Word 12/24/07

As I was praying the Lord stirred me to read in Jeramiah 4. I'll share only what I was stirred in....

JER 4:1 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.
JER 4:2 And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
JER 4:3 For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
JER 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
JER 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
JER 4:18 Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.
JER 4:21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
JER 4:22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
JER 4:30 And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.
JER 4:31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

Then the Lord spoke to me a word and this is what he said:


Who will follow me? My sheep know my voice and anothers they will not follow. Where have my sheep gone? Why are they scattered? Did I lead them astray? Where are my faithful men who I set to watch and to keep? I will gather my sheep and let it come to mind this day you who oppress my people, you who held back the hand to reprove and correct, my truth is not partial but you have been partial in your ways. You say where have we erred and how have we scattered your sheep? Because you put burdens upon men's shoulders that they cannot bear, because you upheld the wicked and strengthened his hand, because you call evil, good, and good, evil. Because you healed not the sick nor brought the lame into your house. Am I unfaithful? Why then are you vain in your imagination saying that I am not the same? Woe to the unfaithful shepard for I hold the blood of my people at his hand. For I gave unto him to watch and to warn but he did neither. He slept and he slumbered while the wolves carried away my people. Woe unto you for the day of my fury is at hand and I shall send the curse to your house, and you shall be a perpetual hissing to all that see you. For when I called and accounted of you I found your garment spotted and the blood of my people in your hands. Draw near this day. I will call but will you answer? I will guide you, I will shepard you, not as men, but as my word sais I am. I am meek and lowly and my yoke is easy my burden light.

And shorty after the Lord spoke this the Lord stirred me in a vision he showed me a few days ago and he has been ministering to me on it ever since. The vision was of the steering wheel of a ship, an older ship with sails. And as I pulled away to a larger view I could see the ship was in a storm but I could see the end of it. And the Lord spoke to me about the understanding and he said. Take not again to the ways of the flesh. And I understood that the ship represented our walk, our life with the Lord. The steering wheel could, as it would seem, steer the ship clear of the storm, but I heard the Lord say, trust in me. We are in ever present reminder of that wheel, the wheel of the flesh, to take again what we think to be control to take ourselves out of harms way but as the Lord showed me if we trust in him he will guide the ship to safety. We have a job to do, we must keep the ship in good shape, securing the rigging so it doesn't fail, cleaning, taking care of the basic needs, but above these all else was provided for. It is ever clear to me that God comes for a spotless church and if you can hear it this day, as much as I know it was for me, do not take to the ways of the flesh again. Even though you are in this storm, and the trials just seem to continue, you can see the end and the Lord will see you through. My prayer is this day that we might always have an ear to hear, that his people would be bold and not to hold back, that we'd secure the rigging in our lives by which the ship could not use the winds to guide her ( the Holy spirit). That we should keep our garment unspotted from the world and draw near to God with a fervent heart. May God bless you and my we be found worthy to escape and to stand in his day.

Your brother in Christ,
Austin