Full Circle

Full Circle
Will You Be Made Whole?

Many years ago God asked me a question after one of our ministry retreats.  I remember vividly the questions that God has asked me throughout my lifetime.   They have led to great understandings of His nature and His written word.   He spoke to me on a Saturday evening after returning from a Friday-Saturday weekend retreat.  I stood in my bathroom and out of my spirit came from Father, “Would you be willing to be inside a circle with Me and place all of your loved ones outside that circle?”  I was stunned at the question.   I was void of His meaning and purpose. I was not mature in my faith enough to immediately say “Yes, Father” regardless of what it meant.  I meditated on this question (that came out of my spirit) the rest of that Saturday and Sunday. 

On Monday morning I had an answer for My Father.   As I stood in front of my bathroom mirror getting ready for work, I said, “Yes Lord, I would be willing to be inside a circle with You and You alone.   I will place all my loved ones outside of the circle and I now close that circle.”  Immediately in my spirit I heard God say, “The Holy Spirit will close that circle.” Obedience to God’s requests of us brings us to the point of getting help from the Holy Spirit in all that God requires of us.   As my walk with God progressed, I realized that this act of obedience allowed me to commit actions, incidents, and situations regarding loved ones to God easier and not be devastated by their actions.  I have taught this “Circle Teaching” through the years and many believers have benefitted from it. 

Years later in my life, God revealed to me that when I put my loved ones outside of the circle and remained in the circle with Him and Him alone, I was putting them firmly in His hand.  At the time He asked me the question, I had to respond in faith regardless of my lack of understanding His desire and purpose.  I sure would have wanted to know at that time that I was putting them firmly in His hand.  However, I was required to trust Him with them regardless of His plan.  I had to know that His plan is only a good plan (Jeremiah 29:11).  Always trust God.  You will not always have all of His wisdom or word on a circumstance or situation.  The just (righteous) will truly live by faith (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38).  Say yes to Him regardless of the question.  He is designing and producing wholeness in you.

Recently I asked God a question (we’re allowed).  I said to Him, what about the woman (that would be me) who was left in the circle with You?  I can tell you why I asked this question. He prompted it.   I asked it because He wanted me to ask it so that He could respond and give me an answer.  He knows how to set us up for His next procedure in our lives.  He always leads us to His desire, His purpose, and His will.  We are so led and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live the God-life.  We must remember that it is His Kingdom that must come and His will that must be done (Matthew 6:10). 
This question prompted God to speak to me about wholeness.  He shared that putting loved ones in His hand is a beginning process of becoming whole and complete in Him (  ).  As awkward as it may seem in the natural, in the spiritual realm all severe attachments to people, places, and things hinder intimacy with God.  It is the establishment of this intimacy with God that allows all other relationships with people, places, and things to be set in divine order and bring peace. 

The one who is “circled in” with God enjoys ultimate peace regardless of the circumstances of loved ones outside the circle.  The “circled In” one knows that it is only a matter of time before God will bring circumstances outside the circle into divine order.  The “circled in” one gets a heavenly view of others.  They see that regardless of a loved one’s current inadequacies their completeness comes from Jesus Christ.  If they are currently functioning at ten per cent of their allegiance to God, the “circled in” one sees that the ninety percent is covered by God’s grace as you stand in faith for their wholeness.  The “circled in” one takes a heavenly view of earthly circumstances and knows how temporary and fleeting all of this world’s pleasures and profits are.

God has helped me to understand that His view is the completed picture.  Our view is the canvas in process.  God sits in eternity where completion is the order of the day.  We are in time processing each moment as it is released to us. However, to keep the faith, we must see His completed picture purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Our faith must be tremendously in His word, His promises, and His intimacy in our lives.

We come full circle with Him as we trust, trust, and trust.  When we do, the walk gets easier.  We know what to expect and we understand that the complete circle of all our lives is made whole by Jesus Christ.  He is making the woman inside the circle (me living in time) whole while she (in eternity) is already whole in Christ Jesus.  What about you?  Have you come full circle?  See yourself and others as whole in eternity.  God deals in wholeness.  If you are ten percent on your way to wholeness, He fills the ninety missing percent.  If you are forty percent on your way to wholeness, He fills the other sixty percent.  We are complete in Him (Colossians 2:10).  Some of us need more grace than others.  I suspect (knowing Father) that there is much more of this “wholeness” knowledge to come.  Meditate on this word and hear His voice.  Let Him make you whole.


PS
In the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Luke, John) the recordings indicate that Jesus spoke often of “wholeness” when He performed miracles.  He wanted man to be whole, spirit, soul, and body

"Good Buys" and "Goodbyes"

“Good Buys” and “Goodbyes”
Dr. Marsha Deveaux Johnson
I recently got the news that my brother was suddenly critically ill and near the point of going to be with the Lord.  There was time but circumstances did not permit me to go to his bed side to say goodbye and “see you later, buddy-boy”.

As I lay in my bed a couple of mornings after the news, God began to speak to me about “good buys” and “goodbyes”.

“Good Buys” for a shopper is when the price is right and the product is good.  We all love to find a good buy.  It makes us feel good to know that we have efficiently used our resources to find something of value to us at a good price.  We have won in the marketplace with a good buy.  A “Goodbye” is a break in communication or parting.

God began to enumerate to me my “Good Buys” that I had experienced with my brother. 

