I had a grieving in my spirit today, a heaviness.
Actually for the last two days.
I shared my burden with a friend.
Turns out he's been feeling it too.
I have sensed that the Lord is grieved with His saints.
We see that time of the end is near and
we say, Maranatha, come Lord Jesus.
We rejoice in His coming.
But He is grieved in coming.
For He comes not only to gather in His saints,
but also to destroy the wicked.
The time of His wrath is near.
During the conversation with my friend
he said something I'd heard but not really understood
until today.
"The Joy of the Lord is our strength".
What does this mean?
Often we look at this as God bringing us joy to strengthen us.
While it may have that meaning it also says this;
we are strengthened when the Lord takes Joy in us!
Think about that.
Our strength doesn't just come from the joy He gives us,
it comes from the joy we give Him!
How do we bring joy to the Lord?
Well, the scripture says heaven rejoices
over one sinner who repents.
When is the last time you repented over something?
I see us sit in our spiritual high chairs
and we look down upon the wicked.
We see the evil in men and we judge it.
And then we go on to talk about
how this evil pervades the world.
No wonder the Lord is grieved.
Look at what our eye is upon.
We are too set upon looking at what's wrong.
Let me give you an example where I happened through this.
I had an exchange with someone on the Internet.
This individual is a proclaimed atheist.
I had been explaining to someone about
'mustard seed faith'
and how faith may start as a small seed
but once it is planted can grow into a mighty tree
like the mustard plant.
This man attempted to insult me
by telling me the mustard plant
isn't a tree but a bush and
that my analogy was bizarre to say the least.
And he added, interpret as desired
(meaning choose your own meaning),
under his comments about the mustard tree.
Not once but twice.
Now it would have been easy for me
to toss rocks back at this sinner (to stone him),
but in the middle of my reply
the Lord stopped me and showed me something.
My comments were about faith starting out as a seed,
this man's comments were in response
to a mustard tree being a bush and
adding the phrase (interpret as desire).
So I did, I interpreted the mustard tree as 'desire'.
Suddenly I saw it.
Delight in the Lord
and He will grant you the desires of your heart.
Have faith in God and believe
that you receive what you say,
doubt not and you will receive
what you desire when you pray.
In Christ the promises are not yea and nay,
but yes and amen.
Plant the seed of faith and
it will grow into the desires of your heart!
Suddenly what I saw in this man
was not his unrighteousness.
What I saw was God bringing me a word
through Balaam's donkey.
"Your faith will bring you the desires of your heart".
What am I laboring to say in all this?
Saints,
God is grieved with us
when we preach condemnation on the lost.
He takes no joy in that.
And that makes us weak.
God takes great joy in us when we repent,
when we see the wicked and pray for them.
When we see the lost and bring them the good news
about how Jesus loves them.
Have you prayed for someone you have contempt for?
If you have contempt for anyone
you should repent first and then pray over them.
This brings joy to the Lord.
Why? Because it is the man
who walks in unconditional love
(walks rightly before the Lord)
who can not be shaken.
Agape love, it perfects us,
it brings joy to the Lord,
it is our strength.
Saints, it is not about being right
(that's trying to live by the law).
It IS about being right hearted
(following the Spirit).
Whenever you speak consider the Lord present.
Will He be grieved by what you say,
especially when you speak about others.
Or will He take joy in your words?
You strength depends upon it.
{3:1} My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. {3:2} For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. {3:3} Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. {3:4} Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. {3:5} Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! {3:6} And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course ofnature; and it is set on fire of hell. {3:7} For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: {3:8} But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. {3:9} Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. {3:10} Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
James 3:1-10
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