Refiner's Fire

I came across this the other day while going through some folders.  I don't know who wrote it, but I hope it blesses you as it did me.

Malachi 3:3 says, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible Study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.  One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work.  She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silver smith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.  He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were the hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.  The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire.  If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment.  Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy ... when I can see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you. 

If you are viewing this from email, visit the site and listen to Refiner's Fire by Hillsong.

What Love Is This

I spent Sunday morning and on into a bit of the afternoon, listening to songs sung by Kari Jobe.  Her songs bless me so much. They bring love and adoration to the Lord.  Such a sweet presence of the Lord begins to hover.  One of Kari Jobe's songs that really blesses me is "What Love Is This".   

"What Love Is This", features powerful imagery of the Centurion Soldier's reaction to discovering that Jesus was the Son of God after He'd been crucified.

"I often think about what it would've been like to experience that and to say, 'Truly, you are the son of God,'" Kari shares. "You realize you were part of His death, you were the one of the people who nailed Him to a cross. He must have felt so incredibly broken -- to believe the lie and then experience the truth. I really think that's like all of us.  We've got to have the perspective that without the Lord's presence, we're all in darkness, and  ‘What Love Is This’ is my love song to the Lord for His love song for my life.”

If you are reading this from email, come to the site and be blessed by Kari Jobe's song, "What Love Is This."

Steady My Heart

We never know what each day has waiting for us. But we do have the capability to do our best to prepare ourselves for whatever may come. Whether a day brings us temptation, a trial or even a day of disappointments, we can overcome if we are prepared. Everyone faces temptation. Everyone faces disappointments and hurts. And everyone faces trials and tragedies. But the truth is, very few people are prepared to deal with it effectively and that shouldn't be the case and it doesn't have to be the case for believers.

2 Chronicles 12:14 says, “And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.”

This was speaking of Rehoboam, the king of Judah and the son of Solomon. He started off as a good king who was seeking the Lord. But just as many people today, he wasn't prepared for what would inevitably come his way. When satan throws temptation our way or we become bombarded with many trying things and become overwhelmed, if we are not already prepared, it will be too late and we'll probably lose the fight or make the battle more difficult than what it should have been.

Jesus prepared himself. He spent 30 years preparing for his encounter with the devil. He started at an early age and his study continued all His life, spending hours of reading and studying but even Jesus needed more.

Before he was tempted by satan face to face, he was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism by John in the Jordan River. Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, full of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is an absolute necessity for overcoming temptation and trials. We must stay FILLED. One way of doing that is to speak in tongues on a regular basis. Jude 1:20-21 says “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

Praying in tongues builds us up on our most holy faith. How many times have you needed your most holy faith to take you through a certain trial, and yet you haven't used this gift of the Holy Spirit? Verse 21 also says we keep ourselves in the love of God when we speak in tongues. Have you ever asked the Lord to pour out His love on you? I imagine you have. I know I have. But this doesn't say to pray that way; it says we are to keep ourselves in the love of God and we do this by praying in tongues. We don't ask God for that which He's already given, we simply stir up the love that has already been commended toward us, by speaking in tongues. This is a powerful gift. We should never lack the Love of God because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:5)

Isaiah 28:11-12 says, “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.”

Do you ever need rest and refreshing? This verse says that speaking in tongues is the way to get it. We have this most powerful gift available to us through the Holy Spirit, but few take advantage of it. Instead we keep asking God to do what he told us to do. We need to use this gift of speaking in tongues to stir ourselves up, or we risk sinking to the bottom.

When adversity comes our way, we may think that God is a careless God because He allows things to happen that He is capable of stopping. But we must remember in those times, He has fully equipped us to handle whatever comes our way. What we really need is HELP in using that “equipment”.

God's Word and His Spirit are freely available to help us. The Bible imparts to us essential wisdom: He promises to be near us and take care of us, He shares exhortations that help us avoid sinful snares, and there are many offers of forgiveness when we “miss the mark” and much more.

God does indeed equip us to handle adversity well, But we have to make the effort to use what He provides: His Presence. His Word. His Spirit.

People need to be taught how to pray and how to study the Bible. For us to be prepared, we must have that relationship with God and that only comes through communication with Him....through prayer and through His Word. LEARN HIS WORD. MEDITATE ON HIS WORD. PRAY THE WORD. BE FULL OF HIS SPIRIT. KNOW HIS VOICE. BE PREPARED!

The last example I want to use is Joseph. You can read his story in Genesis 37-50. He went through many things in his life from being sold by his brothers to being falsely accused and placed into prison. But he had a relationship with God and always held on to the dream that God gave him that showed him his destiny. He was given gifts from God that always got him out of the situations that man placed him in. Interpreting dreams was one gift given to him through God. He had favor from God no matter what. People could tell the Lord was with him. He held on to that faith He had in God. He stayed prepared for whatever came against him and sinned not against God. He acknowledged God in all that had happened to him. What his brothers meant for evil against him, God meant for good. (Genesis 50:20)

When trials come upon us, we can get so overwhelmed and worked up instead of just asking God to “STEADY MY HEART”. Keep your heart fixed on God. Be steadfast in your walk with Him and you will always live in His Peace when storms come. As with Joseph, It can be the same for us. If we begin each day with God, in the Word and in prayer, He will always give us what we need to be prepared for what awaits us out there in the world. When we trust God and and begin to acknowledge Him in every area of our life, He will continue to direct our path towards the plan He has for our life (Proverbs 3:5-6).  STAY PREPARED through His Presence. His Word. And His Spirit.

