An Interesting Time in the Lord

[MikeD]

Not long ago, I was on one of my trips down to a store in South Western Louisiana. Coming back, I decided to go a different way. A lonely stretch of road surrounded by rice fields and maybe a house or two now and then.

At one point, a rather large rat ran right out in front of me. My first reaction, Oh Lord! Looking back in the mirrors, obviously, all I saw was a grease spot in the road. Never felt it in the truck. Just knew I had hit the rat.

Later at home, received a notice in the mail detailing the upcoming Men's Encounter Weekend coming in Sept. The "theme" of the weekend caught my eye; KINGDOM REVOLUTION!

After reading this, the Holy Spirit laid on my heart, these are troubled times we live in. If I were to impulsively act of "something" to bring to me to what I consider BETTER PROVISIONS, or just a better situation than I'm in, because of the times we're in, if I act WITHOUT seeking the direction of the Lord, the only thing that will happen is, IMMEDIATE DESTRUCTION! In other words, I'd end up being just a grease spot on the "road of life" and no one would even notice!

HOWEVER! If I act according to God's direction in my life, not only will God provide provisions, but will ALSO bring REVOLUTION!!

Seemed as tho' the Holy Spirit was saying, "ready for a little REVOLUTION in your life???"

Oh how I am so ready for the REVOLUTION God is about to bring in this world. A REVOLUTION of pouring out His Spirit on the earth like never seen before. A REVOLUTION of the gathering of the Saints to the Lord in the air. O yeah, I'd have to say, I'm definitely ready for a REVOLUTION!!

CARE TO JOIN ME?????

[mattfivefour]

Wonderful post, Mike! What you wrote here—

If I were to impulsively act of "something" to bring to me to what I consider BETTER PROVISIONS, or just a better situation than I'm in, because of the times we're in, if I act WITHOUT seeking the direction of the Lord, the only thing that will happen is, IMMEDIATE DESTRUCTION! In other words, I'd end up being just a grease spot on the "road of life" and no one would even notice! HOWEVER! If I act according to God's direction in my life, not only will God provide provisions, but will ALSO bring REVOLUTION!

—is the secret of walking with the Lord ... at ALL times. A wise man walks ONLY as the Lord directs and will not proceed with anything without first TALKING to God, then WAITING to HEAR from Him.

The great C.H. Mackintosh wrote that "praying and planning will never do together" ... and indeed they don't. Only resting completely in God will produce the perfect result.

BTW, that quote from Mackintosh comes from his wonderful commentary on Genesis. Here is an excerpt from that commentary from which the quote was taken. It is eminently worth the read.

"And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him. Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed." But what does he first do? Does he at once cast himself upon God? No; he begins to manage. "He divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; and said, If Esau come to the one company and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape." Jacob's first thought was always a plan, and in this we have a true picture of the poor human heart. True, he turns to God, after he makes his plan, and cries to Him for deliverance; but no sooner does he cease praying than he resumes the planning. Now, praying and planning will never do together. If I plan, I am leaning more or less on my plan; but when I pray, I should lean exclusively upon God. Hence, the two things are perfectly incompatible; they virtually destroy each other. When my eye is filled with my own management of things, I am not prepared to see God acting for me; and, in that case, prayer is not the utterance of my need, but the mere superstitious performance of something which I think ought to be done, or it may be, asking God to sanctify my plans. This will never do. It is not asking God to sanctify and bless my means, but it is asking Him to do it all Himself.* {*No doubt, when faith allows God to act, He will use His own agency; but this is a totally different thing from His owning and blessing the plans and arrangements of unbelief and impatience. This distinction is not sufficiently understood.}

Though Jacob asked God to deliver him from his brother Esau, he evidently was not satisfied with that, and therefore he tried to "appease him with a present." Thus his confidence was in the "present," and not entirely in God. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." It is often hard to detect what is the real ground of the heart's confidence. We imagine, or would fain persuade ourselves, that we are leaning upon God, when we are, in reality, leaning upon some scheme of our own devising. Who, after hearkening to Jacob's prayer, wherein he says," Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children," could imagine him saying, "I will appease him with a present." Had he forgotten his prayer? Was he making a God of his present? Did he place more confidence in a few cattle than in Jehovah, to whom he had just been committing himself? These are questions which naturally arise out of Jacob's actings in reference to Esau, and we can readily answer them by looking into the glass of our own hearts. There we learn, as well as on the page of Jacob's history, how much more apt we are to lean on our own management than on God; but it will not do; we must be brought to see the end of our management, that it is perfect folly, and that the true path of wisdom is to repose in full confidence upon God.

