Refiners Fire

Matthew 19:11-12 "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.  For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”


Hosea 2:19 "I will betroth you to Me forever."


Isaiah 56:4-5  "Thus says the Lord, To the eunuchs who keep My sabbaths, who choose the things that please Me and hold fast My covenant, I will give in My house and within My walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off."


Read Isaiah 54


Song:  Refiners Fire
Lyrics:  Purify my heart, let me be as gold, and precious silver.  Purify my heart, let me be as gold, pure gold.  Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire is to be, holy.  Set apart for You, Lord.  I choose to be, holy.  Set apart for You, my Master, ready to do Your will.  


I have been asked several times over the past couple of weeks about my decision to remain single and more specifically, my decision to "marry" Jesus.  The question is always the same, "Do you realize this means you can never marry a man?"  I will be honest, this irritated me terribly...at first.  Though now, as I have prayed and thought about it, I realize, most people will never understand this desire; nor can I expect them to.  Matthew 19:11, quoted above, is Jesus talking about eunuchs, (people who can't have sex, don't have sex, or don't get married) that not everyone can accept that there are some who aren't called to be married.  In fact, He says the only people who will accept or understand the word, are those to whom it has been given, or those who it is written about.  There are those who believe it to be true, and there are those who understand it.  That doesn't make single people any better or worse than married people, it's simply different.  


Being single is a huge responsibility, not to be taken lightly.  But, the position of single should also be given the respect that God Himself has given it.  Regardless of what our society and culture has taught us, being single when done to the glory of God is a great thing, and God has used those in the position mightily for thousands of years.  I encourage you today, if you are single only for a time, or if you have chosen to remain as such, God has great plans for you!  The place you are in right now is vital to the kingdom of God.  Please, do not look at this time of opportunity and responsibility as a punishment, or even a time to play.  God has something in mind for this time of your life!  The Bible says, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you".  He is refining you, changing you into the very image of Jesus Christ!  And remember, Jesus was single too!  


Now, to answer the question that has been asked, "Do you realize this means you can never marry a man?"  I do.  But, that's okay.  The Apostle Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians 7 that he wants us to be free from the anxieties of marriage; so, if you're able to withstand the temptation to have sex, then stay single.  Note, the Bible says, if you can withstand the temptations, not, if you are never tempted.  As Christians we have one unified ultimate goal, regardless of our calling.  That is, bring glory to God in all that we do.  Obviously, if you are married, you have to think practically about taking care of your family.  However, as a single person, there is no one needed to put before yourself daily but God alone.  You are free to do whatever God has laid on your heart to do, with no one else to be concerned for.  In fact, God's glory becomes the only concern.  


My Love,
I lift before you all of my single brothers and sisters.  I praise You Lord that You have created each of them for such a time as this.  Lord I ask that You would reveal to each of them Your desire for their particular season of singleness.  Lord, please show them a vision of what You want to do in their lives, and Lord I pray that You would grant them a clear understanding of who they are in You as a single person.  Lord please wrap Your arms around each of them and bless them in over abundance with the feeling of Love.  Help them to see Lord that You are the greatest Love, because You loved us first.  Thank You Lord that You have loved me despite my many flaws.  Help me to utilize every second for Your glory.  Let me not grow weary in the refining process Lord.  I love You!!!
In Jesus mighty and precious name I pray.
Amen

Do you smell the rain?

Matthew 16: 2 - 3 “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.


In light of the recent tragedies in Japan (which also affected many other places) I felt the need to take a minute and talk about the reality of the times that we are living in.  Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, God has promised to "tell [us] the future before it happens" (Isaiah 42:9), let us not miss the "signs of the times" (Matt. 16:3). There were 68 earthquakes in 2010, 49 of which were greater than 6.0.  There have been 18 this year so far, 13 of which have been greater than a 6.3.  Not to mention all of the tsunamis in the past few years along with the wars and protests (causing civil wars) all over the entire world!  Our world seems to be in utter chaos!  


I am of course not sharing this to frighten anyone.  Rather, to remind all of us, including myself that God has not fallen off of His throne.  He is still in control!  Not only is He aware of what's going on, but He has allowed it for a reason.  My personal opinion is two fold.  I believe this is yet another wake up call to believers all over the world to wake up from our slumber and get back to work!  I also believe these things are part of the end time prophecies talked about all through scripture.  Brothers and sisters, we need to utilize this short time we have left!  The fields are white with harvest, let us not waste our time, let us move!  