Psalm 108:1 My heart O God is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul

Psalm 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise

Psalm 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

So you see from these Scriptures, we must keep our heart fixed, or steadfast, confident, never doubting and let our prayers and complaints be like David's, turned into praises. His heart was fixed, it was prepared for every event, being stayed upon God.

We will have no fear in bad news. Our hearts can be steadfast, trusting God. If we prepare our heart in advance, we will never fall.

Stand firm, let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Connie J. Schmoll

If you are viewing this from email, visit the site to listen to "Steady My Heart" by Kari Jobe

Faith It Till You Make It!

It's written in black and white: According to the Word of God, the reason we often do NOT receive the Promises of God is because we waver in our faith. (James 1:5) "ASK IN FAITH, WITHOUT DOUBTING, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind... For LET NOT THAT MAN SUPPOSE THAT HE WILL RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THE LORD...! He is a DOUBLE-MINDED MAN, unstable in ALL his ways."

If we waver in our faith, we are "unstable and double-minded." The Lord literally ignores our petitions... Because according to the Bible, we truly "lack faith".

"...without Faith it is 'IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD. For He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a REWARDER OF THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM." (Heb. 11:6)

I know these words will make a lot of people unhappy. Their hackles will come up and they become very angry. They will say: "I HAVE LOTS OF FAITH...! BUT I DIDN'T GET ANSWERS TO MY PRAYERS. I DID NOT GET MY MIRACLE."

Sadly, my friend---it doesn't take much Doubt to invalidate our Faith. The Bible says if we WAVER even a little, we are like the waves of the Sea....we are tossed and driven---and we don't need to expect ANYTHING from God, because it WILL NOT COME TO PASS.

We cannot be angry at the Word of God. It stands true. And God stands behind His Word.

I know it is difficult to Wait Upon God. It is the hardest thing in the world to do. But there is great reward ahead of us if we are patient.

Heb. 11:35-36 "So do NOT throw away your confidence; it will be RICHLY REWARDED. You need to PERSEVERE so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what HE HAS PROMISED!"

Do not give up, my friend---and you will see your Miracle come to pass....!

Begin to believe for your miracle one more time....and this time REFUSE TO WAVER. EVER.....

Be willing to DIE believing....and you will see it come to pass.

(Very encouraging....received from a friend. Hope it encourages you!)

Don't Be Left Wondering...

Wow! I don't know about you, but when I saw this photo, it just really did something for me inside.  I am sure that there have been many times that I have prayed and believed God for something and just because it didn't come as soon as I thought it should, I just stopped praying and believing.  And LOOK!  Do you ever wonder if you stopped and gave up on your dream when you were right on the brink of your miracle?  Do you ever just think back and wonder?

I'm reminded of the story in 1 Kings 18:1-41 there was a severe famine in Samaria, when the word of the Lord came to Elijah telling him to go present himself to Ahab and He will send rain. vs 41 Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, fell on his face, and prayed for rain.  Six times he told his servant to look toward the sea, but there was no sign of rain.  And this is when most of us give up. We stop praying because we can't see any tangible difference with our natural eyes.  We allow our circumstances to get between God and us instead of putting God between us and our circumstances.

But Elijah, he held his ground. He stood on the promise God had given him.  I think Elijah would have stayed and prayed ten thousand times if that is what it took, but between the sixth and seventh prayer, there was a subtle shift in the atmospheric pressure. After the seventh prayer, Elijah's nearsighted servant strained his eyes and saw a small cloud the size of a man's hand rising from the sea.

What if Elijah had quit praying?  The answer is, he would have defaulted on the promise and forfeited the miracle. But Elijah prayed through, and God came through. The sky turned black; heavy winds blew across the barren landscape; raindrops fell for the first time in three years and it wasn't a light drizzle; it was a terrific rainstorm.

It's easy to give up on dreams, give up on miracles, give up on promises. We lose heart, lose patience, and lose faith.  And it often happens so subtly that we don't even realize it.

Take the time to think back now on some promises God has given you.  Are there some that did not seem to come through as fast as you thought they should have and you just gave up and stopped praying?  Is there some dream that God has placed in your heart that needs resurrected? Is there some promise that you need to reclaim? Is there some miracle that you need to start believing for again?

The reason some of us give up too soon is that we feel like we have failed if God doesn't answer our prayer. That isn't failure. The only way we can fail is if we stop praying. SO KEEP PRAYING so you are not left wondering, (just as this photo shows), whether you might have given up right on the brink of your miracle.

Without a vision, your miracle dies.  Keep seeing it and believing it! Never give up on what God has promised you because He will always come through, for He is true to His Word!

