GOD WILL EXALT YOU!

I Peter 5:6-10 "humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He might exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself :

This morning before my husband left for work, he came into the kitchen with the above scripture on his lips. He said "God has been dealing with me about humbling ourselves before him and waiting for His timing."

As the day progressed, I kept getting confirmations about this scripture. As I went about my appointed rounds, praying with a lady on the phone that was recently separated from her husband through death.... Ministering love to, first her daughter on the telephone and then to her son.... All of them in separate towns, it hit me. I am doing exactly what God wants me to do... I’m loving on those that come across my path and that is real ministry.

In today’s church society, so many are game-playing [hopefully without even knowing it] by trying to take things into their own hands and "building a ministry." They are pleading for money wherever they can and those that have made it to a public ministry like television are threatening to "go under" unless everyone sends them money. Much of that hypocrisy has been exposed and much more of it will be. God will bless anything he has truly ordained.

I keep going back to the scriptures that talk about... "some 30, some 60, and some 100" - mark 4:8. If we are used by God to plant seed into good ground and see even 30 people really established in the Kingdom of God, I believe we will have served a holy purpose on this earth. To see 100 souls rooted and grounded in the faith of god and walking in His victory is a high score to shoot for in this game of life. But so many are trying to exalt themselves into some great big ministry, influencing hundreds of thousands, and doing no follow up to see that the people are fed and grow in the knowledge of how to be victorious in a life lived close to God.

I am concerned that many are missing the mark... That they have listened to a word of deception spoken in their ear... Just as eve listened.... A word that promises them a great place of importance in God’s Kingdom. I’m always skeptical when I hear anything that sounds like it is going to exalt me in any way. I immediately know it is flesh speaking and God is nowhere on the scene. I’ve learned to run from those kinds of offers and to get quietly before God and seek His direction for my life. It has saved me from many pitfalls in recent years.

There are many promises God makes to believers, but they are all conditional on our willingness to trust him, listen to him, and obey whatever He commands. That’s the humility part --- not running out in our own carnal mind ["there is a way that seems right unto man.....but the end is the way of death".-Prov. 16:25]

Recently I was talking to the Lord about these things and I brought it to His remembrance how so many seem to have His power and are actively in a "healing ministry" or a "deliverance ministry." Yet I hear them begging for money and not producing much fruit of the Holy Spirit in their personal lives - not having time for their own family life. I asked the Lord about this. You know what he said? He said "there are many that have the power gifts operating in their lives, but they have the wrong motive for their actions. They are concerned about building a name for themselves, or building a big ministry, or having a huge church, or lining their pockets with money. If their focus is on anything other than the person

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, yes and forever." [Hebrews 13:8] He never changes. He’s still pouring out that unconditional love and He wants us to follow in his footsteps. Take all the effort you’re expending on trying to "do something for God," and just let God use you to "love your neighbor, your grocer, the one with a broken heart, the one full of grief."

Jesus said, "for My yoke is easy, and My load is light." [Matthew 11:30] when you start feeling undue pressure on you - a burden too heavy to carry, you might want to do a "yoke check." See if you may have picked up a yoke that looked holy and seemed right to your natural mind, but unknowingly had been placed in your path by someone in a religious outer shell....an angel of light sent to put you on an unholy tread- mill and cause you to veer off the path God has chosen for you.

The Lord told us: "submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." [James 4:7-8] how do you resist the devil?... My keeping your eyes on Jesus...by refusing to listen to the lies you’re been feed.... By staying in the word of God.... By praying... By listening to what God instructs you to do... And by obeying his every request. You can’t serve God and the enemy of your soul. Make a quality choice this day to put God first in everything you.... Every word you speak.... Every thought you entertain.... Every step you take. It’s a quality decision that will produce much fruit and bring you great peace.