It was a “Good Buy” that for the past seven or more years, once a week on a conference call Rudy, my sister Iris, and I would pray.  We prayed as God has directed for the body of Christ, governments, leaders around the world, our family (the Deveauxs, the Johnsons, the Dargan’s, the Andersons, the Hills, the Williams, the Snypes) and extended family gathered along the way as well as friends.  This has been a tremendously good buy that Iris and I have celebrated with our brother.  It is a legacy to pray with your family.   Build a legacy of prayer with your families.

It was another “Good Buy” when every Thanksgiving holiday was spent with the family who could gather together.  We spent Thanksgiving Day with a meal to celebrate God and each other.  Elfleata and Rudy were always there.  This was a “good buy”.  It is a legacy to spend time with your family.  Build a legacy of fellowship with your family.

It was a “Good Buy” for my brother when I remembered his birthday every year with a card and tucked in a love offering.  There is nothing worse than an empty birthday card from a family member.  If you have to, tape your quarter or dime to the inside of the card.  They will know that you cared enough to send your very best. It is a legacy to give to your family members.  Build that legacy of giving to each other.

As My Heavenly Father pointed out to me all of the “Good Buys” I have shared with my brother through the years, I heard His voice.  All of the earthly “good buys” I shared with my brother are the “goodbye” for now.  There is a temporary break in us sharing the” good buys” here on earth together.  However, the most fabulous and glorious “good buy” that we will all receive will be the reunion God has planned for His family throughout eternity!  Make preparation to spend eternity with God! 


 (PS) My brother made it safely home with Jesus Who is the best “Good Buy” this world has to offer.

Let Not Your Heart be Troubled

Let Not Your Heart be Troubled

John 14:1
“Let not your heart be troubled.”

The Heart of the Believer
The spiritual heart of man is the cross-point of the soul the spirit.  Like the physical heart (with two main arteries supplying blood to the body), it connects the spirit (reborn & communicating with God) and the soul (mind, will, & emotions).  The heart often experiences conflict, for the spirit of man always wants to please God.  The soul however, is not always renewed and submitted to the complete will and word of God.   

We must constantly renew our soul (mind, will, emotions) with the word of God until conflicts diminish between the soul and the spirit. This is the process of “keeping our hearts with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23).   God’s word and will in our reborn spirit will then govern our soul.  Our soul will then lead our bodies to God’s divine will and purpose.


The Cause of a Troubled Heart
Jesus took upon Himself all sin.  All of mankind inherited the sin of Adam (Genesis Chapter 3) and all mankind commits sin (Romans 3:23).   All sins (past, present, and future) have been nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ.  When a person receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Adamic inherited sin and sins previously committed are irradiated and washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. Repentance offers an avenue for forgiveness for sins committed after receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  Being free from sin and the guilt of sin provides a clear path for the heart to “rest in the Lord”.  If unrepented sin is present in the heart, it will be troubled.

A troubled heart can indicate a heart that has not completely dealt with the sin issue (1).  A troubled heart can also indicate a heart that is so consumed with the things of the world and its system that peace cannot exist in it (2).   A troubled heart can further indicate a heart that lacks knowledge of God’s word and promises (3).  If any or all three of these issues are present in the heart, it cannot help but be troubled.

Indicators and Remedies of a Troubled Heart
Indicator
The troubled heart lacks completeness in relationship with Jesus Christ and does not understand the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  Colossians 2: 10 says, And we are complete in Him”,   God who has begun a good work in the Believer will bring it to completion only as the Believer yields to the Savior on a daily basis. 
 Remedy
Seeking to irradiate the practice of sin in our lives is a great place to be and live.  This place offers us a heart that is trouble free.  Guilt and shame of sin always brings trouble.  God says, “The wages of sin is death”.  So then are we to receive and do God’s word and the results will be a trouble free heart.  As we daily live and daily choose God’s word as the governance for our life, our hearts become increasingly trouble free.

Indicator
The troubled heart does not comprehend the tremendous love God has for it and has not been made perfect in receiving God’s love. 
Remedy
I John 4:18 says,”There is no fear in love because perfect love casts out fear.”  When the spiritual knowledge is revealed regarding the tremendous love of God for us, fear cannot abide.  God’s love swallows the emptiness and fear that gives place to trouble.  We trust God because of Who He is and what He has done (sending Jesus) to set us free.

Indicator
The troubled heart is constantly pulsating being “at risk” and lives in fear of being victimized by Satan and the kingdom of darkness.
Remedy
 Colossians 1:13 says, “We have been delivered from the power of darkness and been translated into the kingdom of the dear Son of God”.  Satan really becomes a “non-issue” as we draw closer in relationship to our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The protection and promises of God become more and more visible as we release faith in Him.  We see victory after victory and go from glory to glory and our hearts become trouble free in the very midst of trouble.


Let not you heart be troubled.

Why "Hepzibah in Training?"

More than twenty five years ago I stood in a powerful praise and worship service. As I entered into worship weeping in the presence of the King, I heard the voice of Jesus in my spirit. He called me two names. The first name was Hephzibah and the second was Beulah. I was stunned and immediately sat down on the bench to ponder these two names. Neither of these names appeared flattering to me.



I left church and called my sister, a mighty warrior of God, and told her that God had called me two names. Her reply was “If God called me names; I needed to find out what they meant.” I searched scripture and found that the name Hephzibah means, “The Lord delights in her” and that Beulah meant, “Thy land is married (committed, spoken for, etc). Needless to say, I was delighted in the significance of these two names that my Savior has bestowed upon me. My goal and treasure in life is to fulfill the plan for my life on this side of Eternity and to train for the other side of Eternity.



I offer you the revelations, thoughts, and meditations that God imparts to me in this blog “Hepzibah In Training”.



I thank you for your comments.

Followers