Press!

      It has been a good while since I rec'd anything substantial to share during our Sun.Am prayer. This morning I kept hearing "Press", and then saw a riot policeman's acrylic shield.
 I understood what was meant by "press"; it comes from the old pentecostal term of "pressing in"-
 ""The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." [Luke 16:16]

 Pressing in denotes earnestness and firmness of resolution;  an engaged-ness. It is not a passive act, nor is it about all our might or strength or ability! It is about "pressing in" to HIS ability, HIS strength and NOT moving from there. Think of the riot police: they are armed. They have shields, and body armor, just like we do. They are trained to use their weapons only when necessary. They are sent to occupy a territory, maintain peace and enforce the law of the land- together, as a unit.
Too often, a believer jumps headlong into a fight. We don't discern what is truly needed, and we pray, speak, based upon our own understanding. Binding, loosing, declaring are for specific times. Done out of turn, they can actually lead us into the flesh - the enemy's territory- which is exactly what he likes. We come away from it thinking we did what was "right", and then later are perplexed when we have to do it again and again- and this drains our energy and sometimes even hope!
    The Father, on the other hand, offers us wisdom, discernment, and His word to train us for each prayer need and life situation. The problem comes in when we allow a weakness to lead us out of discernment and wisdom and into fleshly thoughts. For example, "Melissa" battled a particular health issue for 4 years. She grew in her understanding of the Word regarding health, and her faith increased. She was healed. Now she has no "issue" with healing and can also encourage others. But the nagging self talk about her past trips her up many a day. When she is in a battle, she often responds to the enemy playing that "tape" in her head and becomes discouraged---and her shield drops. BAM! She is hit! Now she has to take time to recover, those around her are distracted, and have to regroup. We were never meant to fixate upon the activity of the enemy.
       What the Lord is saying now is that we as intercessors **need to press in to Him and get those doubts and insecurities resolved. ** .This will involve transparency- trusting someone with our need so that they may stand in the gap - "close ranks": to join with someone in a cause, or agreement. {Remember Pastor Tony shared this morning that it doesn't all depend upon ourselves, we need each other} Ask the Lord who one intercessor is that you can trust and pray with over the next quarter of the new year. Get with them for a brief time of sharing if they agree. ♥This should be men with men and ladies with ladies.

 It may be that you share with and stand with the same person, or it may be different people. **Listen carefully for His guidance in this.**
     We need to lean upon HIS abilities, plant our feet firmly in the Word and set our hearts upon HIM. We must be perpetually listening for His directives, and NOT reacting to the enemy's threats, peltings and presence. YES, you will sometimes feel his presence too. And his arrows. But if your shield is up, you can STAND. Not because "your faith is strong", but because you know how to lean, to rest IN HIM !

      Now, imagine if we as intercessors all were standing, armed, feet planted, shoulder to shoulder, and listening to the slightest whisper of our Lord. Fewer casualties would result from this maturity and unity. We could all move together, be a united shield for the Body, and see our prayers manifest because we are allowing the Lord to pray through us, instead of praying to Him. True intercession involves all of these, in various levels at various times. Needless casualities would diminish!

 

 Press in! 

Allow difficulties, weaknesses to draw you nearer to Him and see His anointing take effect. Like an olive in the olive press, the good stuff will come forth! Press in and allow His likeness to be imprinted upon you because you have spent life close to Him! Know that you know in your "knower" that you are a son of God and begin to live like it with a kingly bearing.
Then come together expecting to see our prayer time mature and shift with His hand manifesting this year privately and corporately!

Prescription for Weariness and Discouragement

        In our valiant attempts to "be strong in the Lord" and to "stand firm" we often experience muscle fatigue. This is because we revert to our own understanding, both of our situation and the Scriptures. We come

right up to the line of victory and dig our heels in and announce "I'm NOT moving!" We flex the muscle of our mind- displaying our vast knowledge of the Word and His promises.
 We mentally dig in our "spiritual heels".

From firmly placing one’s heels in the ground, particularly in tug of war (pulling) or when bracing oneself (pushing). Compare drag one's feet (“act slowly, from lack of enthusiasm or to delay”).

Fig. to refuse to alter one's course of action or opinions; to be obstinate or determined.

-" I'm digging in my heels. I'm not going back, not budging from here."

