February 16, 2006: The enemy is very skilled at getting us irritated and unrested, particularly when it comes to our faith, our congregations, our Pastors, dealing with others in general, and keeping the course and focus. He is good at spinning the details and twisting our thoughts and emotions. He's good at providing the wedge so we can jab it, plant it, and harbor disunity. He is good at clouding the whole picture so we see only the fraying threads. In these last days especially, we need to set our eyes, ears, and heart on nothing else but Jesus and keeping within the Father's will so we know what His plan and assignment is for us. We need to allow ourselves to be used as vessels, and how we do that is to allow ourselves to be broken. We need to keep on our Eph 6:10 armor. We need to keep our swords sharp. We need to walk in forgiveness. We must not hold anything against our brothers or sisters.
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." - Mark 11:25
"But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." - Luke 6:35-38
In this unrest, we surely need to guard our thoughts and tongues.
Those who need to be corrected, those who have conflicting agendas, those who want position and status, those who bring gossip and slander and separation, and those who stand in the way of His promises being fulfilled will be dealt with --- from the Lord's hand.