Write My Answer On A Billboard Large And Clear

~ I'll climb to the lookout tower and scan the horizon.
I'll wait to see what God says ~ Habakkuk 2:1-2
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Jun 17, 2013

BELIEF is the Driver of ACTION


Paul wrote in Philippians 3: 12-14
"I press on to take hold of 
that for which Christ Jesus 
took hold of me.  
Brothers and sisters, 
I do not consider myself 
yet to have taken hold of it. 
But one thing I do: 

Forgetting what is behind 
and straining toward 
what is ahead, 
I press on toward the goal 
to win the prize 
for which God 
has called me heavenward 
in Christ Jesus."


Leif Hetland from
Global Mission Awareness writes:

"Some people learn from the past,
and some live in the past.
Let me remind you,
 failure is not final or fatal.
I can sit in my car,
look in the rear view mirror
and I can have a glimpse
of where I came from.
It is important
to be able to just have
some historical markers,
to have some memory stones,
and to remember
the faithfulness of God.

But my encouragement is;
Make sure you keep your eyes
on your goal.
Keep your vision
towards the right direction.
Make sure to keep a single focus.

The Bible says that Jesus
endured the cross
because of the joy
that was set before Him."
~ Leif Hetland




Leif's words reminded me
of my dream which found me
sitting in a car...
when I looked out the rear view mirror...
everything around me was clear.
But when I looked
out the windshield in front of me...
everything was clouded over and blurry.
The past presented familiarity...
much more safety & clarity
than the unknown facing me.
I was reluctant to move forward.



I was then reminded
of the dream
that a fellow Christian shared with me...
which found her driving backwards
through the history of her entire life...
Using the rear view mirror.
Physically crossing intersections,
passing buildings and houses
that wove through the fabric of her life....
viewing them from a forward position...
but with eyes wide open to the past.
Her eyesight was focused
and therefore restricted
to only what she could see
in the rear view mirror.


Because she did not specifically
solicit my interpretation,
I gave her permission
to believe what she wanted
and needed to believe for her...
at the time.
I've known her for 20 some years.
She was not prepared
to go deeper.


But for me...
because I could lean
on my own life
for deeper understanding....
I saw her dream
as a  marvelous example
of one living their life in reverse...
Not moving forward...
facing the right direction ....
but focused on the past.


Refusing


to approach the path
set before us
forces us to stand still
or move in another direction.
Our vision of tomorrow
becomes an endangered thing...
a mere path in the midst of confusion....
eventually usurped by our today.


Living today...
strictly focused on the past....
is not living.
It is a slow death.
We become the state
of our focused mind.


"When people do not accept
divine guidance,
they run wild.
But whoever obeys
the law is joyful."
Proverbs 29:18



I admit...
I can often get derailed
by focusing on the past.
Sometimes, it is a real struggle
to make that mind choice...
to live in today...
with the hope of tomorrow...
but not let tomorrow rob me
of the pleasure
and opportunity
of this day...
which God has set before me.


"Trust in the LORD 
with all your heart; 
and lean not 
to your own understanding. 
In all your ways 
acknowledge him, 
and he shall direct 
your paths. "
Proverbs 3: 5-6


I'm choosing
to LIVE in TODAY
I'm going to move
FORWARD
one step at a time.




The past is what shaped us...
The present is actively powerful...
It walks us into eternity...
We can't serve from our past..
but how we choose to live our life today..
can speak into tomorrow...
even after we are gone.
Our witness doesn't have to end
in our physical absence from this earth.




I write longhand in paper journals....
more than I write online...
in the digital world.
Why?
Because God called me to it!
There is revelation in obedience.



As I allow the Holy Spirit
to speak through me....
things appear in written form
that I could never speak on my own.
My longhand journals....
will outlast the digital world.
Long after the destruction
or the silence of
the free world wide web
of communication....


My journals will still speak -
long after I'm gone..
but more importantly...
they will still have voice
even after...
Jesus returns for His church.


As a fellow blogger shared...
"Jesus will not muddy His Bride"
I'm with her, and many others
who believe Jesus will return
for His faithful followers
before the 7 year Tribulation.


I'd rather be prepared
than wrong!
If I'm wrong...
and we do go through
all or part
of the Tribulation,
The Lord will empower
us to endure to the end,
if we keep our eyes
focused on the prize.


"Therefore, 
since we are surrounded 
by such a great cloud of witnesses, 
let us throw off everything 
that hinders and the sin 
that so easily entangles. 
And let us run 
with perseverance 
the race marked out for us"  
Heb 12:1


"He will also keep you 
firm to the end, 
so that you will be blameless 
on the day 
of our Lord Jesus Christ."  
1 Corinthians 1:8


It will be a hard road
for those unbelievers
who find themselves
'left behind'.

Therefore...

Whatever we leave behind...
as faithful believers
to help light the way...
for those left behind ...
is priceless in helping
even one person
to see the light of Jesus.


