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the Truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those that are perishing, whose minds the god of this world has blinded, who do not belive, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine on them...."

"For it is God Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us."

"We are hardpressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed--Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the life of Jesus also maybe manifested in our body...."

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment , is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

"For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens."

Most of us have a "temporal" mindset instead of an "eternal" mindset. We judge things and situations by what we see, the "facts" and looking at our circumstances that way makes it easy to lose hope....

When we have an "eternal" mindset, we see things in the light of the Christ's Sacrifice, for you and for me and everyone who will call on the Name of the Lord in repentance and surrender, and anything that might happen here in this world is a light affliction.

I have to keep reminding myself of that in the middle of a crisis....it's one of my weaknesses. I take the turmoil and I internalize it and ruminate on it until I'm just sick inside. The sad thing is that don't have to do that. All I need to do, and what I should do from the start is to run to my Father....my refuge and strength, a very present help in the time of trouble.

If we have surrendered our lives to Christ and are striving to serve Him with our whole heart, there will be trouble. Satan will see to that. If you're not getting hit with those fiery darts, then you must not be a threat to him. The Bible says he goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and redeemed saints that are striving to serve Christ are his main targets.

The Lord suffered persecution, the devil stirred the hearts of men until they hated Him and cried out for Him to be crucified. He had done nothing wrong... He was innocent of any wrong doing.

He said:

"The servant is not greater than the Lord, if they have perseceuted Me, they will persecute you".

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in Heaven...

We must be like Habakkuk who said in Chapter 3:17-19

"Though the fig tree may not blossom,

Nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail,

And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls--

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will joy in te God of my salvation.

The Lord God is my strength;

He will make my feet like deer's feet,

And He will make me whalk on my high hills."

The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4: 4

"Rejoice in the Lord always,

again I say Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be known to all men.

The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything, by prayer and supplication,

with thanksgiving,

let your request be made known to God;

And the peace of God,

which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren,

whatever things are true,

whatever things are noble,

whatever things are just,

whatever things are pure,

whatever things are lovely,

whatever things are of good report,

if there is any virtue and if there is anything praise worthy--

meditate on these things.

Father in Heaven--

You know my weaknesses, You know my frame and remember that I am dust... Help me to trust You for the outcome. Help Thou my unbelief, O Lord. I commit those I love to Your care and keeping, knowing You love them even more than I do. Draw nigh unto them, Lord and let Your light so shine upon them and let them love the Light rather than darkness. Break down the walls that the enemy of their souls has put up around their hearts and minds, in the Name of Jesus and by His Blood!