Posted in Hiding His Word

Don’t Complain

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Don’t complain!!! Most especially don’t complain or murmur regarding leadership or align yourself with this form of rebellion. If you do, you are flowing in the same demonic spirit that caused the earth to open up and swallow a people. (see all of Numbers 16) This is how my morning conversation with the Lord and my daily Bible reading began.

“The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.” ~ Proverbs 11:6

“Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.” ~ Psalm 54:2

“And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing.” And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marveled. – Mark 15:3-5

“Then Pilate said unto them, why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly. Crucify Him. And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. – Mark 15:15

God has really let me know without a doubt that He has indeed given “ear to the words of my mouth.”  He has been speaking about my words, the words of others, and His Word.

He wants me to check and deal with what I allow into my heart, words of others and my own thoughts. He wants me to be careful and purposeful regarding what I allow myself to meditate on. The Holy Spirit has shown me specifics in my life that create and allow an atmosphere of sin to develop. This kind of environment breeds thoughts in my head and an attitude in my heart that eventually leads to words coming out of my mouth that displeases Him. I noticed while reading in Numbers that is said the sin of the “children of Israel provoked the Lord.”  I believe although He is a God that loves and is long-suffering, that we provoke Him so much. We grieve the Holy Spirit. I am incredibly thankful for His mercy.

Over the years I have looked back at my life and wished I could go back and make changes. Why??? Because I wish there had been a different outcome to some areas of my life because hopefully I would live my life for a different result.  I have regrets that involve every area: marriage, family, friends, money, job. Looking at ALL my regrets from this vantage point, it is easy to see where I took the wrong path that led to the undesired outcome. Hindsight is 20/20, they say…they are right. But it would be good if we could use our regrets to learn some valuable lessons.

We can never go back and change or take away, but we can from this moment forward keep the outcome in mind when we make our choices. Today is the day to stop living in the “past” and live our nows with eyes on the “eternal” and outcomes in the future that are pleasing…be it outcomes of good word or deed  or meditation. Today we can make choices that will bear for us reward or bear for us regret in the future. If we chose correctly on this day we won’t have to wish we had done something or said something differently tomorrow.

As it regards this, I need to make decisions that are very purposeful – based on the Words of the Bible and everything; even the words of my mouth and my thoughts should mirror a Christ like life.

When Christ did not address the Chief Priest or Pilate to address the accusations of the people, His silence was very purposeful. I also believe that Pilate surely came to a place of regret that he was “willing to content the people” when it came to his moment of decision. I think, if we aren’t careful we will find ourselves standing before the altar guilty of that same sin and it could be consequences of a snap decision that we did not think through before we spoke or acted. Always, always our words and thoughts and actions just must line up with the Word.

Each person will be accountable for their own words, thoughts and deeds and as it said in Proverbs today, transgressors will be “taken in their own naughtiness.”  We have definitely had our warning.

A few of the ways we use words that displease the Lord:

  • Words of unbelief
  • murmuring
  • leading others to murmur
  • slander
  • evil report
  • denying Christ
  • complaining
  • gossip

Thanks for reading. This is some of what the Holy Spirit spoke to me today through my daily reading of the One Year Bible.

So, what has the Lord been speaking to you today?

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Thoughts On Psalm 1

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalm one shows me that when God is my sole delight, He will become an endless meditation. That meditation will work in me a firm planting, an abundant yielding of fruit and a sustaining prosperity in my spiritual life.

I am encouraged today by this Word. I am encouraged to delight in Him alone, to delight in Him above everything; to delight in the sweetness of His presence and His empowering voice… so that He may work His work in me.

I am also reminded of this verse in John when I read Psalm 1 –

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. ~ John 15:5

Truly the blessed man of Psalm 1 has learned to abide.

May we be known and found standing and abiding on that judgement day! It is my prayer, Father…in Jesus’ Name.  – Amen!

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Offense

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

The Lord sure has been speaking to me from Matthew 24. The last couple of days it has been mostly on this one verse:

“and then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” ~ Matthew 24:10

If you read it in the context of verse 4-14, It is an important warning on offense. When the temptation to pick up offense presents itself it is time to stop it in its tracks or to flee it. You can’t afford to allow yourself to be offended or to justify offense…no matter the actions or words of others. I see in this verse – offense, betrayal, hatred = DEATH.  I also am struck by the word – many. Many will be offended. Will you be one of those many? Will I?

And, I hear the Lord saying, “BEWARE!!!”  

