Finding Spiritual Truth In A Crazed World - When We Don't Like Difficult

 

(28:00 minutes in length)

(PROPHETIC EXHORTATION AND WORDS OF KNOWLEDGE ARE NOT INCLUDED IN WRITTEN MESSAGE BUT DO CONTINUE IN THE AUDIO MESSAGE FORMAT BEGINNING AT AUDIO PLAYER TIME MARKER 21:38)

 

By Mary Lindow

The words, “The Harsh Winds of Life”  have been playing themselves over and over in my mind.

As I have pondered them and have allowed the Voice of the Holy Spirit to instruct me as to why I have been impressed with this statement, I sense the Lord addressing many deeper issues that are well anchored and maintained within our souls as believers.

 

HARSH WINDS

These blustery currents in the natural can be devastating to property, trees, and all living-breathing creatures. We have all seen what the devastation of hurricanes and tornadoes can do in a very short amount of time.

Often when listening to the traumatic stories of those who have lived through a nightmarish storm, the realities of what they hold near and dear have been laid bear and brought to the surface. Many weep over the loss of family photographs or tender things like Grandma’s old chipped china and are unconcerned about larger material items, but are deeply thankful for the safety of family members after a traumatic event. Others, are shaking fists at the sky and are enraged that they have been infringed upon during a difficult time, and want somebody else to pay for it!

 

THE HARSH WINDS OF LIFE BLOW UPON THE GODLY AND THE UNGODLY.  NO ONE IS EXEMPT.

There are some of life's storms that threaten to blow away everything we've depended on as well.

Friendships are tested, relationships are strained, and the Lord uses these harsh winds blowing against our lives to remove the crusty chaff that can form and harden around the seed of our lives.

Those who are independent in nature find a bitterness creeping into their attitudes and heart. They feel infringed upon when things are not easily controlled or maneuvered in their favor. And so, the Holy Spirit allows the winds to blow until a conviction penetrates the self centered soul, and exposes the fleshy comfort zone of, ‘My Way, My World, My Rights”!

"No man has power over the wind to contain it; 

So no one has power over the day of his death. 

And no one is discharged in time of war, 

So wickedness will not release those who practice it."

-Ecclesiastes 8:8

 

HOW LONG WILL THE HARSH WINDS BLOW?

As long as we practice wicked behavior in the eyes of the Lord, and no matter how hard we try, we cannot stop it! He is winnowing us, allowing us to be caught up into the refining wind of the Holy Spirit's conviction so that the chaff and waste places in our souls are removed.

And trust me my friends, anything that you may be hiding or pretending wasn’t “that bad”, that harmed someone else, well God will allow it to come to the light to be either judged or to be cleansed and yes, there may be consequences that you don’t like.

 

WE CAN’T HARM OTHER PEOPLE, OR ABUSE THEM, SEXUALLY PREY UPON THEM, SPIRITUALLY ABUSE AND DOMINATE OR SLANDER, and then pretend that it wasn’t “that big of a deal”! It’s a huge deal to God and he will continue to pursue us in order to cleanse us if we will allow him access.

(Yes you can say "ouch" right about now!)

 

CHAFF MUST BE REMOVED.  BUT WHY?

Chaff is a waste material plowed into the soil or burned.

Chaff, as a waste product from grain processing, shows us a symbolic use of the idea that refers to something seen as worthless.

Now, this is where we read, "to separate the wheat from the chaff" from

Matthew 3. It means to separate things of value from things of no value.

Another example is in Psalm 1 which says: "Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away".

 

WE CHRISTIANS OFTEN PRESUME THAT BECAUSE WE ARE REDEEMED THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL SACRIFICE OF CHRIST FOR OUR LIVES, THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN EASIER AND MORE PRIVILEGED LIFE.

This is simply not so!

We are given a shield and a holy stamina to withstand the wiles of this world, but no free passes to a life of ease.

 

THE LORD LOVES ALL OF MANKIND.

He longs for ALL of mankind, (that includes you and I) to come to a place of trust in His way, not “our way”. Fully stripped of self-will, self-gratification, self- justification, and self-focus.

Matthew 5:45 says~

 “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,

And sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

 

I KNOW! I KNOW! THIS STINGS!

"But if you harbor bitter envy and selfis