LYRICS to Verge of a Miracle by Rich Mullens 

 "Clung to a ball
That was hung in the sky
Hurled into orbit
There You are
Whether you fall down
Or whether you fly
Seems you can never get too far
Someone's waiting to put wings
Upon your flightless heart

You're on the verge of a miracle
Standing there
Oh you're on the verge of a miracle
Just waiting to be believed in
Open your eyes and see
You're on the verge of a miracle

Here in your room
Where nobody can see
Voices are loud
But seldom clear
But beneath the confusion
That's running so deep
There is a promise you must hear
The love that seems so far away
Is standing very near

You're on the verge of a miracle
Standing there
Oh you're on the verge of a miracle
Just waiting to be believed in
Open your eyes and see

When you've played out
Your last chance
And your directions
Have all been lost
When the roads that you look down
Are all dead ends
Look up
You could see if you'd just look up

You're on the verge of a miracle
Standing there
Oh you're on the verge of a miracle
Just waiting to be believed in
Open your eyes and see
You're on the verge of a miracle"

Choose Life

I was sitting at my desk one day and logged in to my Facebook account. I began taking one of those silly quizzes that they have on there. Even though I considered their quizzes to be silly, this one in particular, I knew God had used to speak to me. This quiz asked, “What road sign are you?”

After taking the quiz, the result for me was, “fork” - you know, the sign meaning... A fork in the road. And this is what it read:

Fork: You can't go anywhere if you don't make a decision. You question where each road will take you so much that you're not even on the road. You've pulled over on the shoulder as others race past!!

Wow! This spoke directly to my heart. The very situation that I was struggling with at that time and still am, was exactly the result of not making that decision that I know that would change everything for me. I've lived with the fear of making the choice because of past failure. I was tired of failing so instead had chosen to just stay in that dark place of depression.

Although fear was overtaking me, I still so desperately wanted a change. I still hung on to that little spark of hope and knew God was speaking to me and so I decided to do a search on the phrase “fork in the road” and came up with this:

… a fork in the road is a metaphor, based on a literal expression, for a deciding moment in life or history when a major choice of options is required.

… a figure of speech referring to the need to make an important decision.

AGAIN … this spoke to me deep inside and as I kept researching and reading, eventually I was led to a poem and its analysis, which I found very interesting. The poem was written by Robert Frost titled, “The Road Not Taken”.

Robert Frost claims he wrote this poem about his friend Edward Thomas, with whom he had walked many times in the woods near London. Frost said that while walking they would come to different paths and after choosing one, Thomas would always fret wondering what they might have missed by not taking the other path.   Well, at least they had chosen ONE.   Here is Robert Frost's poem.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth'

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverges in a wood, and I -

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

The analysis of this poem can be taken differently for each individual, but one thing is clear and that is that choice is inevitable (incapable of being avoided) but you never know what your choice will mean until you have lived it.

And if you are a Believer of Christ, then you need not worry about which path you choose but just make sure you choose one, because as God's Word says in Proverbs 19:21, we can have many plans in our heart but it will be God's purpose that will prevail. Don't worry about the path NOT taken, just choose ONE.  No matter the path we choose, GOD will use it to get us to the place He wants us to be to fulfill His purpose for our lives.

As far as my personal situation, there have been many times that I have come to that fork in the road and done nothing because of the fear of failure once again. At this point, I saw that yes, I had left the road completely and pulled off to the side and my life was going no where. So many were passing me by, experiencing that which brought fulfillment to their lives. Me, I felt empty, sitting alone on a deserted road, where an occasional car might drive by and just kept going. No one to help … or would I even accept their help if they even attempted?

There were so many things that I loved doing but couldn't, all because of health issues. I'm limited even now of what I can do. This keeps me from enjoying life with my family, and even fulfilling what God has for me. The sad thing is, I know the answer. I know the road to take, but can't seem to stay on it once I begin.

I don't understand! Where is my strength? Where is my sense of direction? Where is my “want to”? Do I want to die? NO, I want to live. I want my health back! I want to live life to it's fullest! And I want to help others do the same. I want a life worth living.

Help me Lord to understand. Help me Lord to get back on the road. Help me to understand that its not the road you take, its just making that choice to choose ONE. By not choosing any, I will never know what could be. I must choose one! It is my testimony that will make a difference in the lives of others. Where is my testimony, Lord? Where is my “want to”? I must make a choice. I must choose LIFE.

TODAY … at this very moment … I CHOOSE LIFE! 

 (hahaha - sounds like my own personal psalm, doesn't it?)

When times come and you find yourself at that 'fork in the road' where a choice is needed in order to bring a positive change in your life, and you begin to experience fear – fear of making the wrong choice, or fear of failing, so then you neglect to choose at all, the truth is, by you deciding not to choose either road, you've actually made your choice. You've chosen to go nowhere. You've chosen to stay in that deep dark place you've lived in for years – that place that keeps you bound – that place that only leads to death. Do not be afraid – step out and make that choice today. Make that choice that leads to LIFE – that Abundant life promised to you – a life where so many opportunities await you! Get back on that road of opportunity of growth and life that leads to ministry and freedom for you and others.

TODAY … at this very moment … CHOOSE LIFE!

If you are viewing this from email, visit the website to listen to, "Choose Life" by Big Tent Revival

Choose The Right Road

I remember on December 16, 2012, a friend at church sat down and began sharing a vision he had. He was questioning why people would want to thank God for trials to get them where they are at in God? He said God gave him a vision of two roads, one going straight and the other was a squiggly road where someone is constantly going off and back on the road. His message was that a person does NOT have to go through a bunch of trials (going off the trail) to get where they need to go in God. It IS possible to stay on the straight road IF we keep focused straight ahead (on Jesus) and not let the distractions pull us off track.

