There is a Time and a Season for Everything

 

IMG_0166Dear Father,

May I never cease to praise You for the works of Your hand, as I look at my garden in the autumn how it manifests not only Your glory but also Your faithfulness in the seasons of the earth.

Oh, Papa, as I place my life, body, soul and spirit in Your hands, the hands of the great Husbandman, may the garden of my life  also bring glory to Your name and display Your faithfulness in the changing seasons of my life.

Everything in my garden has a unique purpose, and therein lies the beauty and the glory for everything in my garden, that it fulfills its unique purpose in Your timing. All so different and yet all so beautiful.

Papa may I also bloom in my uniqueness in Your timing.

Dear Child,

Therein lies the glory that you bloom in your uniqueness, for then you are fulfilling the purpose of your creation.  

Watered from heaven, nourished by the Word, faithfully tend the garden of your life that the cares of this world and weeds of discouragement do not strangle and choke the potential bloom.

This bloom in all its beauty will bring glory to My name and testify of My faithfulness, just as your horticultural garden does.

                                                   Thus saith My Faithful Papa

Revelation 4:11  Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

 Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

CHALLENGE: You may be facing rare seasons that others have not had to face, but these seasons will bring uniqueness to the potential bloom and harvest of your life. So don’t labor or strive to bloom in someone else’s potential, but rather bring glory to His name by resting in His faithfulness as the unique flower He created you to be.

Get in Touch with God Daily

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You only gain confidence in any relationship by spending time with someone and staying in touch with them.

In the beginning we were created to have intimate fellowship with God but when Adam disobeyed he lost his confidence in his relationship with God and hid the intimate part of himself behind fig leaves. If you have disobeyed and have guilt and shame instead of confidence, run to Him not from Him. Strip off the leaves that the intimacy may be restored as you stand before Him naked with nothing to hide.

Dear Child,

Confidence comes from spending time with Me. As you spend time with Me you grow to know Me better, and as you know Me better, you have confidence in your relationship with Me.

Carnal confidence is the fruit of pride, spiritual confidence is the fruit of true humility, gained by recognizing your inadequacy while you are in my presence. Your confidence is not in self but rather in your relationship to Me. Be bold, be strong, for the Lord your God is with you!

                                                      Thus saith Papa

2 Corinthians 3:5  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

Isaiah 30:15  For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength:

 

CHALLENGE: If we lack spiritual confidence, we are not spending enough quiet time alone with our heavenly Papa.

 

A Heart on Fire for God

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Dear Child,

You praise Me not only through song but you praise Me everyday through your life by your words, your thoughts, your attitudes and your actions.

A heart of gratitude is a praising heart

A heart of humility is a worshipping heart

A heart of holiness is a regenerated heart

A heart that surrenders to My will is a trusting heart.

Thus saith Papa

Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me. Isaiah: 29:13

CHALLENGE: Is your everyday life only lukewarm or is it on fire for Him?

See Chapter Nine in “Developing a Secret History with God” to inspire you as you press into His presence with a heart full of praise.

Book available on Amazon/ Barnes&Noble/ Walmart/Lulu/ itunes/ Kindle/ Nook/http wwwclfrance.com/ W.H. Smith UK/or a bookstore near you.

Languages: English/ French

 

How do I Grow up Spiritually?

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Dear Father,

How do I grow up spiritually?

Dear Child,

1. BY FEEDING AND CHEWING OVER THE MEAT OF THE WORD THAT YOU MAY LEARN DISCERNMENT.

Heb 5:13-14  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Heb 6:1  Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

If you want to grow up and mature you must learn to discern between that which is done in the soulish realm and that which is done in the spirit. You can only learn this by meditating and feasting on the meat of the Word. You must invest the time to wean yourselves of milk and unto the meat which takes more time and meditation to chew over than milk which can more easily be swallowed and digested than meat. 

2. BY BEING OBEDIENT .

1 Sam 15:22  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. John 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments

I want a child who chooses to spend time with Me. I could have programmed you to obey and love Me, but this would not bring Me glory. Such obedience would have no spiritual value. There would be no fault or sin, yet neither would there be holiness, for obedience would be passive. I do not want automation. I want a child with a free will who will choose to love and obey Me.