As I have meditated on this briefly tonight, I was reminded of these scriptures:

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ~ John 10:10

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ~ John 15:12

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.~ Proverbs 10:12

And above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves: for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins. ~ 1 Peter 4:8

The enemy seeks to kill, steal and destroy and he often uses people. These are the same people that we are told to LOVE!  You can’t truly love and have room in your heart for offense.

Father, You are opening this to me for a reason so Holy Ghost I ask you please help me to hear all that You wish to say. I ask You to show me areas of my life that I am holding onto offense and or anything rooted in offense that I may repent and be delivered from them completely with Your help. I thank you that on the cross you carried offense to the grave that I would have LIFE more abundantly. And, Lord I ask you to fill me, full and overflowing, with LOVE for YOU and YOUR LOVE for others! In Jesus Name! AMEN!!

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Dream of 2/13/2015

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

I had a dream. It has been awhile and so I am very thankful though it seemed rather simple and unfinished. Don’t you hate when you dream a dream with no clear resolution?!? Or was there???

I was in an auditorium. Not a comfortable, clean, modern auditorium but one like I went to in elementary school. Tri-Community Elementary. It was old in elementary school since it was also the school my mom went to as a girl. Much, much older now. I walked in and had the thought that there was a strange charm about the place. Maybe it was the age or the history. It was exactly as I remembered it as a child with the wood folding seats. Some of the seats missing and broken. The carpet was the same. The curtains the same. I was there for a conference and I was happy because it seemed most seats were full and everyone seemed so happy and welcoming. Though the interior was dark and felt kind of damp and there was a musty smell there was excitement in the air.

There was a time of praise and worship and it was simple and upbeat. I thought it was kind of short for a conference…usually they worship longer but okay. Then the first speaker got up and started speaking. He was talking and the people were attentive and “energy” (for lack of a word to describe) was building. As the speaker got into his message however I noticed something. I was having a hard time breathing because of something in the atmosphere. Mildew maybe? Oh well…I tried to focus on what was being said. I was listening and then I noticed….it was very subtle and almost indistinguishable to my ear. It was a switching around of words. Hmmmm….maybe I didn’t hear what I thought I heard. Then I heard something similar it was an absence of some things. Key things. It went on and what I heard I also saw with my own eyes. Clearly I saw a clear glass of mixture. Mixture! Except the two wouldn’t mix up if that makes since. Separation persisted though the speaker was stirring it with his words (and a spoon) as hard as he could trying to get it to mix up as though it were chocolate milk or something. I know it sounds strange but I heard the mixture and saw it clearly in a clear glass in front of me.

Well…then there was this bright light from heaven and it shone down and was so intense I couldn’t ignore it or dismiss it and I didn’t know how anyone was not seeing this light but they weren’t seeing it and the speaker kept on talking and people were clapping. But there was this light and I knew it was the Holy Ghost that said the next three words. He said so loudly I was sure everyone else heard it too, “FLEE DECEPTION DAUGHTER!!!!” And so I ran

Out the front door. I could breathe easier and I sat down on the old, cold concrete steps to wait on others to come out…and I waited and waited and waited.

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Write the Vision

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

I have given you this gift and it is your way of connecting with me and the world. Don’t worry about the critics and those that don’t understand you. Write what is on your heart. It is beautiful to Me. Don’t try to impress with your writing. You will move mountains if you let me take control of it. You will speak and preach but it will be based on your writing and something I give you. Come to me often and let’s get this started and flowing again. I never wanted you to give up writing. Stop being afraid of people knowing you and your heart. Your heart is beautiful to me. Stop bringing books into the prayer room. Just bring yourself, My Word, paper, pen and prayer shawl. Start writing and I will give you and show you My heart and your ministry.

______

I was just in Sam’s Club earlier this week and a man that I used to go to church with came up to me and said, “so I heard you were preaching now. Have you quit your job and started your church yet?!?” I said, “I am not trying to start a church. I am only trying to be obedient to the Lord and what He has called me to do.” He responded, “Oh we know what you are doing!” I smiled and gave him a hug. Said goodbye and Merry Christmas and left.

What?!?! Yes the Lord knows my heart, but sometimes I wish people did. I can’t be responsible for what people think or say but I can be responsible for my own stuff. There is a reason why the Bible says to write the vision and make it plain. So here is my vision that evolves daily but most of what you read here is the same you would have read 5 years ago:

I have never said to anyone ever that I wanted to start a church. I do believe in being faithful to the church God has place you in and I believe in supporting the vision of leadership and helping to build that Body of Christ there. Pastors are that leadership. If you aren’t supporting the Pastor(s) of the church you are set in you are in rebellion.

