"Wonderful Life" - GCR/RV Intel SITREP - Friday - May 19, 2017
The Bible says that not one sparrow falls from the sky that God isn't aware of it. This morning, as I was watching "Crackers" (the squirrel that seems to live in my attic) eat the saltines that I set out on my porch for him, in thinking about the sparrows and how God takes care of them, it came to me... "consider the squirrels..." You know, in watching him eat, while we all know squirrels are kind of jittery little creatures, the only sign of worry or panic I would see on his little face is when I make a sudden move...but, you see, that's only because he doesn't really "know me." Let that sink in a little bit.
Having said all of that, perhaps like the feeling someone may have who has been trapped in a dark cave for an extended period of time, surprised by a "beam of light" crossing their path of vision and, coming from an obscure location, the most recent information coming from none other than "Yosef" is especially encouraging and. as he has been saying more and more, as of late, "Believe or don't believe" and, what an appropriate title "Wonderful Life." I have to confess, as I've been vocal a time or two about words that were chosen or in disagreement with an opinion but, I know the information that he has put out was done the way it was, for a purpose that we just weren't supposed to be privy to until maybe after the fact and, after you've been exercising patience long enough, you reach a point of understanding where you just learn to give some folks the benefit of any doubt. The truth is, in the time any of us have been involved in this, there've been moments of despair that may have caused a hint of doubt to seep in but, without fail, God would use someone to shine a little light of hope into our lives. Quite frankly, as I look back at some of those "dark moments", of it wasn't for a couple of dreams I was given, along with a confirmation shortly afterward in a physical sense, there were a couple of times that it truly seemed that "giving up" had become an option for me. However, thanks to a couple of hard-headed parents, I grew up with the tenacity of a Badger, along with the ingenuity and work ethic of an ant but, this "season of life" has gone on long enough. Along the way, I can honestly say that my burdens have been made lighter but, initially it didn't seem like a a "good thing." Then, I'd be reminded of a poem that my grandmother had on her living-room wall.
"God grant me the serenity to except those things that I cannot change…the strength to change those things that I can and, the wisdom to know the difference"
and, being in submission, the enemy would always test my resolve by way of my losing some "stuff" but, i was also given the wisdom to accept what God had already said about my life and yours in John 12:25...
"Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity."
...and, all that stuff that I had lost, could have very well been used in some way against me, as an anchor to this life. That should be a warning to all of us in that, while the blessing, we are about to step into, is going to be such a wonderful thing, it could also be allowed to have the same kind of an effect as an anchor, on our lives but, I know many of you feel the way I do...truly looking forward to being afforded the "anonymity" of blessing people who will never know who we are. I believe that many of you are of the mind and heart that, though the Lord should tarry and, the only sign on earth that we ever existed is a simple marker on an "out of the way" grave, in an obscure cemetery somewhere, may God be glorified in all our endeavors.
in Christ,
John
The Bible says that not one sparrow falls from the sky that God isn't aware of it. This morning, as I was watching "Crackers" (the squirrel that seems to live in my attic) eat the saltines that I set out on my porch for him, in thinking about the sparrows and how God takes care of them, it came to me... "consider the squirrels..." You know, in watching him eat, while we all know squirrels are kind of jittery little creatures, the only sign of worry or panic I would see on his little face is when I make a sudden move...but, you see, that's only because he doesn't really "know me." Let that sink in a little bit.
Having said all of that, perhaps like the feeling someone may have who has been trapped in a dark cave for an extended period of time, surprised by a "beam of light" crossing their path of vision and, coming from an obscure location, the most recent information coming from none other than "Yosef" is especially encouraging and. as he has been saying more and more, as of late, "Believe or don't believe" and, what an appropriate title "Wonderful Life." I have to confess, as I've been vocal a time or two about words that were chosen or in disagreement with an opinion but, I know the information that he has put out was done the way it was, for a purpose that we just weren't supposed to be privy to until maybe after the fact and, after you've been exercising patience long enough, you reach a point of understanding where you just learn to give some folks the benefit of any doubt. The truth is, in the time any of us have been involved in this, there've been moments of despair that may have caused a hint of doubt to seep in but, without fail, God would use someone to shine a little light of hope into our lives. Quite frankly, as I look back at some of those "dark moments", of it wasn't for a couple of dreams I was given, along with a confirmation shortly afterward in a physical sense, there were a couple of times that it truly seemed that "giving up" had become an option for me. However, thanks to a couple of hard-headed parents, I grew up with the tenacity of a Badger, along with the ingenuity and work ethic of an ant but, this "season of life" has gone on long enough. Along the way, I can honestly say that my burdens have been made lighter but, initially it didn't seem like a a "good thing." Then, I'd be reminded of a poem that my grandmother had on her living-room wall.
"God grant me the serenity to except those things that I cannot change…the strength to change those things that I can and, the wisdom to know the difference"
and, being in submission, the enemy would always test my resolve by way of my losing some "stuff" but, i was also given the wisdom to accept what God had already said about my life and yours in John 12:25...
"Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity."
...and, all that stuff that I had lost, could have very well been used in some way against me, as an anchor to this life. That should be a warning to all of us in that, while the blessing, we are about to step into, is going to be such a wonderful thing, it could also be allowed to have the same kind of an effect as an anchor, on our lives but, I know many of you feel the way I do...truly looking forward to being afforded the "anonymity" of blessing people who will never know who we are. I believe that many of you are of the mind and heart that, though the Lord should tarry and, the only sign on earth that we ever existed is a simple marker on an "out of the way" grave, in an obscure cemetery somewhere, may God be glorified in all our endeavors.
in Christ,
John