3. BY BEING “BIG PICTURE” MINDED, THAT IS, BY SEEING THINGS IN THE LIGHT OF ETERNITY.

James 5:7-8  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

You are living in a culture where you demand everything NOW, you have forgotten how to delay instant gratification for your better good long term. You need to bring your soulish impulses under subjection of My Holy Spirit who not only knows your future but also holds your future. Impatience belongs to childishness not necessarily childlikeness. I have a lot of impatient childish adults in My Body, when I am looking for patient adult children.

4. BY NOT TAKING OFFENSE.

Psalm 119:165  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Luke 17:1-4  Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. 

Offenses not forgiven will be stored in the heart and will hold you captive as chains that tighten with each unforgiven offense. They will either be a trap and stunt grow or they will be an opportunity to freedom and maturity. How can you learn to forgive if you never have the opportunity to forgive? How can you be conformed to My Image without learning to forgive?

5. BY SERVING OTHERS.

Mat 23:11-12  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Breathe in My presence, that you might be refreshed and then refresh others, by washing their feet and refreshing them for their journey through life. Speak only words that will build up and be an encouragement. Continue to lead others on the path that leads to eternal life. Help the wounded that they in turn may help others who have fallen on the road.

Lead, lead the way by being a servant. Greatness in My kingdom doesn’t come from being served but by serving. In serving you are investing in My kingdom. That investment no man can steal from you, it is safe in My hands. 

6. BY ABIDING IN ME THAT YOU MAY MATURE TO THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.

John 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Abiding in Me is abiding in the Word for I am the Word, and if you do not abide in the Word, you can do nothing. Abiding is living with, you must live with and by the Word. Abiding is not just visiting BUT living with continually.

Abiding in Me is abiding in My Body. You can’t stay connected to the Head unless you are in the Body. Parts of the Body cannot operate in the Spirit apart from the Head. 

Abiding in Me is talking with Me. If you live and abide with Me you will converse with Me.

Without these you are not abiding, you are only occasionally visiting.

7. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, BY SPENDING TIME ALONE WITH ME AND BEING LED BY MY SPIRIT.

Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

That is the hidden Manna of your heart! Your secret history is that path I walk with you that nobody else knows of, that secret history is time spent with the one who knows you the best and loves you the most. Only I know all the motivation of your heart and thoughts, only you and I know your innermost being. Your history and communications with me, will be the path we can share, as I alone can deal with those motivations that are not of my Spirit, and daily transform you into My likeness as we spend time together.

                                                           Thus saith Papa   

CHALLENGE: Is your spiritual life only in survival mode? 

                    Which of the above areas have you neglected the most, resulting in stunted 

                     growth in some of your spiritual root structure?

My book “Developing a Secret History with God” will inspire and help you as you develop your root structure. See Amazon/Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

 

 

You may be your Own Worst Enemy

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Dear Child,

It is the  soulish nature of man that wants to pamper the hurting flesh.

It is the soulish nature of man who cries out for self-pity.

It is the soulish nature of man who seeks revenge.

It is the soulish nature of man who tries to save his life.

It is the soulish nature of man who fights for his rights.

It is the soulish nature of man who is the seat of pride.

It is the soulish nature of man that elevates the “me” in man.

It is the soulish nature of man who wants to control the mind with only thoughts of the “me”.

Put on the helmet of salvation that the mind may be brought captive to the mind of Christ.

When you squander your thoughts on negative, impure or selfish thoughts, you are in fact removing the helmet of salvation, leaving yourself  with no protection against the enemy using your mind to destroy you.

                                                  Thus saith Papa

The soulish nature of man is the fleshly ego which must be dealt a deathly blow if the spirit man is to survive, thrive and grow stronger.

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

2 Cor 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

CHALLENGE: I do not know the battle you are facing today but remember if you are going to have a victory in the spirit there must be a defeat of the fleshly soulish nature!