Nor will it do to make our prayers part of our management. We often feel very well satisfied with ourselves when we add prayer to our arrangement, or when we have used all lawful means, and called upon God to bless them. When this is the case, our prayers are worth about as much as our plans, inasmuch as we are leaning upon them instead of upon God. We must be really brought to the end of everything with which self has ought
to do; for until then, God cannot show Himself. But we can never get to the end of our plans until we have been brought to the end of ourselves. We must see that "all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field." (Isaiah. 40: 6)

[jesuschangesall]

Wonderful post, Mike! What you wrote here— —is the secret of walking with the Lord ... at ALL times. A wise man walks ONLY as the Lord directs and will not proceed with anything without first TALKING to God, then WAITING to HEAR from Him.

The great C.H. Mackintosh wrote that "praying and planning will never do together" ... and indeed they don't. Only resting completely in God will produce the perfect result.

BTW, that quote from Mackintosh comes from his wonderful commentary on Genesis. Here is an excerpt from that commentary from which the quote was taken. It is eminently worth the read.

I could not agree more Mike and Adrian.....
WAITING ON GOD.......................man that is TOUGH STUFF!BUT essential......look at Abraham and his impatience..Ishmael came along and we still are paying the consequences..it is true though that THe LORD knowing in advance what was going to happen,made His Provision SURE and Isaac came and Praise The Lord...still..this waiting thing is TOUGH!
especially for me....i need ALL THE GRACE of THE LORD possible.....
a thought...
WAITING means to WAIT for the right time but also means SERVING THE LORD....so we should been SERVING HIM and say,LORD,I AM WAITING ON YOU :)......ok I flipped out as usual:)..

I NEED HIM,I NEED HIS GRACE!!!!:) I REALLY DO,please LORD.....

Shalom brothers..and sisters too!:)

[mattfivefour]

There was no flipping out there in that, bro ... your statement that "WAITING means to WAIT for the right time but also means SERVING THE LORD....so we should been SERVING HIM and say,LORD,I AM WAITING ON YOU" is right on target. Waiting indeed means serving! Serving faithfully, and trusting in Him to take care of our need.

[Meg]

To MikeD, very encouraging post! We have all been so hoping there will be one last really strong revival just before the Rapture! So yes, I do care to join you in the Spirit! Good man running down that rat too!

To Adrian, its still OK to pray about our plans, right?

[mattfivefour]

To MikeD, very encouraging post! We have all been so hoping there will be one last really strong revival just before the Rapture! So yes, I do care to join you in the Spirit! Good man running down that rat too!

To Adrian, its still OK to pray about our plans, right?

Yes. But it is always better to seek the mind of God first, wait for Him to reveal a way (either through circumstances or through a "word" into your spirit), and then proceed, following HIS plan not your own.

I believe Mackintosh meant exactly what he wrote—

"If I plan, I am leaning more or less on my plan; but when I pray, I should lean exclusively upon God. Hence, the two things are perfectly incompatible; they virtually destroy each other. When my eye is filled with my own management of things, I am not prepared to see God acting for me; and, in that case, prayer is not the utterance of my need, but the mere superstitious performance of something which I think ought to be done, or it may be, asking God to sanctify my plans. This will never do. (Prayer) is not asking God to sanctify and bless my means, but it is asking Him to do it all Himself. (No doubt, when faith allows God to act, He will use His own agency; but this is a totally different thing from His owning and blessing the plans and arrangements of unbelief and impatience.)"

As I have said before, when I have faced a fork in my road and am not sure of which fork to take and I have not received a clear answer by the time I need to make the decision, I sincerely remind the Father that I want His will not my own and, since circumstances dictate I must do something at this point, I will begin heading down the fork that seems the better one. but, I pray, if this is not the way You want me to go, then slam the door in my face. In fact, slam EVERY door in my face that opens to a way You do not want me to go. (I have had my nose flattened a couple times after praying that. ) If you really want HIS will, God will honor that and will close all the doors in front of you except the one He wants you to enter.

I have just moved through a similar situation and the dramatic and superabundant way in which God opened the door He wanted has taken my breath away. Vicki and I are just in total amazement ... and are praising Him for His goodness and grace! \o/

I hope this helps.

[Meg]

OK, thanks Adrian. I am in a holding pattern right now, just staying still, wanting to be sure before I make big decisions, indeed one of two serious choices. Thanks for your sound advice.

[myinnuendo999]

Wonderful mikeD when the Lord speaks to you and teaches you spiritual truths even God uses a RAT. Such joy fills my heart to hear such goodness in your life


Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

[fisher]

good to hear MikeD, stay tuned to the Lord, abiding obeying loving Him and acknowledging Him in all our ways!

the rat reminds me of like sheep we go astray, and sometimes get squashed. I like the vs in jeremiah the Lord saying-what do you see, I see a rod and staff and the Lord saying I'm watching over My word to do it..(from memory sorry) and in john He say's if we abide in Him and His word abiding in us. He's watching over us with his rod and staff to keep us from getting squashed.
Keep loving Him and I pray your fellowship with the Lord grows ever fuller! Rejoice in Him :))

[MikeD]

Kind, blessed comments, and I thank you all.

