2 Words in 1

 

For Such a Time As This

What kind of “time” are we talking about? It’s a time, like we have never seen before; both in the church, and also in the world. The signs that were prophesied in the Bible, are now becoming an actual reality; what didn’t mean very much to us before, has all of a sudden, become clearly understood. We were taught from a very small child, that the letters Paul wrote in the NT, were not written to the world.

Frankly speaking, if God had shown us beforehand, what we were going to have to go through or endure, we would have balked. Years back, what we have seen and encountered, would have made no sense. I heard a group of ministers last evening, confirm numerous things we have been hearing on here. I thank God for those confirmations; but know this, it most often doesn’t come, until we have spoken what we’ve felt He gave us. We’ll often speak a lot of things by faith; trusting, we have heard the voice of the Lord.

I was led to read most of the book of Esther today. The evil plot someone had made up against God’s people, was scary; to say the least. And do you know what really started all of that? One man, was full of rage and disgust, because a certain man would not bow down to him, and recognize how powerful he was. He was furious; the man refused to do it.

I hate to say it, but too many of us have seen the very same thing in some of the places we’ve been. When we refused to bow down to some man’s sense of authority, we were treated in ways, we don’t even like to think about now.

This story moved me all over again today; just how terrible some people’s hatred can be. But some words spoken by this woman brought to such a time, intrigued me all over. “If I perish, I perish.” She knew just what might happen to her for being too open and daring; she could have been put to death. Many vessels today, have had to come to the same place. They know, just how vicious, mean and vengeful, some people can be. The truth is, that only the Holy Spirit of God, has kept certain people from cutting you to pieces; for daring to do what you are attempting to do here. Only God.

“And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom, for such a time as this.” You can feel people’s scorn and derision in the background. They do not want to hear anything about a shaking; or, be reminded, that real judgment, is beginning at the house of the Lord. How dare anyone say a bad word about what they are doing, much less rebuke them over it. Many folk, have gone through an intense training program, for this very time. Until now, it didn’t make sense. If trouble is really coming, as these voices are declaring, their true spirituality, will be much needed. For such a time.

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What Is The Answer?

There are some answers many of us have been seeking, for a long time now. Until now, we have not found what we have been looking for. We are a stubborn people; there are things that we want, and we think it’s what’s best for us. We often have a hard time accepting, that it is not what God wants. I don’t know about you, but I have had to learn the hard way, that if I move too far ahead of the true answer, I end up spinning my wheels and wishing I had stayed where I was; and waited.

Let’s not underestimate the pain that many are going through. The place where we are, seems so unbearable at times. For many, they have never known such heartbreak, such mental and physical suffering. It seems, that everything that could go against them, has somehow managed to surface. Not just one time; but many times, over and again. If I can be honest, I finally decided to stop trying to run away. From experience, I’ve found out, that no matter where I ran to, it wasn’t any better; sometimes, even worse.

Why is that? God wanted to teach me something, in the place I had just left.

Let’s be more real. Many of us are so pressed out of measure; we often feel there is no hope at all. Before we condemn such people and even beat ourselves up about it, remember one thing. The apostles, went through the same thing; they despaired even of life. We sang a chorus many years ago that I have sometimes wished I hadn’t sung. “Have thine own way Lord, have thine own way.” It came to a point, where it said plainly, “mold me and make me, after thy will.” That’s because, it got so rough along the way.

If I can be a little forward, may I say, the answer I have heard more and more lately, is simply; Stay where you are, and wait. I have a much more real relationship with God today; I can talk openly to Him and I can be very honest about what I’m feeling. And I sometimes argue. I learned the hard way, that He is not going to strike me dead, because I am real about how I am suffering and what I am going through. King David, helped teach me that; because I had never truly noticed just how open he was with God.

Even Jesus Christ on the Cross, taught me a bit more. He asked, “Why?”

Often times, I feel as if I cannot go on even one more day. The load gets heavy. There is a load to carry; it’s called a cross. We likely would never have known the strength the Lord gives us, if that cross had not become so hard to carry, that we couldn’t carry it by ourselves.

God’s timing, can seem very slow to us; what we thought would be done in a short time, actually, has taken years. We know we were promised things; but they have not happened yet. Perhaps, the work in us wasn’t finished. Gold, takes time.

 

~ Robert Blackburn

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Robert Blackburn