Bear Hug From Heaven

Did you know that I am not you and you are not me?

Ha ha ha....Yeah, I know, right?...Duh!

But, no seriously! How many times in your life alone (and mine) have we expected each other to be and or do like each other?

Come on. Let's be honest.

Now, there are certain things that will of course be some what similar within varying degrees. As well as the certain expectations placed upon us in life that will be the same as the mere fact that we are both human.

Other than that, you and I are quite different. Created both in the wonderful, awe inspiring image of our creator. Yep! He made each and every one of us completely and totally -DifFeReNt- and the fact that not one human being has ever been known to share two of the same finger prints just blows my mind!

This being said.....I have been wondering for over a period of about a week now - actually more than that but it has been seriously heavy on my mind and heart for a week or so - WHY are we all so dog-goned determined to turn each other into little "mini me's" ?

Ohhhhhhh go on! Admit it! - You too!

Just take a minute and think about it. At home, at the office, at church in the pulpit; always trying to convince everyone "their way" is wrong...or "their way" isn't "quiet right".....or....you "know a better way".....a "more excellent way".

Now, PLEASE...this is important.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with helping someone who has been truthfully lead astray.....or someone who needs to find the way for the first time. I do it myself.
This is scriptural! ....More power (Holy Ghost Power & Love of God) to us all! In these endeavors!....When it is lead of God!

I am simply addressing the times we feel the "need" (and I will add, out of our own feelings of inadequacy) to project onto others what we have learned to be true in our life, or what God has spoken to us on to someone else as they share what they have learned or heard from the Lord.

Honesty, who are WE to think we know what God has actually spoken to someone else?

I believe so strongly these are perilous times and we are drawing closer and closer to the final hour before the coming of Messiah.

And

The enemy of our souls would like nothing better than to distract the body of believers by having them focused on each other; stirring up strife. When we should be focused on our Master and Lord and stirring up faith among the brethren and reaching out to the lost!

To touch briefly again on "difference" I would like to remind all of us that it was our creator himself, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob who created "difference".....it was "division" he did NOT create. WE are responsible for that one. Remember Cane and Able? Uh- huh.

Still to this day, there is division of all kinds and it is quite prevalent in the body of believers. It runs through families as well. This too is scriptural. Just take a look at what is fortold in Matthew Ch 10. for starters.

I say we all stop worrying so much about the little things that "the other believers" are thinking and start focusing more on what WE are thinking ourselves.

Paul tells us in the word of God not to argue about such things; not to waste our breathe on these matters. If it does not have to do with Jesus Christ and Him crucified, not to worry. For this is what is truly important. All else is more a distraction. (Amy paraphrase)

(I have actually copied the actual scripture in smaller print below)

I know this Blog seems kinda harsh....but I am speaking to myself as well. The way I look at it, sometimes God blows us a kiss from heaven and sometimes he gives us a Big Bear Hug!

"This" was more in lines of a Big Bear Hug!

Shalom!

AmyColleen


1 Corinthians 1:4-26

¹⁰ Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹ For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. ¹² Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” ¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. ¹⁶ Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:


“ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

²⁰ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Glory Only in the Lord

²⁶ For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. ²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. ³⁰ But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— ³¹ that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

A DREAM.....a Vision......

And so I had a dream the other night of a HUGE Olive Tree with HUGE roots.
This tree towered over me and followed me where ever I went.
I haven't been able to shake this picture.



Jeremiah 17:7-8

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

AMEN!

God's Time




Ecclesiastes 3
"To Every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."


It’s hard sometimes to understand, God’s great, all knowing and mighty hand.

We see our world in limited view, knowing our need; at least we think we do.

We do our best to live obediently, without complaint, expediently.

Not comparing ourselves to one another, not being jealous of sister or brother.

Somehow, some way, hard as we try, we just can’t help but wonder why;

God seems to have overlooked our need, and still has neglected to water our seed.

As hard as it is to understand, God’s great, all knowing and mighty hand.

Let us remember his motive is pure love, he looks over us all, from his throne above.

His vision encompasses our entire life, from beginning to end, every joy; every strife.

He knows the plans he has for us, they are good not evil, in this we must trust.

Knowing down deep within our hearts, through all the tears and false starts;

God’s Word is ever and always true; HE will always see his promises through.

If we fully delight ourselves in Him, not just in part, he will give us the desires of our heart.


Amy Colleen

R U Keeping your Sphere from Expanding??? Don't WORK so Hard FOR NOTHING!

Do You Remember THESE Expandable Balls? 

I do.

I used to think they were so cool. They were relatively small to begin with and then you could just grab hold of them with your hands, fingers....and well...you would need the strength of your arms then you would pull them open in this HUGE ball that was large enough to contain a small pet.

My kids loved them so much it was sometimes one of the first things they would run to play with we went into the specialty toy store at the mall.

They came in many different colors! They were awesome!

Well, this morning as I was getting ready for work as I was chatting with my Lord about a great many things in life. I became a but over whelmed. As I sometimes can. (uhhh - no kiddin'!)

I mean, come on, let's be real here....time's are a changin' and fast....am I wrong on that one?

Now I realize we all have our own issues to deal with....our own crosses to bear....but add that to the fact that the world is sinking lower and lower into a deeper state of depravity.......AND the fact the our very own U.S. of A. is starring in it's very own sequel of the "Speed" only instead of a poor unwilling, victim for a bus driver we have carzzed, power hungry, eccentric.

