Dear all
What If?
I'm writing this mostly to hopefully help others if they have regrets that occasionally trouble them.
Now and again, I would think of an event in my life after being a Christian for a good number of years, that I saw as a big mistake which could have been a great and lovely blessing, had it been acted upon. When I had thought upon this at occasional times I would of course pray about it and say I was sorry to the Lord, but obviously it was no use dwelling on something that could not be changed and I had to move on. On just such an occasion a few days ago I began to think on this again and asked the Lord to help me with it as it could have been something lovely, and how could I get peace on this when others may have been blessed also.
George (my husband) began to speak, not knowing my thoughts or prayers of perhaps less than five minutes earlier.
George said "of course you know there will be a new heaven and a new earth".
I began to think on this and I believe that the Lord was speaking to my heart.
This life is temporary, a training ground to bring us up in the Lord, to teach and instruct us. Sometimes things go wrong, or we don't think we have done what we should and we can't change what is past, but the Lord wants us to LOOK UP.
MOVE ON, not to concern ourselves with what is past but to look to HIM for the future.
2 Corinthians 5
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Are we not today's ambassadors?
I believe that He is speaking to our/the church to MOVE ON
Phil 3 v 13
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
As has been said by others, I believe that the Lord is calling us to move on in Him, that this is our time.
There is NO better thing that I can give to anyone, whether relations or other, than the knowledge of His salvation and the preparation that He has for those who accept Him to be co-heirs with Christ.
Mathew 6 v 32-33
Mathew 16 v 26
Luke 12 v 17-21
Mathew 6 v 20
So now I have decided by HIS grace to seek His anointing to speak to my family, friends, acquaintances neighbours, because I know I can't do it of myself.
We can show them something far greater and permanent, (not temporal) than anything they can receive on earth, do we not realise that we are God's messengers here on earth. The gift of course is from God, but they have to hear of it and receive it.
How shall they hear except there be a preacher. Romans 10 v 14
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
He has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, His people, His children, to tell the world, with joy the GOOD NEWS.
But the way I have been thinking, because of the fear of man and that they do not want to know, that I would be almost apologetic for telling them the best news they could ever have. Eternal salvation and co-heirs with Christ. I need, maybe we need, to change our thinking, with regard to passing on the good news. There will be some that refuse to hear, just as they did in times gone by, but we speak for those who, like us, looked impossible but in their hearts they desire a loving God who will embrace them despite their faults.
Jesus, as we know always spoke that which was right and that which He heard from the Father. There were those who would not hear Him, and if Jesus was rejected by some, how much more are we likely to be rejected it does not mean that we have spoken wrongly. The Lord Himself will put us right if we speak out of turn.
We need to accept that we will be persecuted and move forward in Him
The scripture that we have had at various times over the years.
2 Chronicles 7 v 14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
We know that our sins have been dealt with by the cross, we have already turned, been cleansed and are accepted in the beloved through faith in the finished work of Christ.
But, prophets and priests of old would identify with their nation and repent on behalf of the nation. Dan 9 v 5, amongst others. We have had recently from different ones to humble ourselves and repent for our island, our hope is that the Lord will heal our land. We have had this scripture before as previously mentioned. But more recently the message to repent for our island has been repeated to us by different members of the church, "This is our time".
Maybe the Lord has had us on hold until now, but whatever the reason it would seem that He is calling us now to pray and speak to others of His great love.
This is our time.
If He is calling us to do this, He will supply all that we need to go forward. Our part to keep our spiritual ears open, wait and listen, be ready to move
Andre gave us a message when he spoke of the rewards of God, and of course the Lord says in Mathew 6 v 19-21
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
And Andre spoke of possible regrets in not fulfilling the Lord's purpose for our lives, this has been on my mind also, wanting very much to fulfil the Lord's purpose in my life.
I wondered if the Lord had put us on hold to prepare us for what He desires for us to do. I also was reminded of the following parable which encouraged me, because if that is the case, like many of us, I have been a Christian now for many years and don't want to miss out on His will for my life.
Mathew 20 v 1-16 The full parable, verse 12 was what I was reminded of how that those who wrought at the end of the day received the same reward as those who worked through the heat if the day.
Mathew 20 v 12
12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
Maybe our church has been put on hold to be prepared but it would seem from the message that is coming through that NOW is the time to move.
I hope that you find the above encouraging.
It is certain that we cannot save others any more than we could save ourselves, but God wants to use us to tell others of what Christ has done for them, we need boldness to speak, a love of the Father that exceeds our fears of rejection by others. Did Paul the apostle simply expect the anointing to be on the truth of the Word he spoke? He asked the church to pray that he might have the boldness to speak, but I can't recall where he asked the church to pray for the anointing, did he just expect that God would anoint His Word. If He asks us, He will provide.
Love in Jesus
Marion