Hungries
June 12. 07
The Worthy Factor ~ or how to mend your heart.
Vision of needle 5/28
During time of worship and ministry, I felt as though Father reached down and took my
extended vibrant sword. It was pulsating with life and victory! It was glorious and mighty and.. most importantly ~ it was READY. All I could imagine, as He took it away, was that He would
replace it with one even more glorious.
Imagine my dismay when Father placed in my hand a large, golden sewing needle.
I was stunned. I was dismayed. Many of you know that I have been repeatedly struggling with the “women-in-the-church” issue. This seemed to be the straw that broke my back. Could it be true? Are women really second-class Christians designed to meet the needs of men?
So I asked, what is this?
And He answered firmly, “You will need this for mending.”
And suddenly ~ :^) ~ for me, it was an “Aslan-Narnia” moment.
To Mend. Katartizo~ to put a thing in its appropriate position.
To establish, set up, equip, arrange.
To instruct fully or perfectly, to reunite in mind and sentiment.
The opposite of having ruptures and schisms.
To restore, as if in restoring a disjointed limb.
That speaks of a better way.
The sword is that mighty weapon which divides, eliminates and separates.
But the needle carries a healing message. One of connecting, establishing, uniting and unifying.
When we speak of our brothers/sisters, do we want to divide or mend? A sword or needle?
Habakkuk 1:5
Look around among the nations and see! And be astonished! Astounded!
For I AM putting into effect a work in your days such that you would not believe it if it were told you.
The days of ruptures and schisms are over. There can no longer be any justification for that in the body of Christ.
Mk 2:21 No one sews a patch of unshrunken new goods on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new hole becomes bigger and worse than it was before.
1) to mend, repair.
Mt 4:21 Mk 1:19
It is ok to “leave” a valid assignment (repairing nets) if He calls you to follow Him.
He is not into projects, He is into people. We need to hear His voice and rest there.
2) to complete, furnish completely, equip, prepare.
Lk 6:40 A pupil is not superior to his teacher, but everyone when he is completely trained, readjusted, restored, set to right and perfected, will be like his teacher.
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the world of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible.
Matthew 21:16 And they said to Him, Do You hear what these are saying? And Jesus replied ~
Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have made (provided) perfect praise.
Ps 8:2 Our of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of You foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger.
3) ethically, to prepare and perfect
Gal 6:1
Brethren, if any person is overtaken in misconduct (disjointed) … you who are spiritual… should set him right and restore, reinstate him… without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness,(beware lest you should be tempted also)
I Thess 3:10
We pray especially.. that we may see you face to face and mend and make good whatever may be imperfect and lacking in your faith.
1 Peter 5:10
Christ Jesus will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, strengthen and settle you.
Hebrews 13:20, 21
Now may the God of peace, who is the Author and the Giver of Peace…
strengthen, complete, perfect and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will (while He Himself works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight….
2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally brethren farewell! Be strengthened, perfected, completed, made what you ought to be, be encouraged and consoled and comforted; be of the same agreeable mind one with another; live in peace, and then the God of love… will be with you.
1 Corinthians 1:10
I urge and entreat you, brethren… that all of you be in perfect harmony and full agreement in what you say and that there be no dissensions, factions or divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your common understanding and in your opinions and judgments.
Katartizo ~ to be put in perfect position. Reconciled, equipped, restored, established.
Webster says:
To mend is to; repair, restore, make better, improve, reform, atone for.
To sew is to; join or fasten with stitches made with a needle and thread.
To make or mend by stitching. To close together the edges with stitching.
To stitch is; a single complete in and out movement of a threaded needle. Fasten, adorn, make.
Also, a sudden sharp pain in the side!
Needle; a small, slender, pointed, sharp piece of steel with a hole in it for thread to pass through.
Also a piece of metal used to play phonograph by transmitting vibrations.
Also the pointer on a compass, gauge or meter.
Also the piercing end of a hypodermic syringe
Also to provoke into doing something, even to goad.
