We will have to dress and undress in the year of 2009, part 1
15th of January
Part 1
I was in prayer right before New Year. I got an inner picture of a person who was undressing and then another person who was in the process of getting dressed. I asked the Lord about the meaning of this and He said that we should not take with us any negative experiences nor any negative thoughts and attitudes into the new year. I shared this with those I met and encouraged them to take some time together with the Holy Spirit before they entered the year of 2009. They might ask the Spirit to show them what they should get rid of in order to start with empty sheet. You will not read this before the 15th of January, but it is never too late.
In Heb.12:1 we read that we should lay aside the sin that so easily ensnares us. In other translations they write that we should get rid of the sin that is hanging on to us. We will often know about the sin that ensnares us, but we can also be blind to our own sins, but see them very easily in our neighbour. I find the word ensnare interesting. I do not know if you have seen a mouse-or rattrap, but one uses a small piece of food to tempt the mouse or rat into the trap. As soon as they touch the food, the door falls down. Some are made to kill them. Others are only made to catch them. The Bible writes a lot about temptations and that little piece of food is the temptation for the animal, but all of a sudden they are caught. The sin works the same way. We are tempted by something or somebody who looks attractive and all of a sudden we are caught.
The Bible says that we should not commit adultery, but in Matt.5:28 we read that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Many are having imaginations that they never would do in reality, but all of a sudden the imagination becomes reality. There might be married men and woman who are flirting with the opposite sex. They do not really want to become unfaithful, but they have “tasted” the sin and the sin has ensnared them. DO NOT PLAY WITH THE FIRE. THE FIRE CAN BURN YOU AND EVENTUALLY KILL YOU.
I am unfortunately doing the same mistake as many others and that is to use sexual sins as examples of sin. I can assure you that I will mention many more.
The Bible has described Jesus as a human being, but still without sin. When we read about His life and how He lived, He becomes an example for how our lives should be lived. The ten commandments are showing us what we should do and not to do. We can read that we should love the Lord with all our heart and all our soul and our neighbour as ourself. I want to underline the word all. When we say all, there is no room for anything else. I believe that neither you nor I can honestly say: I love the Lord with all of my heart and all that is within me is praising Him. I have quite often confessed this as sin. I do not say that we should praise the Lord all day and forget everything else in life. Jesus Himself ate and drank and He went out to visit people. He ministered to people in different ways and signs and wonders followed Him. He was also a lot together with His Father. God created me with a spirit, soul and a body. The Creator knows this and still, He wants me to praise Him with all that is within me. I am so glad that I can ask the Holy Spirit to help me in loving the Lord, others and myself.
In 1.Cor.1:13 and the last verse we read that love is grater than faith and hope. If we do things that are not driven by love, we are sinning. It says that we can burn our bodies, but it profit us nothing. It has to be driven by love. God sees to our hearts and if we do things in order to become great or to be seen or honored, we have sinned even if the deed itself is good. UNKINDNESS HAS TO BE TAKEN OFF IN 2009 AND WE HAVE TO BE DRESSED IN LOVE. That is not far away from us, but poured out into our hearts.(Rom.5:5)
We read in Rom.14:23 that whatever we do without faith, is sin. We can also read in Heb.11:6 that without faith we cannot please God. Many might start great projects or things that are quite good, but do they do it with faith? I have met many Bibleschool students who constantly are confessing their faith, but they do not pay their rent or other bills. Faith is full conviction.(Heb.11:1) and this proves that they do not have faith. They make themselves dependant on people and not on God. What He orders, will always be paid. Some of them even talk as we should feel sorry for them. Maybe they should have waited to attend Bible-school or gone deeper into the Word. Faith grows by hearing the Word of God. Faith is not fate, but a gift given by grace and it is founded on full trust in the Lord.
I feel that worries and fear are sin. Why? Since the Word says that I should not fear and not to worry. How can I avoid that? BY BELIEVING THAT THE LORD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS EVEN TILL THE END OF THE DAYS. We can read that the Lord is our PROVIDER. He is my DOCTOR. He is my SHEPERD. He is OMNIPOTENT. He isOMNIPRESENCE. He is my PEACE. He is THE BANNER OF VICTORY. He is my CREATOR. Jesus is my SAVIOUR. His name is: COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, PRINCE OF PEACE. WE HAVE TO GET RID OF UNBELIEF AND FEAR IN THE YEAR THAT HAS JUST STARTED.
I feel that I can hear some of you say: “Don’t you understand that we live in economical crisis? It looks dark right now.” Yes, I live in this world and I do listen to news and I do not live in an isolated bubble, but THE WORD OF GOD IS TRUE IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. It does’nt say in my Bible that the promises of God are only for ideal times. They are even more relevant during difficult times. It is then that we need to hold on to them. We sing a psalm written by Martin Luther that God is God even if all men were dead. It is this OMNIPOTENT GOD THAT WE HAVE TO TRUST.
My pastor said that we should lay off many things during 2009, but one of them was MATERIALISME. Many look upon money as their security. I am not stupid and know that money is a necessity for living, but they should not be my security. Many are living a life-style where they need a lot of money. I have really seen this in my own country, Norway, the last years. Children and teen-ages are buying themselves very expensive things. In order to get these things some years ago, we had to save money for a long time. Children are getting mobiles and they are constantly changing to new models. Everything has to be the latest mode both in clothing and the latest of the technical developments. Young people are driving around in expensive cars as soon as they get a driver’s lisence. There are people who are not living like this, but quite a few do. Money becomes a false god and something they are worshipping. This can be true for young people as well as old ones. AS CHRISTIANS WE SHOULD NOT KEEP MONEY AS IDOLS. To be rich is not sinful, but to worship money is a sin.The Bible says that the Lord gives seed to the sower to sow. I want to be blessed with money in order to have enough to all good deed and I want even more in order to bless others. GET RID OF MATERIALISM, BUT ASK GOD TO BLESS YOU WITH MORE MONEY IN THE YEAR OF 2009.
LIVE IN LOVE AND FAITH TO A LIVING GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lots of love from me to you,
Mother Else