My Love and my God!
I lift you up tonight.  Thank You for Your hand of mercy, that it has been outstretched this entire time, and even now when everything "looks" bad to our mortal eyes, your hand is still outstretched.  We thank You for this!  Lord, please walk with the people of Japan, show Yourself strong on their behalf.  I pray Lord that these events will bring many people to You.  Lord I know that even through this,  Your glory will be made known!  Lord, please give us the ability to act as You have called us.  My Love, please show us when we are to step and when we are to stay still.  Lord I pray that You will protect those believers specifically in Japan right now, that they would have the ability to freely get from place to place and person to person to share Your good news.  Lord, I thank You for Your amazing plan in all of this.  Oh Lord, please bless the people of Japan with ears to hear and eyes to see!  Thank You Father!!!
In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the name that is above ALL other names I pray!
Amen

The real question is: Are you ready to be a helpmate?

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a "Love is long-suffering, it is kind, love doth not envy, love doth not vaunt itself, is not puffed up, doth not act unseemly, doth not seek its own things, is not provoked, doth not impute evil,  rejoiceth not over the unrighteousness, and rejoiceth with the truth; all things it beareth, all it believeth, all it hopeth, all it endureth. Love doth never fail".

This post is written to my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ who want so desperately to get married! All I have to say is, I hear your desire loud and clear!!!  BUT....are you ready?  Have you thought about what marriage really is?  Is marriage what you want, or is it a romantic wedding you truly desire?  

These aren't questions asked to deter anyone from wanting to get married.  On the contrary!  I think marriage is wonderful, and I would wish anyone desiring marriage the best of blessings in finding the spouse God has hand crafted just for you.  However, I do realize that there are many in our society that have no idea what real love is.  Love is living the life of a servant, joyfully!  

I know when looking at my own life, anytime I have ever fallen into a pit of I-wish-I-was-married-already-syndrome, I was always looking at marriage and love from a selfish perspective.  "My future husband will always be thinking of me.  He will always want to tell other people how much he loves me.  When my back hurts he will want to massage my back.  He will care when I'm sick".  You name it, I thought it.  Did you notice none of those things consisted of me wanting to serve him???  They were all about him serving me!  I can look back at those times of ignorant bliss and laugh, because I'm not married feeling let down because those things didn't pan out.  But the fact is, there are millions of people getting married for these same and similar reasons.  Somehow, a spouse will improve their life.  

But, I realized something tonight.  The desire to be married isn't about meeting someone who fits your checklist.  The desire to be married is about finding someone you want to serve, someone you want to help in their serving God.  Finding that "one" is about finding the person you want to be a helpmate to.  There is a scripture in the Song of Solomon that says, "do not awaken love until it is time".  I think that can be applied here.  Love is so much more than a feeling or attraction to another.  

My Love,

I lift up my brothers and sisters to You.  Lord, please remove any and all desires that are not of You.  Father, please reveal to them the absolute truth about their own heart and desires.  Father God, I pray that when love is awaken in their hearts, it will be to the one they have been called to help.  I pray blessings on the relationships that are already formed, and I ask Lord that You would be the number one topic on each persons lips.  I pray Lord that You would be the lover of their hearts, the one that provides them with their security and comfort.  Lord, I also lift up to You those who are completely single.  Lord, please bless them to overflow with Your presence.  Father, please guide their hearts into absolute submission to You, and Lord, I pray that their hearts would stay focused on You.  Remembering that if they seek You first, You will give them their hearts desires!  

Thank You my Love!  In Jesus mighty name I pray,

Amen

Love encounter with Jesus

Song of Solomon 8:6 "Set me as a seal on thy heart, as a seal on thine arm, for strong as death is love, sharp as sheol is jealousy, its burnings are burnings of fire, a flame of jah" - youngs literal translation

Song of Solomon 8:7a "Many waters are not able to quench the love, and floods do not wash it away."