I have said to every pastor that I have had over the last 8 years that I felt called to preach. Some have given me opportunity and some have not but they all have known it. That is okay because it is God’s timing. He can open doors if He is ready. He can close doors as well. I want to preach because one day I was called! I was called in the middle of a Bible study with a group of ladies. It was later confirmed for me by the Lord during a joint Wednesday night Service that our church held at the Cramerton Presbyterian Church. My pastor at the time was teaching and discussing his own mother and her call to preach. I felt something I have never felt before and I can’t even explain it…it was a solid knowing and it was mixed with a while lot of holy fear.

When God puts a call on your life – you know it. I want to preach because of that call and because sometimes the Word burns in my bones and I feel like I might just explode from the inside. Maybe God will have me preach in a jail or on the streets or in the nursing homes. It is a knowing no matter how much or who comes against it…you still know. I felt the same way when I was called to Africa for a season. It hasn’t happened yet but I know someday it will because God spoke it into my spirit and He is not a man that He should lie. I don’t know when or how or all of the whys…I just know I am called to preach.

Preaching however doesn’t necessarily equate to being a pastor although I guess all pastors are called to preach. (Aren’t we all called to do that?) I am not preaching so that one day I can quit my job and make a “profession” of preaching… although many days I would love to retire and just be about other things. I think that and then He uses me right here in my own little world. I only want to serve the Lord. I want to do it His way…not my way, or my friend’s way…Just His. I found during my time of leading Bible studies that I was drawn to the ones that no one else seemed to want around or in their “groups” and they were drawn to me. The peculiar ones. The peculiar ones are very faithful. I believe that on Sundays we hear what the Lord has said to the pastors and I want to have a Bible study again like I once did on Monday or Tuesday because it is then that I want to hear what God has said to the rest of the Body— since He is speaking to all of His sheep. What has He said to you this week?

Just because I am to preach doesn’t mean that I don’t still believe I have a call to prayer ministry. It goes together and I believe in prayer more today than I ever have. There is actually still nothing I want more than to be a part of a community 24/7 prayer room. There are some of those out there but not in my community. Our communities need to be saturated in prayer. I believe all other ministry begins with prayer and ends with lack of it. I feel like God is going to use me in many areas but the Holy Ghost has drawn me to toward three specifics – prayer, healing, knowing the Word. I believe that preaching and teaching are part of discipleship and we are called to make disciples. I am a disciple of Christ and I am being “made” into a disciple by some very anointed Pastors and teachers and I pray one day I will look and sound just like them, not because of them, but because they look and sound and love like Jesus Christ. I can identify with Maria Woodworth-Etter and with Anna of the Bible. There you have it – straight from my pen. My “stuff.” Now you know.

Write the vision and make it plain : )

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Letting Go

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

Always toward the end of a year I evaluate. What have I learned this year? How have I changed, if at all?

This year I have come to a realization that as hard as I’ve tried to hold on I have lost several relationships and a couple of dreams that were very precious to me. Friends that were once close and likeminded are now acquaintances at best. Oh, I loved them so dearly and felt so invested in their lives. It is sad to know I have to just let go. This year I’ve also had to release a dream and a part of my business that I thought I never would have to see go until I decided it was time to. In this life we all need the graceful gift of good-bye.

Letting go is hard for me and for most of us, whether it’s letting go of a loved one, a dream, an expected outcome, business, etc. Life in this world seems to take people or things from us that we want to keep. I have asked God to help me to learn how to let go of them in my heart, so I won’t continue to feel such a hurt from the loss.

How do you let go of things or people you don’t actually want to give up? For me, I’ve struggled a lot with this. Although, I am introvert by nature, I highly value and am committed to the people in my life, even the ones who are on the fringe are important to me. I didn’t know it, but in my heart I was afraid of losing people and parts of my life. I needed to learn how to face the fear of loss and let go of people or anything else that I was holding onto out of fear.

