Who’s agenda?
God’s or mine?
How do we steward our hearts?
It is easy to accept God’s tolerance for His acceptance and be complacent.
There is a sense of change.
Of Deep clean.
A need for purity and refining.
A need for us to become free of being self indulgent and instead to become servants to one another.
To be rid of the self life and become a New Creation in Jesus Christ.
A time for us to come before God and ask Him to make our hearts tender and to reveal to us those subtle things that we forget are not as He would Will it.
God will refine us if we but ask.
If we allow Him He will bring up to the surface those impurities which contaminate us.
He will melt our hearts so that which is pure gold liquifies and sinks deep and that which is dross will surface to the top where He will gently scoop it free and get rid of it.
Not to shame us but to deal with it, free us and cleanse us and reform us to be the better me that He knows we can be.
For most of us our dross is not big things of sin but things we hardly recognise because it is subtle, so much part of conforming to the world.
We might recognise some in these below, they may speak to us:
Chasing after things and possessions instead of God.
Controlling and manipulating others.
Hatred and discrimination.
Resentment of others achievement or success.
Having temper tantrums.
Quarrelling.
.Being opinionated.
Envious of other’s blessings or success.
Jealous.
Comparing ourselves with others.
Always on the offensive or defensive.
Some of our selfish pursuits.
It is clear non of us are perfect and we would deceive ourselves if we thought we were but when we identify a few pitfalls with humility we are in a better place to deal with and to allow ourselves to be reformed.
In the New Covenant and post Pentecost, The Holy Spirit, our inner self is the Sanctuary where He chooses to abide.
The Holy of Holies.
Corporately we are the Church and defined as the Bride of Christ.
Just as for a wedding the Bride is the most important and centre of the day.
She prepares and dresses in white for purity and without blemish this is how God is wanting us, the church to be.
Set apart ready for the Bride Groom.
It is time for us to be set apart and look different to the world and become the centre, the focus, the wonder for the world to aspire to.
Be in the world but not of the world.
To have God’s agenda
The illustration represents us allowing the hand of God To reach in and squeeze and tenderise our heart. The heat from the fire of His touch refining its contents so that the impurities He can scoop from the top. Dredged off as scum and get rid of and the pure gold and goodness sink to fill up from the depths and circulate in our bodies to bring Life.
Gold representative of Jesus.
His love and righteousness.
Purity not made by us but as His gift to us.
Two scriptures that come to mind:
“Beloved ones, God has called us to live a life of freedom in the Holy Spirit. But don’t view this wonderful freedom as an opportunity to set up a base of operations in the natural realm. Freedom means that we become so completely free of self-indulgence that we become servants of one another, expressing love in all we do.”Galatians 5:13 TPT
“But when you are brought into the full freedom of the Spirit of grace, you will no longer be living under the domination of the law, but soaring above it! The cravings of the self-life are obvious: Sexual immorality, lustful thoughts, pornography, chasing after things instead of God, manipulating others, hatred of those who get in your way, senseless arguments, resentment when others are favored, temper tantrums, angry quarrels, only thinking of yourself, being in love with your own opinions, being envious of the blessings of others, murder, uncontrolled addictions, wild parties, and all other similar behavior. Haven’t I already warned you that those who use their “freedom” for these things will not inherit the kingdom realm of God!”Galatians 5:18-21 TPT
The song is Oh Come to the Altar by Elevation
Lessisgreater 
A good reminder
Yes we must come before God ask to be refined. I have only to look back a few short hours, frustration, annoyance, anger, Satan doesn’t need much help, but God just longs for us to turn back to Him and ask for His healing touch.
The song was just right, I had it on quiet and close to my ear, shut my eyes and let it minister to me, Jesus was and is calling, the stress and pain of the day was gently squeezed away. God at the alter not wanting a sacrifice, that was done 2 thousand years ago, God sees us through His sons blood, His arms open wide, oh to have heavenly eyes to see it, but to feel it, what peace. Yes Father I want to trade my sorrows for your Joy.
Bless you Jan
Xxx
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Hi Dave. Thanks for adding time to an already busy day to reply to this blog! Lovely as always to read your response. Pleased you find som ministry in the worship music too. Xx
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Hi Dave. Thanks for adding time to an already busy day to reply to this blog! Lovely as always to read your response. Pleased you find som ministry in the worship music too. Xx
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad
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