I do totally agree here and I have found Proverbs 4 to be a great source to read concerning this and can be of help in aiding you into keeping on the right path. Proverbs 4:11 says “I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.” Read the whole 4^th chapter of Proverbs.

But even though I agree with this, I also know that the Bible says in James 1:2 to count it all joy when trials come, which means that there are going to be many who can't keep that perfect track record of staying on the straight and narrow for whatever reason. Many distractions or trials are going to come, it says in John 16:33 but for us to take heart because He has overcome the world.

Our journey of life is made up of many different roads or paths that we come to and there are decisions that must be made before we can go on. We must choose the right road. There will be times where you will be unsure of what to do, and even after seeking God, you can't seem to get answers, or maybe you've got so much going on around you and it just seems so hard to hear.

I hear it stated a lot, “You better make sure it's God telling you to do that?” My question is, Or what?! Is God going to strike you down? No. Is He going to leave you? No! Is He going to stop loving you? NO! His Word says He will never leave you and nothing can separate us from His love. We are all going to make mistakes and we have! And God has not left us or stopped loving us!

People who constantly make that statement are putting fear in you. Do not be afraid to make a decision for fear of it being the wrong one. Letting fear dominate in this way causes people to become indecisive out of fear of making a bad decision. Making a bad decision is better than indecisiveness.

By making a decision, you force an outcome. If you hadn't acted, those unknowns would still be unknowns. The sooner you decide, the sooner you get moving and the sooner you find out if it was a right or wrong decision. Taking action sometimes means taking risks. Never be afraid to take risks. There is not anything unfixable with God, for He works all things out for the good.

People are so afraid to even make a choice, fearing it will be the wrong one, thus resulting in indecisiveness, and end up going nowhere. Keep in mind that a wrong decision is so much better than indecision. We may make wrong decisions and there also may be some consequences for those wrong decisions but God will never leave us and He can work with our mistakes as well, and turns them into something to work for our good.

The Bible says in James 1:8, that a double-minded man, one who can't make a decision, is unstable in all his ways. And he can't expect to receive anything from the Lord.  This person is not going to get anywhere in life as long as he stays undecisive. Nothing will ever change for him.

“Do not be defeated by wrong choices you have made in the past. And don't let past decisions define who you are in the present. Each moment provides a fresh opportunity to draw near to Me and enjoy My Presence.” In Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Do the best you can with what you have where you are. Success is not circumstantial. We usually focus on what we're doing or where we're going but God's primary concern is who we're becoming in the process. We talk about “doing” the will of God, but the will of God has much more to do with “being” than doing. It's not about being in the right place at the right time; it's about being the right person, even if you find yourself in the wrong circumstances. Success has nothing to do with how gifted or how resourced you are; it has everything to do with glorifying God in any and every situation by making the most of it.

I will end with this quote and share a personal situation on this topic in the next writing.

We need people who are more afraid of missing opportunities than making mistakes – people who are more afraid of lifelong regrets than temporary failure – People who dare to dream the unthinkable and attempt the impossible. – Mark Batterson

Connie J. Schmoll

Take Your Place

Last month I shared with you a word that the Lord had spoken to me about we, as Born again believers who have God's Spirit living in us, have a miracle within us for somebody else and that we needed to step out in faith and let God use us!!  Just as in Acts 3:6, Peter was an example of this. He said to the lame man, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I  have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."  And if you read Acts 3:1-8 you will see that this man was expecting to receive something from them. So, somebody out there could be waiting on us just to pass by and give to them whatever God has laid on our heart or placed within us for them!

I wanted to share more on this thought today by sharing a devotional that was written by Kenneth Copeland, titled "Take Your Place". 

Ephesians 5:1-2  Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 

Let us be imitators of God,
Connie Schmoll

TAKE YOUR PLACE

The more you fellowship with God around His Word, the more you will know the "power out-flowing from His resurrection."  You will develop joy.  You will develop faith.  You will start developing God's own characteristics ... just by fellowshipping with Him.  You will begin to understand who you really are in Jesus.

I remember one day I was reading the story in Luke 8:40-48, of the woman with the issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed. I had just read the story many times and pictured myself as almost everybody in the story...just experiencing how it would feel to be someone in the crowd or even the one who was healed.

Suddenly God spoke to my spirit and said, "Read that again and this time picture yourself as the one wearing the garment."

I was stunned, "Lord," I said, "How can I do that? I can't take Your place!" 

"That is just what is wrong with the Body of Christ," He told me. "That is the reason the world does not know anything about Jesus.  You identify with everyone except ME.  But I sent you to be My witnesses, to imitate ME, to stand in MY place...not everybody else's!"

So, I read that story again.  This time I pictured myself in the role of the one with the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Instead of crawling up to touch the hem of His garment, I was the one wearing the garment, freely giving what God had given me.  After all, the Bible does say, "Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ."

Do you know who scares the devil most of all? Believers who have found out they can do that. Believers who instead of begging for a little touch from Jesus, are letting His very life flow out to others.

Come on, give the devil a scare. Fellowship with your Father around the WORD and start discovering who you really are today.