I feel an urgency today.
He has enlarged my vision...
to those 'left behind'.
There will be a given time
for those who still walk the earth...
to CHOOSE -
to walk in the right direction.


One last 'appointed' chance...
to change direction...
and walk the provided path
to eternal life with the Father,
His Son, and all those
who have gone before...
those who were asleep in Christ.
or 'taken up' ...
before the 'Second Coming' of Christ.


Some of us only have today.
Tomorrow may find us in eternity.
Heaven is real...
Hell is real.
Choose this day,
while you still can.


Whom will YOU serve?



Life everlasting
with Jesus Christ...
the King of all kings ...
is eternal joy.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make a run for God...

you won't regret it!



Hell is lasting damnation
with the father of lies...
Satan and his evil cohorts...
and all who refused
to live their life
in the forward motion
of eternity with Christ!


Fact is often stranger than fiction.



Time is of the essence...
are you headed
in the forward direction?
Are you focused
on the path before you?
Does the path
in front of you
seem narrow and straight
or wide and un-level?


"The path 
of the righteous 
is level; 
you, the Upright One, 
make the way 
of the righteous smooth."
Isaiah 26:7


Let him who has ears to hear...

LISTEN


 
This is what the Lord says...


I will lead the blind
by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths
I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness
into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things
I will do;
I will not forsake them. 
Isaiah 42:16


(The Parable of the Sower)
And some fell among thorns,
and the thorns grew up,
and choked it,
and it yielded no fruit.
And other fell on good ground,
and did yield fruit
that sprang up and increased;
and brought forth,
some thirty,
and some sixty,
and some an hundred.
And he said to them, 
He that has ears to hear, 
let him hear.
Mark 4:7-9 
 

Whoever has ears,

let them hear
what the Spirit says
to the churches.
To the one who is victorious,
I will give the right
to eat from the tree of life,
which is in the paradise of God.   
Revelation 2:7



RELATED    SCRIPTURES...


Luke 1:78-79
...because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven....to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."


Luke 3:5
Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.


Acts 26:18
...to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.


Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light


Matthew 13:14
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.


Isaiah 29:18
In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.


Isaiah 30:18
Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!


Isaiah 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."


Isaiah 32:3
Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

12 comments:

  1. Hi Patrina,
    lovely, scriptural post. There is no other prize greater than the one we press on to receive with perseverance. To pick up my daily manna and trust in that word to put down any thoughts and reasoning that try to cause doubt in my mind as regards to acting on that word is my 'running the race'. I too take no thought for tomorrow for only the Lord knows what tomorrow brings for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "To pick up my daily manna and trust in that word to put down any thoughts and reasoning that try to cause doubt in my mind..."

      Daily manna!I like that. Trusting His WORD to silence the 'doubts' & 'reasonings' that the enemy against our mind uses to confuse us.

      Indeed...His WORD is the only thing that has stood the test of time. TRUTH always reveals itself. It does not lie. It does not hide. It does not contradict itself. It does not CHANGE from situation to situation!

      It stands upright in the face of evil...every time! It does not cower in silence. It is courageous and bold. Powerful to pull down enemy strongholds...towers and territories of evil that raise themselves against it.

      Definitely sharper than a two-edged sword!

      Thank you so much, Brenda for picking up the pencil and sharing your convictions with the free web.

      hugs to you my friend
      Patrina <")>><

      John 18:37
      "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

      Delete
  2. so short of words right now.....dunno what to say.....right now...I just know, I belief the plans HE has for us are good and not disastrous......I belief HE is merciful to us.........I simply belief HE would see us through this storm we are going through.
    Thank you for sharing ma'am.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MEE,

      since when have you been at a loss for words? :)

      I know the plans He has for us are good and not intended for harm. scripture says so. True...He is full of MERCY and GRACE. He came to see us through the storms of life. He gave His life that we might LIVE in eternity with HIM!!

      You're in a good place. Never stop believing in His total unconditional LOVE. For He LOVES you! and your family so much!

      hugs, my friend
      patrina <")>><

      Joseph Comforts his Brothers
      Gen 50: 19-21

      …19 And Joseph said to them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it to good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21 Now therefore fear you not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke kindly to them.

      Delete
  3. First, I want to thank you for remembering my son in prayers, as I do for your sister's healing. And for us... Prayers are vital for us as believers. Our lifeline. And how often we forget!

    Prayers that are vital to help us propel forward and without that connection, we will not advance in knowing more things of the Lord.

    I almost got into an accident, driving from a night's work, 4 mos. pregnant and as I saw, perhaps just assumed, that a car was to sideswipe me, I pressed on the brake so hard and my wheels locked and my car started spinning in the middle of a busy morning rush. I knew that was it. I let go of my steering wheel and with prayer, I asked Jesus to drive my car. I was pretty sure I was going to get hit any moment at that time. My car still spinning, but the peace inside my car and in me overwhelmed me. No fear. My car stopped, inches away from a deep ditch, parked right on the emergency lane.