What God has helped me this year to learn is to pray about it all. Pray about the relationships I lost. Pray about the things I lost. I would say to the Father out loud over each of those, “I let go of …” even before I actually did. I also waited on Him to reveal anything or anyone I was not conscious of that I was holding onto out of fear. As He revealed these people or things, I tried to respond. Sometimes in many tears but also in the most honest and sincere way I knew. Then I would say again to Him, “I let go of …”

As I did this I began to notice a difference in my peace of mind. The fear and feelings of being upset started dissipating. My vision concerning my own life and life around me broadened. The tunnel vision I was plagued with was gone.  I discovered what I thought was hurting and diminishing me was not that at all. That was a delusion. Do I absolutely need this person or thing to validate me, make me secure, happy, etc.? If the answer was yes then I believed a lie and that lie was causing me to fear. Sure, people or things can make us happy and give us a certain level of validation, security or whatever your need may be, but they can’t be the source of it. The Lord Himself is the source. Everything and everyone is a precious resource granted to us. Everything, even relationships, on this earth are the things seen as in 2 Corinthians 4:18: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

I began to see the privilege God has granted me. I was graced to journey with some awesome people and do some awesome things for a season, but now that part of my life is over and my journey continues. God has given me(us) a future and hope. We are being transformed and the world around us is changing. Just because something or someone was right for me in the past doesn’t mean that is still so.

I also discovered thankfulness plays a role in letting go. One night in the midst of one of my pity parties the Lord showed me what was a sign that said, “Thank You.” I closed my eyes and saw it again. I believe part of letting go is to be thankful for the people and things that made us happy and helped us to learn, grow and become more of our true self.  It’s the acceptance of everything and everyone we have been given, everything and everyone we once had in our lives, but also being thankful for the possibilities and hope and people that lie ahead.

The missionary and martyr, Jim Elliot, summed it up like this, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Corrie Ten Boom’s wisdom is also helpful. “I have held many things in my hand and I have lost them all, but whatever I have placed in God’s hand, that, I still possess.”

This year as I head into 2015 I head in with one of my greatest loss challenges right before me. It will be a time of prayer and fasting for me because surely if God has allowed such He has something much greater in store. I pray I learn to count all loss as dung as in Philippians 3:8: Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Posted in Hiding His Word

Meditations on Mark

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“And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it.” – Mark 7:35-36

It’s a mystery to me that sometimes Jesus told those whom he healed to go and tell others, and sometimes he told them to keep silent. The reasons for this are not always obvious from scripture, and I’ve read several commentaries that try to give various explanations. But all attempts at explanation aside, there’s one thing that I cannot get past- that disobedience to Christ, no matter how well-intentioned, is still disobedience.

I don’t want to read too much into this passage here. The man who was deaf and dumb was indeed healed by Christ, but the fact remains that Jesus kept ordering him not to tell anyone what he had done, but he just kept doing it.

Hendriksen takes a pretty strong view of the man when he says, “…it takes more than admiration and enthusiasm to be a true follower of Christ. Many Christ-admirers are lost. The true mark of discipleship is revealed in John 15:14, ‘You are my friends if you do what I bid you.’ The people were doing just the opposite.”

This takes me to a place of self-examination. Am I a Christ-follower or simply a Christ-admirer?

__________

“But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” – Matthew 10:43-45

This seems to defy human thinking. Just take a look at children, what do they do? They fight for the front seat in the car, they want the first piece and biggest piece of cake, they want to be the leader of the pack, etc. Our natural tendencies are not to sit in the back seat, but to drive the car.

Probably the most famous missionary quotes of the twentieth-century was made by Jim Elliot when he said “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Men and women who spend their lives in the pursuits of power and fame lose everything in the end. Those who seek first the kingdom of God and walk as Christ walked, serving others, gain everything in the end.

Lord, I pray that you help me to keep this in the forefront of my very human mind.

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Fruit

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

“And let our’s also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.” ~ Titus 3:14

As it regards good works, do you ever wonder what God thinks is unfruitful? Even if just unfruitful in your life? Some good works present themselves and it is easy to know what you should do. Other times choosing what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” to or walk away from is hard. Something I consider insignificant could be most important to Him!!

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Perfect Paths

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

The path the Lord puts you on is a perfect path!

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.” ~ Isaiah 30:21

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” ~ Psalm 16:11

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” ~ Proverbs 3:6

“Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” ~ Jeremiah 6:16

The path the Lord puts you on is a perfect path. It is perfect even though I surely don’t always remember that and some days I have to remind myself over and over. It is perfect though the scenery and experiences aren’t at all like I had once envisioned in my carnal mind. It is perfect though sometimes it feels like I am walking the path backwards instead of moving forward. And I wonder were these backward steps necessary because I got off His path somewhere or I did something wrong…or is this backward motion God’s forward after all?

I have asked for the “old paths, where is the good way” so I ask the Lord today to empower me that I would “walk therein” for “His Name’s sake!” Amen!

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” ~ Psalm 23:3