Within the dream element meeting last night an individual shared a portion of a dream that she had had and it ignited my soul....
In the part that she shared she spoke of meat that turned into rare fruit and that once it was presented the tables were cleared and the meat shared.... In what she shared also she spoke of children eating....
Like I said it ignited me and only served to confirm that which I know... Our God has always desired for His children to grow and mature... This dream so confirmed what has been growing in my heart.. that to be able to consume the meat of God's ways is a rare fruit of life... but when it was seen the tables were cleared and it was shared....
I know there is a hunger in the Spirit for this rare fruit to be shown upon the earth .. in our lives... in our hearts...
There truly is nothing new under the sun.... But the place .. the place where Paul implores the people to grow and be like those that can truly move away from the milk of the faith into maturity....
1 Corinthians 3:1-2:
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
There is such a strong pull with the Spirit to grow into maturity... a pleading... a yearning... it is the groaning upon creation that the sons and daughters of God be revealed....
Hebrews 12:
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Now this verse has been on my heart for weeks now...
Not too long ago I felt the Lord asking me what it meant to be a witness.... and we dialogued about what a witness was ... one who has seen something and speaks towards what they have seen....
Who are surrounding us.... In Hebrews 11 we have a mighty list of ones who have gone before us and now reside in Heaven...
And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
I have six children ranging in ages from 3 to 17... both sons and daughters... I have seen children's behavior but I have also watched as my oldest ones are walking away from childish ways and it delights my heart.... I have watched them make amazing choices... and show restraint... and live for others... and not out of duty or obligation or performance but because it is who they are.... it is who they are.. and they have discovered and are discovering paths of wisdom...
Paths of wisdom... that it isn't out of fear that we transform.. not fear of punishment any way.... we transform because we have tasted and seen the goodness of our God and we desire no other way... It isn't about our circumstances or events that have or are happening... It is as Paul wrote in 2 Timothy...
for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
I KNOW who it is that I have BELIEVED and I am CONVINCED....
I placed my belief in our God and I know that I know that I know and I am convinced of what He says about who He is and what the world that I live in is and who I am and where I am going....
Convinced.... That is a powerful place..... and it is from that place that growth has permeated my heart and my being.... I am no longer like an infant being tossed here and there .. He has provided me with circumstances that have taught me to stand.. that have opened my eyes to His reality and I know that no matter what His faithfulness abounds .. as does His mercy and His loving kindness...
Convinced.. That I am His daughter and that He cares for me... Convinced that who He is is who I want to be ... Convinced that His ways and thoughts are higher than... and that they are worth reaching forward to ... Convinced that my flesh and its desires are no comparison to the life He offers me... Convinced...
Convinced that childish ways are just that and I have seen in the hallways of ministry more junior high or elementary play ground behavior .. preference... striving... jealousy and envy.. course joking.. strife.. anger.. slander .. abusive speech... and I am convinced that as Paul in Colossians 3 wrote... It is time.. time to put off these things and to grab a hold of what exactly we were grabbed a hold for...
Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
I am convinced that beyond most things this.. this is the call reverberating with the Spirit.... To stand as we are... To stand as who we are...
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