Written by
Kenneth Copeland

Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

Faith Works By Love

This Scripture really jumped out at me last night and I wanted to share this with you. Hope it blesses you and speaks to you as well.

Luke 1:45   "And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord".

Has God spoken some things to you that you've yet to see come to pass?  Only believe and begin speaking as Mary spoke: "be it unto me according to thy word" Luke 1:38 

If you have a difficult time believing, it's because you doubt His love for you. For faith works by love. (Galatians 5:6)

"Love is the driving force behind our faith. If you remove or diminish love, faith ceases to be what it should be." -- Andrew Wommack

So, if you're having a hard time believing God for something, begin to pray for a greater revelation of His Love and then faith will just naturally work!

Pray ye then for a greater revelation of His love for you and it will be shown to you. (Ephesians 3:14-19) Do not allow circumstances to blind you of His love because nothing can separate you from His Love. (Romans 8:35-39)

How much more do you really need to be shown of His love for you? HE DIED FOR YOU!  Who else would have done that for you? No one! Why then do you doubt, when your day doesn't go so well?  Why?

Many are His thoughts of you, His plan and purpose for you, more than the grains of sand.  There is not one second that you are not on His mind, in His thoughts, on His heart. (Psalm 139) You have been engraved in the palm of His hand. (Isaiah 49:16)

Was it not His Love that drew you to Him in the first place?  Let Love have His perfect work and watch how the fear and unbelief is cast from your life that has kept you imprisoned for many years. There is no fear in Love.  God is Love and He lives in YOU forever!  (1 John 4:8,18) 

He Loves You!

Connie Schmoll

Prepare For Ministry

The Sword and The Rose!
~Word of God and Love of God ~

Prepare For Ministry

All of us Born Again, and having God's Spirit living in us, carry God's anointing. God has a purpose and plan for our lives....a ministry, even if it is behind closed doors of our prayer closet as a Prayer Warrior which is a very important ministry! We are all part of the body of Christ which is so much bigger than some realize or will ever admit. We are ALL called to minister. Not just the leaders. We are ALL anointed of God! Not just the leaders. How we live our life is a ministry. 

A Successful Ministry must entail two very important things:

1. The Word of God
2. The Love of God

THE WORD OF GOD

The Word of God stands sure (Isaiah 40:8) and God's word is even above His name! (Psalm 138:2) THAT is how important God's Word is.

The Word of God is inspired, alive and living in us! (2 Timothy 3:16)

The Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

The Psalmist asks “How can a young man cleanse his way?” He answers, “By taking heed according to Your Word". (Psalm 119:9) Just a few more verses later v:11 “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” God's Word keeps us from sin and keeps us on His path, as the Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm119:105) in a dark world.

He sent His Word to heal. (Psalm 107:20) and His Word sent forth (spoken) doesn't come back void, but accomplishes what it's sent forth to do. (Isaiah 55:10,11)

THE LOVE OF GOD

God is Love. (I John 4:8) The Love of God is unconditional, desired by all. The sweet fragrance of God's love is what draws men to Him, (2 Corinthians 2:14-16) and if we do not have it, we have nothing. We can do all kinds of works, but without love, it profits nothing. We can operate in whatever gift He has given us, but without His Love, first and foremost in operation, we have nothing!! You can speak in tongues all you want, you can prophecy all you want and have word of knowledge, and great faith, and give all you have to the poor, but have not love, you have nothing! (I Corinthians 13:1-3)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails
(I Corinthians 13:4-8)

Our faith will not even work without His Love. (Galatians. 5:6)

Love for one another is what shows people that we are a disciple of God. (John 13:35) Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.(I John 4:8)  And it is totally impossible for us to love others if we do not first love ourselves. We must pray for a greater revelation of God's love, for we cannot give something that we don't have ourselves. (Ephesians 3:14-19)

The reason many ministries struggle, and even fail and many people get hurt is because of the lack of love and because of unforgiveness. The problem is, people are entering churches as walking wounded in need of love and healing, but instead end up leaving, even more broken. It's important as leadership of a ministry that you allow God to heal all of YOUR wounds and that you carry no bitterness or unforgiveness in YOUR heart of past or present hurts, because we as leaders, if we walk around wounded and hurt, we will then hurt others, unintentionally of course, but it's a vicious cycle that happens when we do not let go of our hurts and let God heal.

What matters most is the two greatest commandmants: That we love God with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. See how important it is to love yourself? And we can't do that without the revelation of God's love for us! It ALL works together!

FORGIVENESS

One strong requirement needed for all this to work is FORGIVENESS! God gives it freely without us deserving it, so we must also give it freely to even those who don't deserve it. (Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:25; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13)

We all have been hurt and I guarantee you that there are going to be many more times of hurt throughout your life. This is why we must LIVE TO FORGIVE. (Matthew 18:21-22) Guard your heart from offenses. (Psalm 4:23) Let them go before they even have a chance to enter the heart. They start as a thought that needs to be captured and cast down and out and not received. You have the power to what you receive and not receive within your heart. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) Whatever you allow in your heart, determines the course of your life. If you do not take care of your heart, instead of your life AFFECTING others in a good way, it will start INFECTING others in a bad way and begin destroying your own.