Song of Solomon 1:2-4 "Kiss me and kiss me again, for Your love is sweeter than wine.  How fragrant Your cologne; Your name is like it's spreading fragrance; no wonder all the young women love You!  Take me with You; come lets run!  The King has brought me into His bedroom".  -NLT

Two songs I suggest.  These songs really speak to the heart.  They aren't convicting, they are absolute love songs from God to us.  Completely heart wrenching!  Listen, you will love them!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3spvQYlB-I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC1ec-lYps&feature=fvwrel

I feel very blessed today.  The past couple of days have been really difficult for me, but I have felt the presence of my Love the entire time!  It is an unbelievable feeling to know that our God and maker is also the one who calls Himself our husband.  I have no great lesson I have learned.  I am just in awe at who He is, and I wanted to tell someone.  So here I am, telling you, hoping that God will speak to you through my daily music regimen!  

Sisters and Brothers, Jesus loves you so much.  Man, if we could all just gain the slightest understanding of how much He really does love us, I don't know that we could take it!  His love is so perfect and immeasurable.  Oh He is so amazing!!!  

My Love!

I lift up all of my friends reading this.  Please bless them with an increased knowledge of You and Your love for us.  I thank You for that my Lord.  

In Jesus precious name!  Amen!

Love Sarah

"The Love of God changes us, we are never the same after the Love of God"- Kim Walker

Established by the Lord?

Psalm 37:23  "A man's goings are established of Jehovah; and He delighteth in his way."

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart and lean not upon thine own understanding: in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end."

Today was just one of those days!  I could not have been more frustrated, or more annoyed.  It was a difficult day.  I worked a very short shift, only 4 hours, but in that short 4 hours my spirit was attacked over and over and over again.  They started out as small things, getting stopped by a train causing me to be late for work.  But they got worse, quickly.  I received a phone call giving me some difficult news about a past financial decision I had made, (and forgot about) pay or get sued was the bottom line, my fault, I should have kept better track.  But, the list continues!  I was yelled at by a co-worker for the schedule I made, she simply didn't like it.  Well, upon further investigation, after she yelled at me, she was mistaken!  She was never scheduled on the day she thought she was.  By this point, I was completely shaken up!  But it was at least time to go home, but first I needed gas.  I went into the station to pay and I realized, I locked my keys in the car!!!!!  Seriously!  Once my door was finally opened (an hour later) I was on my way home, and I decided I wasn't stopping anywhere, I didn't want to take any more chances on anything else going wrong!  I was stopped by another train!

By the end of my day when I finally made it home I felt so discouraged.  It was such a bad day.  To make matters even worse, during the more difficult parts of today (like the financial phone call and the locked door)I couldn't help but think, "If I were married I wouldn't be going trough this.  I would have more money in my account and my husband would certainly know how to open my door!"  Grrrrrr....the enemy thinks he's so smart!  But our God is so much smarter!  I was quickly reminded of the scripture that says, "the steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord".  It was easy to think things would be better if only...  But the truth is, they would have been hard no matter what, and if I were married, I may have come home after all of that to crying children!!!  I have to be honest, I am glad that didn't happen!  

Here's what I learned from this emotional roller coaster.  One, today was a huge eye opener as to whether or not my decision to remain single was real.  It is!  Two, trusting God isn't something we do with our lips.  We can't just say that we trust Him.  We must prove it!  Not to God, He already knows.  We must prove it to ourselves.  Three, trusting God will never feel good!  At least, not while we are exercising the trust.  But it will most certainly feel good when it's over!

Is there anything that has happened either recently or far in the past that when looked at, you think to yourself, "I know God wasn't responsible for that"?  Truth be told, God is always in control, even when what has happened hurts.  He may not have been the one who inflicted 'it', but He most certainly allowed it.  I challenge you to look at the bad things in your life, and see the events that have come from that point.  What has God done through that event in your life?  Is there a purpose or someone or something good that has come from it?  Maybe even a lesson learned?

My Love,

I lift Your name up tonight!  Thank You for Your unending faithfulness in my life.  Thank You for days full of learning, days like today.  Lord, it was not fun to walk through, in fact, it hurt and it was hard.  However, I know that each tear that was shed you have captured and placed in a bottle, they were not tears shed in vein. You have good plans for me, You desire hope and a future for me.  Thank You!  Father I lift up those reading this and I ask You my Love, reveal to them an understanding of past events in their lives.  Show them Your purpose, show them the amount of thought and work You put into their everyday Lord.  Please grace their hearts with Your everlasting love!  Thank You Father!!!  In the name of Jesus Christ, the name that is above all other names I pray!  Amen!

"I have learned to trust God through it, and not for it" - Rebecca Lusignolo