    Shaken after, I knew Jesus gave me an extension because I asked Him to allow me to see my unborn child. (18 now and what precious gift he is to my hubby and I...

    The Lord gave me a song as I strummed my guitar...Some lyrics from "Let Jesus Drive The Car Of Your Life):

    Don't look back, keep looking ahead
    For Jesus is with you, throw away your fear
    Just move on, He can drive your car
    With Jesus, you can go that far...

    Only by His grace, He alone can empower our broken vessels to move and press on...Glory be to God that because of His help, we can discern not to stop on roads where we are not supposed to. Trust. Believe. Prayers. And that will help us keep moving forward.

    May the Lord bless you and protect you as you continue to share the Truth. I pray for many who will come here will have an open heart and mind so that they will truly hear, see...and understand that there is no other way...but Jesus...

    "Friendship with the Lord is reserved for those who fear Him. With them, He shares the secrets of His covenant." -Psalm 25:14

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RECUBs,

      Wow! thank you so much for sharing your miraculous rescue. I did a spin around on ice once and so i know a bit of the feeling. It all happened in an instance and when it stopped, I was facing the opposite direction. It was rush traffic...but everyone stopped and gave me room to spin :) I too was amazed at how the Lord protected me and everyone around me.

      I am so glad that you shared how you had the presence of mind and spirit to ask the Lord to drive! All He wants is for us to ask for His intervention. His ways are perfect! Yet we fail to ask Him for help.

      I couldn't help thinking that the enemy had a target on your back that morning. It would have pleased him to rob you and your baby. BUT GOD. God had a plan and He intervened. He has chosen your son for His specific purpose. He saved him and you that morning to complete the good work He began in you.

      And praise be to God ...you and your hubby have seen your baby through 18 years! YES YES amen!

      GRACE GRACE...God's grace...loved this statement..."because of His help, we can discern not to stop on roads where we are not supposed to." discernment is so vital...especially in these days. So much pushed in our face!

      Nice lyrics...perfect for this post..."don't look back...keep looking ahead" :)

      I appreciate your prayers for my sister. Prayer is a lifeline for sure. Thank you also for your kind words of blessing & protection. May all who visit both our blogs be encouraged through Jesus and the words of our testimony. There is no other way...but JESUS! AMEN!!

      loved that you left the scripture... awesome scripture...we're faithful students of His teaching...

      Thanks for stopping by and picking up the pencil. You have brightened my day!

      carry on, fellow pilgrim
      patrina <")>><

      Psalm 86:11
      Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

      Delete
  4. Let us also therefore, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight, and sin which so easily entangles us, run with endurance the race that lies before us, looking stedfastly on Jesus the leader and completer of faith.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David,
      that scripture says it so perfectly, doesn't it? thanks for stopping by and picking up the pencil to encourage us.

      Patrina <")>><

      1 Cor 9:24
      Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

      Delete
  5. Dear friend
    I absolutely love the words you have written on this post, and on this very relevant and timely topic. So glad I came by today... never a waste of time to visit your blog... always profitable for eternity.

    Blessings
    Lidia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. dear Lidia,

      how lovely to see you. I have missed you!
      Thank you for your kind words. "Always profitable for eternity"...That would certainly be my goal ...with my WORDS!

      Good to hear from you. thanks for stopping by and picking up the pencil to encourage me.

      hugs, my friend
      patrina <")>><

      Psalm 19:14
      May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

      Delete
  6. There's so much I don't understand...so much I want to know. But one thing I do know He takes all the yuck stuff and makes it into something awesome. I want to always remember that. Great message thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nikki, my friend
      I have been missing you too. So nice that you stopped by to pick up the pencil to encourage us.

      You are so right! May we never ever forget that He takes all the yucky stuff and makes something awesome out of it! Amen! Thank you so much for this. You always have such a way with words :)

      hugs to you, my friend
      patrina <")>><

      This is one of my favorite songs...it says just what you said....

      "Something Beautiful"
      If there ever were dreams
      That were lofty and noble,
      They were my dreams at the start;
      And the hopes for life's best
      Were the hopes that I harbored
      Down deep in my heart;
      But my dreams turned to ashes,
      My castles all crumbled,
      My fortune turned to loss,
      So I wrapped it all
      In the rags of my life
      And laid it at the cross!

      Something beautiful, something good —
      All my confusion He understood;
      All I had to offer Him
      Was brokenness and strife,
      But He made something beautiful of my life.

      Lyrics by Gloria Gaither / Music by Bill Gaither / Copyright © 1971

      The 'story' behind the lyrics can be found here:

      http://www.homecomingmagazine.com/article/something-beautiful/

      Delete

Thanks for picking up the pencil...

May the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit ...
be with you all.


Patrina
His Warrior Bride in Boots

"HEAR The Word of The Lord"

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Elohim: The All-Powerful Creator

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Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Who Provides

El Shaddai: The Almighty Sufficient One

El Elion: The Most High Ruler

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