Ministries fail because they change the Word of God by using their own interpretation of Scripture to fit their own doctrines, they do not truly comprehend the Love of God in their own life thus causing them not to be able to portray God's unconditional love to others, and they have so many issues unresolved in their life because they are unwilling to forgive those who have caused hurts and disappointments in their own life.

Word of God - Let the Spirit of truth guide you into all truth (John 16:12-15)

Love of God - Pray for a greater revelation of God's love (Ephesians 3:14-19)

Forgiveness - Live to Forgive (Matthew 18:21-22)

Be sure you have TRUTH, CHARITY & FORGIVENESS before ever attempting to minister.

Connie Schmoll

Vine and the Branch Lesson #5

Lesson #5 Stay Connected

As we learned in last lesson, Jesus said, “Abide in Me!” It was not a suggestion or a request. It was a command. In the seasons of chastening and pruning, the Vinedresser pursues and initiates. Our role is to respond. But with abiding, we must act. Abiding is to remain, to stay closely connected. And what if we don't?

John 15:6 says “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

I know that these words sound catastrophic but Jesus is not threatening a barren branch with hell. I've heard it taught this way, but as what Ezekiel wrote, “Is wood taken from the grapevine to make any object?...Instead it is thrown into the fire for fuel.” (Ezekiel 15:3-4)

Jesus is making a dramatic point. If we are not abiding, we wither and die and become of no spiritual use. But notice the implied promise for the branch that does abide. If you stay connected to Him, if you draw spiritual nourishment from Him, if you allow the power that flows through Him to flow through you, nothing will hold you back from reaching the most abundant life possible.

I don't know why but some people are just going to be happy living that unfruitful life which is very sad because God has so much more out there for them. They won't be cast out of Christ, but yet they will not be of any spiritual use. Sad place to be really. I know many of us have a lot of issues to work through from our past, but God through the Holy Spirit is always working in us to help us through those things, but there are some who continue to want to always see themselves as a victim instead of victorious.

Just picture this....

The Vinedresser is kneeling beside you in the cool of the morning. He is reaching down to intervene in your life, to lift you up and bring you back to fruitfulness. His face conveys concern and sadness – not disgust, not irritation, not even anger. He doesn't see a chronic loser in you, but a chosen, carefully tended branch that is one choice away from an altogether better existence. THIS is the season of discipline,

The Vinedresser is standing beside you in the sun of midday. He's holding some shears, but He's not unhappy. His face conveys delight and expectation. He snips away unwanted shoots, and is impressed with your energy and promise, He can foresee the time when you will respond in faith to the test He has put before you today. THIS is the season of pruning.

The Vinedresser is leaning against a nearby trellis as the sun is going down, his hat pushed back. He's looking at your branch with pleasure, satisfaction, and joy. Just being here near you, enjoying your beauty, is His favorite moment of the day. The huge clusters of grapes crowding your branch are exactly what He's had in mind for you since your branch first sprouted. THIS is the season of abiding.

My friend, the whole reasoning for these lessons is to let you know that God loves you very much and He is ALWAYS working in your life, no matter what. Even when we make mistakes, He's there to help turn it all around for the good. Even those who are not abiding, He does not give up. He will continue rebuke, chasten and scourge to get their attention. He desires that we all become fruitful and live that abundant life for Him because it gives Him glory!

Always remember that no matter what season you are in, God will use you, and for those of you who are not abiding, it is never too late to start bearing fruit. Open up your heart today and truly let Him in so that He can begin working in your life! Don't be satisfied to just be a branch to provide fuel for a fire. Heed to God's voice. Remember the gift of joy!. The enemy will point to the pain of discipline, the losses that came with pruning, and the frustration and effort associated with abiding, and he'll try to convince you that God's plan for you is a prescription for misery but remember Jesus' wonderful promise that...Your joy may be full!

John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full”.

As the disciples proved in the years to come, that promise of full joy is a reality you can build a life on.

Stay Connected!

Connie Schmoll

The Vine and the Branch - Lesson #4

 

Lesson #4  Abiding In The Vine

John 15:4,5 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing".

After discipline to remove sin and pruning to change priorities, Jesus tells what is to happen next.  “Abide in Me!” He says. He is not saying to do MORE for Him, but what He is saying is to be MORE with Him. In Abiding we must act.

Abiding is about the most important relationship of your life. Abiding doesn't measure how much you know about your faith or the Bible. In abiding you seek, long for, thirst for, wait for, see, know, love, hear and respond to...God.  Living in His Presence.

Psalm 42:1 "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God".

Our need for this is deep and constant, so why do very few pursue it? I'm convinced that the reason is, many of us do not believe that God actually likes us. We assume He's impatient, busy with more important things and reluctant to spend time with us, when actually, if we would just take the time, He would meet us in a way we'd never known. It would be as if a great Presence would walk into the room and sit down close as we draw near to Him. I'm not talking about daily devotional time but I'm talking about a DEVOTED time – a time where we devote entirely to Him. He desires that time with us and wants us to continue always in His love.

John 15:9 "As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love."

We have a difficult time believing because we doubt His love for us. But once we realize how much He truly does love us and wants to spend time with us, this is when it's time for the most important step in our life and that is to practice ABIDING IN HIM!

