Tuesday, December 2, 2014

PULLED AND TESTED, STRETCHED AND RESTRAINED by Mary Lindow

"Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm,
and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure.
For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter,
though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him."
Ecclesiastes 8:5-6
PULLED AND TESTED, STRETCHED AND RESTRAINED

In all of our lives as believers, we face times and settings where there is a feeling of being pulled and tested, stretched and restrained.
Often, during these excruciating events, those who avoid personal character development tend to give unrestrained advice, spiritualized platitudes, and often, trumped up words of so-called prophetic inspiration to help us not suffer so!
As we begin to see the Lord's plan in all of this we also come to
understand that if we are not first hearing His voice, His heart, His word in the matters that are straining us, nothing any man or woman says can bring the ultimate light of clarity and release! 

WINTER SPRING SUMMER AND FALL

We all face seasons of change that correspond much like the four seasons we observe yearly.
Nothing is more surprising than to have an interruption of what we presume to be what is "normal" for an earthly expectation, in one of those seasons.
When a sudden ice storm blows in unexpected in the late spring and encrusts the tender blooms on fruit trees and garden plants, we are devastated by the loss of not only the blooms, but also the fruit it could have produced. It appears as if there has been a cruel storm sent to cause crop failure.
THIS CURRENT SEASON OF DIVINE TENSION
For many reading this Message, you feel as if you have experienced a "Crop failure", perhaps several, and just cannot take one more aching disappointment. Many hearts have passed their tender agonies to me on paper, in emails and through the telephone.
ANGUISH HAS ITS OWN PERFUME
I too have heard the whispers of the voices of darkness try to entice,with wearisome words of worry, paranoia and doubting!
"Give up!" they say! "What good is this time of shaking doing?"
"What possible good can come out of believing that there is something occurring that will bring a fresh advancement when all seems to have stalled or strained?"
And yet, another set of voices would tempt with words of esteem whisperi
"Make it happen! Proclaim mighty deeds and things to come with fervor, flair and well honed words of impact!"
"Use it or lose it!"
"Promote, push, and publish! It is all yours for the taking!"
Both of these voices come from the subtleties of the soul and well oiled spiritual voices trained by the prince of lies and fleshly impulse.
But.
In the midst of these strains and attempts to distract comes a clear undeniable "Divine Tension" that pulls and stretches the heart of the humbled believer.
It calls simply, firmly, and does not lack a depth of confidence and direction. This “Presence” causes a clash with all that seems to be "the way of man" and will not relent.
THE EARTH IN TURMOIL

It doesn't take much to understand that the earth is in upheaval, rivalry, and chaos wherever we look. There is a tangible and penetrating "tension" in the events we are seeing unfold every day. Parallel to this explosion of pure evil and lulling to sleep of many, there is a Divine Course being laid out for those who have come to the end of themselves.
ETERNITY IS IN THE SIGHTS OF THOSE LOOKING
TO A KINGDOM YET UNSEEN

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been preparing a bride. This is done only through the shaping tools of heavenly choice.
The chisel and hammer have been at times brutal and unflinching, yet, when the soft hand of The Almighty begins to apply the oil of polishing, He does it with His own hand as well.
He makes it beautiful in His own timing, even though the “Divine Tension” seems as if it might cause us to "snap" under the pressure of His hand, smoothing away the roughness of our thoughts and soul's intentions.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in the hearts of men;
Yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
HEARING, REFINING, HEEDING

The King of all Glory is training those who have been thrust on the altar of fire to hear from Him as one who strains to catch the song of a bird in distant meadow.
It takes the "spiritual ear" and training it to identify even the slightest note or sound, however distant, and to learn to silence the sounds and voices of distraction until the "honing in" on the sound, the glorious sound of peace, finally directs and sustains us with all that we hear.
And then, having drunk deeply of the Voice of the Beloved and Divine Counselor, quickly, without mental filing way of instructions, we move and heed His mapping out of plans for this appointed time.
RISING FROM THE ASHES OF THE REFINING OF GOD

So! Unto those who hear this word from heaven, claiming you are one of Heaven's very own, know that you are being formed and fashioned into sober, clean containers, prepared for infilling.
My Spirit will fall upon those who are not seeking to lay claim to My voice, but instead HEED My voice and SEEK My face.
They shall be examples of purity in My Kingdom and will not strive among the self-promoting and "wordy".
The broken will be safe in the arms of these who have passed through the current season of being pulled and tested, stretched and restrained and they will restore the devastated.
My "faithful hearts" will not be compelled to build agendas for Me and My Presence, because I will BE the Presence that creates the Manifestations of Glory and Might in the earth, without the fanfares of men.
You have been reduced to desperation in order that I might restore you to Inspired living, in full fellowship with ME.
Isaiah 61
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim freedom for the captives
And release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
And the day of vengeance of our God,
To comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion
To bestow on them a crown of beauty
Instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness
Instead of mourning,
And a garment of praise
Instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
A planting of the LORD
For the display of his splendor.
Duplication and sharing of this message is welcomed provided that
complete source and website information for Mary Lindow is included.
" THE MESSENGER " ~ Mary Lindow 2014 ©

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