Some of you know the turmoil we have faced, in trying to understand our role, TAG’s role, in the local fellowship. The Needle is exactly what we are. We can rejoice and be encouraged in it.
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Identifying our present enemy.
As I arose from my own personal dust pile of discouragement this weekend, I looked around as if I had been asleep and unable to perceive those around me in distress. I found that many have been “flattened” by the enemy. Weariness ~ intense, unrelenting weariness ~ has penetrated even the staunchest among us.
That old spirit of “whatever” has gripped us by the throat and throttled us until our eyes roll around in our heads!
The prevailing attitude then, is that of
being discouraged, (things will never change, I am fighting a losing battle),
being disoriented (what am I doing Lord?)
and being “pooped”. (I am just plain too tired to care.)
Kopos ~ weariness, trouble, disturbance, labor, travail.
2 Cor. 11:23, 28, 30 frequently I was at the point of death
Paul had the right to feel kopos but he chose not to. Aha! A choice thing again.
And as for me? I have no right to wallow in kopos, Now I am angry that I listened to it! Angry at where that attitude landed me. Angry that I fell prey and nearly got devoured by that roaring lion of a different color. And now…now I’m angry enough to say ~ NO MORE.
No more KOPOS over me and certainly no more KOPOS over YOU!
The solution to “kopos weariness” is absolute, unwavering trust in Him.
Do you trust Me?
1 Peter 1:8 Without having seen Him, you love Him!
Though you do not even now see Him, (in your present situation) yet you believe in Him !
This attitude causes Him to go crazy with affection for you! As a result of His eye on you, you suddenly and without warning ~ will be filled with inexpressible, inexcusable, unrelenting and glorious joy! This joy is triumphant! This joy is directly from heaven! This joy is His love, opening over you, placing you in the appropriate position to receive and be hopelessly mended!
Katartizo! To be mended! To be established, set up, equipped, arranged.
To be instructed fully or perfectly, to be reunited in mind and in sentiment.
The opposite of having ruptures and schisms.
To restore, as if in restoring a disjointed limb.
It is not the weakness we must resist ~ but the hopelessness.
If allowed, our weariness leads to hopelessness, and hopelessness is lethal.
Hopelessness is the opposite of wild, incredible, living joy!
This joy is the trademark of every born again believer!
If you don’t have it, you need it. Ask.. and it shall be given, overflowing and bubbling over.
John 15:11 I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing!
2 Cor 12: 9-11 My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
My grace, My favor and loving-kindness and mercy is enough for you. Sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully ~ for My strength and power are made perfect, fulfilled and completed, and show themselves most effective in your weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ the Messiah may rest ~ YES! ~ may pitch a tent over and dwell upon me!
Vs 10 So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak (in human strength) then am I truly strong ~ able, powerful in divine strength. I speak like a fool ~ I am become a fool in glorying!
I ask, where does this joy come from? Like.. how do I get it? And He answers ~
Pain plus forgiveness = love, joy
Pain plus resentment = bitterness, hopelessness
“Pege” ~ a fountain of living water which springs up and flows out.
Fountains of water ~ life giving doctrine.
An emblem of the highest enjoyment!
Rev 14:2 roar of rushing waters.. sang a new song
John 4:14 whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst… a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 7:37 whoever believes in Me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him… overflow out from him to others!
Rev 7:17 Rev 21:6
Additional NOW things for the Hungry group.
The key to handling rejection
is making sure we are getting all the acceptance we need
from Father
and not looking for it in the world. (Danny Lehmann, YWAM)
Oswald Chambers 6/12/07
Why are you not a saint? Is your humility true or false?
Message Bible ~ Psalm 33, 34, and 35
Quite honestly, you ARE worthy.
You ARE all that and a bag of chips! :^)
You are
Kingdom designed,
Kingdom ransomed
and Kingdom released!
So go now, with your sword and with your needle,
and breath an increase of Kingdom over everyone you meet.