Did you notice that the life force in the picture Jesus presented of the vine and branch connection is the SAP which is mysteriously out of site? One reason could be that in abiding, what happens on the surface doesn't count; what's happening inside does. Abiding begins with visible spiritual disciplines such as Bible reading and prayer. Yet it may shock you to find out that we can do these things for years without abiding. After all, reading a book about a person isn't the same thing as really knowing the person who wrote the book. The challenge in abiding is always to break through from dutiful activities to a living, flourishing relationship with The Writer - God.  Deepen your quality of DEVOTED time with God.

We are always trying to find the quickest and surest way to accomplish things. We read how-to-books or look for “easy steps to succeed”. Christians even seek simple formulas to guarantee success in walking with God. We wish someone would come up with a surefire method for avoiding sin and accelerating growth as God's children, but...

It's A Relationship

Jesus viewed the Christian life as a relationship, not a math problem. He knew we would hope for a few easy steps to follow. But instead of a method, Jesus answered with a beautiful word-picture in John 15.

To explain how to walk as His disciples, Jesus chose the metaphor of a fruit bearing vine. He is the vine; we are the branches; and the Father is the Vinedresser. Like members of one organism, we are connected in an intimate relationship with our Lord. If this connection is severed, our lives will be empty and unfruitful. Jesus is our sole source of life (vs 4-5). Just as a branch finds its home in the vine, we must abide in Jesus Christ, finding our home in Him. The secret to the Christ life is not following a set of rules, but maintaining an essential relationship with the Ruler.

It's An Adventure

Christians who abide in Christ march to the best of God's Spirit. We follow His lead. The Holy Spirit serves as our spiritual compass, guiding and empowering us to overcome any challenge along our journey as we remain in Him.

Abiding means obeying. Jesus explains that His words actually cleanse us. And if Christ's words remain in us, our prayers will be heard and answered by the Father. (vs. 3,7) God's Word is the Christian's source of life.

Abiding is loving. Jesus urges us to remain in His love and commands us to love each other with the same selfless love He has shown us. (vs 9-10,12) Those who are connected to Jesus will love as He did.

Remember: The fruit that we produce by staying connected to Jesus is an effect, not a cause of a healthy relationship with God. So...stay connected, for without Him, you can do nothing.

I do have one final lesson coming....so stay tuned....but more importantly....keep Abiding in Him. Amen?

Connie Schmoll

The Vine and the Branch - Lesson #3

Lesson #3 Where Does It Hurt?

Again, our lessons come from John Chapter 15 where Jesus is talking to His disciples about the importance of their connection with Him and the Father. He uses the analogy of the Vine and the Branches. 

John 15:2 "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit".

In Lesson #2, we learned about the degrees that God will go to in order to “love us to LIFE!” He works with us and in us to help us begin to see things in our life that are hindering us from being fruitful. Discipline from Him is more about sin but pruning by Him, which this lesson is about, is more about self. We must understand the difference between discipline and pruning because if we don't, then we can constantly get stuck in a vicious cycle of discipline and always be “on the outs” with God.

When God begins showing you what needs changed within you through rebuke, chastening and scourging, repentance is the key. Turn away from the sin and turn to God. Any wounds buried within you, let surface, confront and conquer, letting God heal. Then you'll begin to see fruit begin to grow in your life.

God is well pleased with a fruitful life, but He also does not want us to just be happy with less than His best that He has for us. This is when we may begin to see some pruning begin.

I think the time comes in every Christian's life as they mature more and more in the Lord, where God sees some things that need to be 'cut away'. That is what pruning is. A cutting away of some things in our life that might not necessarily be bad things, yet may be coming between us and God's purpose. In pruning, God asks us to let go of things that keep us from His Kingdom purposes and our ultimate good. Pruning is what brings our life to great abundance!

Sometimes it may seem like things are being hacked off our life through circumstances and can be very painful, but God's love for us is so strong that He will not stop tending our life. He wants what is HIS BEST for our life! Just as with the grapevine, once pruned back, the fruit begins to grow in abundance!

Maybe you have preoccupations and priorities in your life that may not necessarily be wrong but they could be keeping you from more significant ministry for God. What drains time and energy from what's truly important in your life? God deals with us individually. What God might consider wasteful in my life might be necessary in yours, so it's important that you are listening to God for YOU and not comparing your life to someone elses. God's plan and purpose for you is unique and personal to YOU.

Keep your ear up next to God's heart and be listening to what may need to be 'cut back' from your life for it to become abundant for God's glory!

What God asks of you now may be very difficult, but once you say yes, the results will be dramatically more than you could ever imagine! The most fruitful and joy-filled Christians are the most pruned Christians! A lot of Christians never get this far. I know for us, we've always said we want all that God has for us, yet when we look back on the years we have served the Lord, we can see where we still had to maintain a bit of control. We never did relinquish all control to God. We still had things/people we wanted to hang on to. Relinquishing ALL control to God is the place you have to get to in order to truly experience that abundant life with God!

God doesn't want His pruning to be a mystery or confusing. Just as when we get injured, our father asks us “Where does it hurts?” God does the same to us. Where is the pain coming from? The pain comes from the area in which God is snipping from. He's preparing you for the season of abundance that is to come. You may not see it right now but it definitely is on it's way.