(for those of you who don't know what "Speed" is. It's a a movie - "Speed" is an action/thriller film where a bus becomes the focus of a bomber and extortionist. The only way to keep the bus from crashing and exploding and killing everyone is to keep it driving at 50 mph. )

So as I was talking with my Lord this morning and feeling the burden of not only my own issues but the issues and burdens of those closest to me, my co-workers and neighbors and those of the country I grew up in and the rest of the entire world.

I began to feel some what over whelmed.....yet again.

However, once again....my precious, Holy, Lord and master Yeshua HaMashiach graced me with His presence and once again filled me with the peace of G_d that passes all understanding that guards my hearts and mind!

He shared a word or two (or three)---with a visual that was to me quite powerful and I thought I would pass it along! I truly hope you are just as blessed!

My convo with the Master went something like this.

"Oh my Lord, my precious, Holy Lord---Yeshua---Holy Father! Lord G_d!!!! ALMIGHTY!!!!! Please!!! Help!!! How?---I mean---What? ---Where?.....You have laid all these things upon my heart – All these people - I thank you Lord for your love - I see all your grace in my life - Thank you, thank you.  Lord, thank you. But HOW? - My prayers - There is just sooooo much - Where do I start?  I mean I know I have started - but there is just so much - I thank you so much Lord - Sometimes I just don't see how - I pray and pray - but I thank you - Lord -  I am babbling - Oh Jesus –I just love you....."

(tears running down my newly painted[make-up just put on] face)

Then the Lord broke in. Clear as if you were sitting here with me now talking to me.

I saw the picture you see on the top of this post, Only difference is that the sphere was multi colored.

The Lord spoke to my heart in my head and said to me,

"Oh Amy....I love you." 

Then I smiled and answered back, "I am so glad you know my thoughts Lord better than I. Thank you Lord."

He continued, "Amy you aren't required to change the world. Nor are you expected to. You can't. That's my job. 

You ask me how. Well, come to me my Amy Colleen - that is how. Everything you need is in me. 

You ask what. To do the will of our Father -  But then you already know that.

 You ask where. Where you are now, my precious Amy Colleen. Right where you are. 

Let go of the pass for it will give the enemy power to paralyze you.

It will make you ineffective in the work the Father has for you to do. 

Amy - do not worry and do not fear. Do not concern yourself with how much there is to do. I am the Lord of the harvest and until I return there will always will always be tasks at hand. More than there are laborers to accomplish."

At these words I was so awestruck and filled with a certain Holy Fear and (believe it or not) still feeling a wee bit over whelmed and answered back - my response:

"Oh Lord, thank you, thank you, thank you my glorious Lord for knowing my heart and listening to my heart and not giving ear to my grumblings - But still Lord - I feel as though all I do is pray and pray and pray and still there are so many things that I can't even see the slightest movement on - Lord???? Why? - Others come to me as well with this same question - wanting to know why? I know not what to tell them. Please Lord - what's going on?"

(I love this)

His answer -

"Amy Colleen. You see the Sphere?"

"Yes, Lord. I do. I was wondering about that...why I saw it so vividly in my mind."

"Remember how it works?"

"Yes....It starts out very small and tight....and you need to take both hands and use your fingers and grab hold of it and pull it with your arms and it opens up into a huge open sphere."

"Exactly."

"What does that have to do with my prayers?"

"My Amy...it is not your prayers that are getting in the way or are not effective. Your prayers are powerful and effective. As long as my children abide in me I will abide in them . If I abide in them then they have all the power resident within them that I have resident within me. So you see your prayers are not in question."

"Than what Lord?"

(I actually *heard* the Lord smile - that was pretty cool in and of itself actually)

"My precious Amy, you are getting in the way. Not intentionally, but as you are running about to and fro trying to accomplish many different tasks all on your own strength with your own love and good will. I never intended for you to carry all these burdens. I took upon myself the burdens of the world, carried them down the road to Calvary and still to this day my heart is broken for may who have not yet come home. Again...this is my job."

I still wasn't understanding but in my minds eye I was beginning to "see" what the Lord was going to "say/explain " next.....(this was awesome!)

"Sooooo.....what AM I supposed to be doing with all this burden I am feeling and how does this fit into the sphere?"

"The sphere is the world....your world.....family, friends, those closest to you as well as the world in general. Amy, you are so faithful to run around from place to place, trying to make it better, little bit here ......little bit there.....think about it Amy."

I did. I imagined as the Lord spoke. I saw myself running to and from one side of the world (the sphere) pulling it out and then as soon as I got one side out and ran to the other to pull it out the side that I previously pulled out collapsed. This happened over and over and over again. I was so aggravated and exhausted just even "thinking " about it ! 

"Wow." was all I could say.

"See, it makes you tired and that is thinking about it doesn't it? " 

(Amazing how the Lord knows our thoughts)

"Amy, precious Amy, at best you can run around with good intentions and bring a smile to peoples hearts. But to see change - to see the sphere grow - I need to grab hold of it and pull it with MY HANDS until it opens up. That's when you will SEE the CHANGE you desire to see. 

YOUR PART in ALL THIS? 

To abide in me - to trust and obey.

 In this alone will you will be able to fulfill the will of the Father. 

Then will find great favor in His sight.

 Amy, I do not drive my sheep, it is the butcher that drives the sheep to the slaughter house. I am the great shepherd. My sheep know me and hear my voice. 

I lead my sheep besides still water and give them green pastures to where they can rest their soul.

 Do not fear. I am with you always and I hear your every prayer.

As you abide in me and I abide in you.

 I will take hold of YOUR WORLD and change it forever."