 And we begin to  to frazzle, fray,& hang on by a thread to our sincere but misled convictions that

we are "fighting the good fight of faith"!

  We cannot win a battle by our own strength. {I heard you say " Yes,  I know that."} But does your mind know that? Most believers know of the salvation of the cross through Jesus and have accepted this in their hearts.
But we fall into the battle between our hearts and minds.

 This causes internal stress, and damaging soul-wear instead of healthy, prosperous soul care!

 We have not yet accepted the fullness of His redemptive and deliverance work. 

Our hearts/spirits witness to His love and acceptance, 

but our mind's muscle still wants to pump iron;

 we get worn out trying to lift those spiritual weights!

We even make "spiritual" declarations and decrees about our firm resolve, only to find that a few hours, days or weeks later, we are so worn out that we feel we need to "pull" on others to help us
 "remain firm in the faith". 
Psalm 46:10 says "Be still and know that I am God."
The Hebrew for the word still means: 
to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, 1a3) to sink, relax, abate
1a4) to relax, withdraw
1b) (Niphal) idle 
1c) (Piel) to let drop
What we really need is to 
relax our grip, 
let go of the k"not" in the rope
 and be pulled on over into the Rest of The Lord!
We are not "qualified" by ANY of our works or even our great show of faith!
Jesus did the interview, He got the "call back" and signed the contract in His own blood. The seal of the Holy Spirit was placed upon that contract. And we are the

ben·e·fi·ci·ar·ies

noun: beneficiary; plural noun: beneficiaries

                                        1.a person who derives advantage from something,

 esp. a trust, will, or life insurance policy.

HE does the work. We receive the paycheck! 

  Yes, there remains a Sabbath for the people of God, a greater "rest" from attempting to please God based on our own merits.  We do not labor to find favor with God through acts of our own personal merit or faith, but rather we trust in the acceptance and love of God given to us in Jesus.
 We ask the Holy Spirit for help in discerning the truth on a personal, moment-by-moment basis. We trust in God's guidance and help as He promised in the terms of the New Covenant. Freedom doesn't mean we're "free to do whatever we want," but rather we're "free to love God without fear..."

 We have to let go of the knot of fear in the rope and trust

           - in His goodness, 

-sovereignty

  - and wisdom 

                  -and awareness of our

    life situation!

*There is a deeper sense of rest that God promised those who are trusting in Him Heb.4:9). This rest comes from trusting in the finished work of Christ as our  righteousness before the Father.   The statement that "there is a rest for the people of God" (Heb. 4:9-10) does not refer to ritualistic "Sabbath-keeping," however, since the context clearly states that "whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from His."  This is a "tetelestai" revelation --the Greek word meaning:

 You enter into rest the moment when you apprehend

{APPREHEND', v.t. L. apprehendo, of ad and prehendo, to take or seize. 

1. To take or seize; to take hold of.

2. To take with the understanding, that is, to conceive in the mine;

 to understand, without passing a judgment, or making an inference.

3. To think; to believe or be of opinion, but without positive certainty}

 that God has fulfilled the Law's demand on your behalf through the beautiful gift of Jesus' life and sacrifice.  Accepting the "death benefits" of the Messiah makes you an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven (Gal. 4:4-7). You embrace Sonship.

 

    And so this is still a live promise. It wasn’t canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn’t keep renewing the appointment for “today.” 

The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. 

 God himself is at rest.

 Paradoxically we "labor" to enter into this rest by exercising genuine faith in God's salvation in His Son . As Yeshua taught, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the One whom the Father has sent"
(John 6:28-29) - BELIEVE that HE has completed it, that the answer to your question is already available and  our good heavenly Father is at work.

  Ahhhhh- so THIS is the Rest of the Lord!

credit for some *quotes to http://www.hebrew4christians.com

River Dance Chapter One

 This post is different. My husband is the storyteller in our family. We found out three years ago that he probably was created for that, and were we living in a Cherokee village he would be fulfilling that destiny given through his birth family.

   Nevertheless, I am here writing today. And I have a story to tell. It will probably be more like chapters, as there is much to share. Here is "Chapter One" of River Dance...