Just like in a Vineyard, pruning is seasonal, but then the fruit comes after. Relinquish all control to the Vinedresser, and stay connected. People we love, money and possessions we cling to, our deep sense of personal rights (thinking we have the right to know why He does what He does) and the source of our significance: These areas God must rule if we are to bear fruit. His goal isn't to plunder or harm us but to liberate us so that we can pursue our true desire – His Kingdom. Our response to the pruning is very important. Complain, rebel, compromise, run away or experience joy, comfort and rest that comes to those who keep their eyes on the prize, not the pain!

Romans 8:38-39 I am persuaded that nothing can separate me from God's love! Are YOU?

If you want to reach a state of bliss - make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved and the need to judge.  You will begin to truly know what being free really feels like and be able to experience what that abundant life is that the Bible speaks of.

In the next lesson we'll learn about abiding in the Vine and staying connected.

Connie Schmoll

The Vine and the Branch - Lesson #2

Lesson #2  Loving Us To LIFE!

Our Lessons are taken from John Chapter 15 where Jesus is using the Vine and the Branches analogy to show the importance of our connection to Him and the Father.  

John 15:2 “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit”

As shown in lesson #1, we are too valuable to God for Him to just “cut us off” if we are not fruitful. He will go to extremes to work in us to make us fruitful, because He loves us. You've heard people say that they “love you to death”? Well, since we know that it's important what words we speak, ...with God, we say He loves us to LIFE. :) Abundant Life!

Read through Hebrews 12:1-11

As I mentioned before, God knows the causes of our unfruitfulness and is willing to go to extremes to help us become fruitful. In Hebrews 12:5,6 it mentions three different degrees in which God works to get us there.

Hebrews 12:5,6 “.... My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

These degrees of intervention in which God works is not necessarily joyful but can be painful, but He knows exactly what each of us needs to discipline us.

Vs. 11 “No chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Also in Proverbs 3:11,12 it says, “my son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves, He corrects”

God disciplines us for our good – out of love. He loves us to LIFE! He knows the reasons why we are not fruitful and through the work of the Holy Spirit, He wants to show us what needs to be done to change whatever needs to be changed so our lives can become fruitful. God's will for our life is that we live that abundant life because it brings glory to Him!

An unfruitful Christian is usually one who may have anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, a major sin problem – an unconfronted behavior or attitude that is blighting their life.... stuff like that, which eventually gets revealed through the work of the Holy Spirit. We are lifted and cleansed through His Word.

Read Hebrews 12:5-6

Rebuke: vs. 5 - A rebuke from the Lord is like a verbal warning for some poor choices in our life, or some hurtful wounds we are carrying around that is the cause of wrongful behavior or attitudes, etc. His rebuke is to spare us from further pain. His rebukes can come in different ways such as a prick of the conscience, a timely word from another person, a Scripture, preaching of His Word or conviction by the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

If we harden our heart and close our ears to God's rebuke, we force our Father to intensify the correction.

Chasten: vs. 5 - Discipline or chastening happens when our loving Father steps in to lift us away from our own destructive and unfruitful pursuits. (Deut. 8:5)

With chastening, you find yourself nagged by the subtle feeling of defeat, disappointment and frustration. This crushing cycle of powerlessness that is hated continues. You begin to feel emotional anxiety, frustration or distress. What used to bring you joy, now doesn't. Pressures increase at work, at home or in your health and finances, unfulfilled at church, critical to friends, and “on the outs” with God. If you have any of these symptoms, the answer is not to go to church more, read your Bible more or any of that. You need to look for ongoing sin or something that seems to be cutting you off from God's best for your life, like anger, bitterness, unforgiveness...etc. If you don't respond, love will compel your Father to take more drastic measures.

Scourge: vs. 6 – To whip, to inflict punishment. Pain, everyone hates it, but it sure gets our attention, doesn't it? C.S. Lewis says, “God whispers through pleasure but shouts through pain.” Sometimes our Father has to shout! Sometimes our sins bring judgment to us. As Paul said in I Cor 11:30 “This is why many of you are weak and sick and some have even died” We will suffer dire consequences for our wrong doings and attitudes we carry that are not fruitful for God.

I have been able to see now how all of these interventions have been used on me when it comes to my eating. I was rebuked and warned of my eating habits. I believe God even led me to knowledge of how to eat, and when I didn't listen, chastisement came and my life became full of frustration, depression, not happy with self, and then when I still did not heed to His Word, the scourging came. My 'sin' brought judgment, consequences like painful health issues.

What stops good people from cleaning up their act? Many are held captive for years from misguided beliefs. I don't know about you but I don''t want to wander around on a fruitless path unable to enter into the abundant life God has for me!

There are those who do lead a bit of a fruitful life but are in need of some pruning. I will share in lesson #3 about pruning.

It is so important for us to be listening for and responding to the attentions of the Spirit in order for us to produce fruit. God does not bring bad into our lives. He does all He can to keep things good. But there are times that we are not listening and end up making choices that bring hardships into our life and we end up having to serve the consequences of those decisions. God doesn't want us to just live a dry dead life, and He'll use the bad and turn it around for the good. He wants us to be fruitful and will do what He can to Love us to LIFE! That Abundant Life! 

Connie Schmoll