Yet, I would have to say, this sort of "thing" is starting to happen all over. People receiving revelations from the simplest things in life. People being shown the glory of God in every day life, the wonder of His majesty, and the ever present devotion of His love.

We are surely in the last of the last days. His love is being poured out for so many. All of creation, all of the written word, all of God's love for us is all being reserved for what's soon to come for those who believe in Jesus Christ. And we, of THIS generation, are allowed the blessed hope of witnessing His coming for us!!

Lord Jesus, COME QUICKLY!!

[mattfivefour]

I would have to say, this sort of "thing" is starting to happen all over. People receiving revelations from the simplest things in life. People being shown the glory of God in every day life, the wonder of His majesty, and the ever present devotion of His love.

We are surely in the last of the last days. His love is being poured out for so many. All of creation, all of the written word, all of God's love for us is all being reserved for what's soon to come for those who believe in Jesus Christ. And we, of THIS generation, are allowed the blessed hope of witnessing His coming for us!!

Lord Jesus, COME QUICKLY!!

Amen.

[GlennO]

I was confounded by how I could miss this post with Mike's awesome insights and observations.
Then I was comforted knowing ABBA is Sovereign, and I get what I need when I need it.
Thank you for sharing Mike

I totally agree that as a nation, we are entering a time of increasing weakness and vulnerability. This is the climate where it seems God is inclined to show His mercies and deal in a miraculous way. As the arch-type of the Laodicean Church, the USA has been self-sufficient, self-indulgent, and self-absorbed. IMO this leaves no room for the great I AM to show Himself strong to those who say they trust in Him. I am convinced He is has been (and continues) to deal in the supernatural whether it be spiritual gifts or outright raising the dead miracles! I believe we do not see such in the industrialized portions of the world. He is not our ATM or our “trick-pony”.
(Php 4:19) And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Oh how I am so ready for the REVOLUTION God is about to bring in this world. A REVOLUTION of pouring out His Spirit on the earth like never seen before. A REVOLUTION of the gathering of the Saints to the Lord in the air. O yeah, I'd have to say, I'm definitely ready for a REVOLUTION!! CARE TO JOIN ME?????

Count me in my Brother

[MikeD]

It's awesome to see folks saying, I'll join you in this "revolution". But, you know we'll all join in the one BIG revolution to come; the CATCHING UP! And being - on our way!!

One thing that is coming to my mind, more and more these days, especially as I hear people sharing what is being done for them and BY them in the Lord; this "mighty out pouring" of the Holy Spirit in the end times will be what you might consider a more INDIVIDUAL thing instead of a corporate event. At least, that's the way I'm beginning to see it.

In other words, God, by the awesome moving of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ, is turning on and turning up His BRIDE in this day and age to drive them to share more and more. Thus, more people are being touched by an outpouring of the sharing of the Good News in and of Jesus Christ. If there is ANYTHING that people need these days is, GOOD NEWS! And what better NEWS to share than the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ and His salvation!

[the stranger]

I know this fits in our walk with Christ somewhere, but I am still trying to fitit in.

Our family took a homeless guy into our house to hopefully get him up and running on his own. A job, a apartment, making his own living. Well, you get the point. Now ofcourse he had his faults, as we all do, but this one thing struck me among the most.

I, like many of you, have a busy life, and do not have time to babysit. Well, to make a long story short, he applied where I took him to apply, did what I told him to do, provided I was there to make sure he did it, but something was missing. His motivation


Not trying to get down on anyone, but apart from me, he did little to help improve his situation. We have him up in a hotel for a couple weeks, but he still has no job. He cannot come back to our trailer, and unless he does something to improve his life, like get a job, among other things, he will be back on the street real soon, in the cold. Some may say that this is not right, but does it do any good to show somwone how to fish, if they do not want to fish?

Bottom line. Him just obeying my instructions, when I am right beside him, I do not believe will be eneugh for him to remain off the street.

Do you think as Christians we sometimes just do what we feel we must to "appease" God and nothing more because we are comfortable in our surroundings. Now we do need to wait on Gods timing, but are we always willing to go above and beyond the call of duty.

Now even this can be risky, as sometimes we can load ourselves up with more than we can bear, and only God knows what that is. All in all, I guess we just have to be more and more inclined to, and be able to hear and to obey, that small gentle voice that is always calling our name, we call the Holy Spirit.
Thanks for listening. God bless and thanks for the interesting posting.

[mattfivefour]

That is a very good post, stranger!