   A young couple who had met at Bible College in the Appalachian mountains stepped out into the stream of marriage and shortly thereafter followed a call into ministry. Ordination followed and soon they sat in the living room of their mentor minister's home. Internship was exciting and difficult. Growling stomachs and saving pennies for gas to travel each weekend were part of the preparation. We saw first hand the poverty and despair that comes from living in a land without The River.

Two "churches" situated opposite each other who were once one congregation; the placement of the coal pile being the  reason for the split.

  Children sexually abused and neglected, swarming with lice and fear in a dry and weary land were a weekly experience.

  Being young in years and full of zeal, the call to a full time pastorate in the Allegheny mountains was welcomed. Lush and breathtaking views greeted the couple every morning in this historic, artistic quaint mountain town. A few warm-hearted people contrasted the chilly winters and bone cold growth level of the congregation.  They were frozen in The River, damming its flow altogether.

   After leading the group of people as far as they cared to go ( which wasn't far- the Church's Historian's records showed no change in 10 years in attendance, missions nor financial incrementation) the two - who - were- now-three packed up and entered into The City of the Fountain.

    There they received an education of both sides of the spectrum; the glorious possibility of the presence of God and darkness'  eerie attempts to prevail. Previous minister had a son who fancied having a coffin in the garage and an ouija board in his bedroom. He eventually killed his own child.  Many times a strange presence was felt in the parsonage. Discord seemed to come instantly between The Two.  The Jewel placed a book in the woman's hands that was entitled This Present Darkness. Eyes began to open and deeper understanding poured out upon The Two.

   A teaching regarding the Holy Spirit made them angry at first. Determined to prove the error, months were spent scouring The Book of the River in efforts to document the findings. 

Document them they did, and also found the truth. 

This truth led The Two to challenge The Lord of The River.

 "If this is true, and if this is real, and I somehow have missed it all this time, please show me. Baptize me, Fill me with Your Holy Spirit for I do not want any other."

   The challenge did not go unnoticed nor unanswered. Light burst forth and understanding fell upon them both, individually, separately and alone. No man nor flesh did this. God and God alone.  The Two had been introduced to The River. They needed a trail guide.  The Lord of The River promptly provided that guide. She was a Jewel amongst the congregation, shining brightly amongst diamonds in the rough who led them to others who knew of The River.

   One of the first things The River does is to cleanse. Questions that had plagued them for a long time were suddenly answered and a fresh softening of their hearts began to restore any damage caused by the resident evil.

  Another testing of the teaching took place. Despite not knowing of The Gifts found in The Book of The River, The Two still sensed something not right in the house. After hearing about a person who had resolved a similar issue, they decided to apply  it to the house. Praying through each room, and anointing each door and window with oil, the house became electrified. An overpowering odor emanated from the upstairs. A bedroom door opened on its own. The door to the upper level also opened on its own accord, with the sounds of footsteps heard following it. Upon praying through a room and anointing it, a peace was felt until the next room was entered. The peace was restored through the prayer, praise and anointing. Between the chimney for the fireplace downstairs and the wall they found the source of the smell. Praying through they removed the ouija board that had been tucked into the space. Taking it outside and burning it, a deep, thick black smoke rose into the sky.  The house cleansed, The Two were now free to live there in peace and the search for the river resumed.

  Once you have tasted of this water, you are never satisfied with the beverage of religion. There is too much life, joy, peace that splashes over your thirsty soul to turn back.  The Two found themselves searching after the river, hiking trails, looking for signs that would lead them to its banks. It's melodious, rhythmic rapids called out to them and stirred something deep within that they did not recognize. 

    The Landlubbers were none to happy to see the young minister and his wife tasting a different brew. Their palates were too accustomed to the fermented flavor of old wine; their skins had grown hard and resisted expansion of any sort. It wasn't long before their left feet began to get restless. The River was calling and several others heard the sound. They too wanted more. After several months of banter back and forth about The River, the right hands of the leaders pulled away from The Two and the  elected leadership inserted their left feet where the sun doesn't shine, sending The Two hurtling out to the curb. It was a painful time of great shock, disillusionment and  a test of the call.  As they wandered and wondered why the Lord of The River seemed to have abandoned them, they did not know they had actually embarked upon the path that would lead them straight into the rushing current itself.

     The Jewel had invited them to  a service nearby.  Reluctantly they agreed to go.  For the woman, the thought of entering one of "those" churches was intimidating. The many stories of bizarre activities caused her to tremble as they walked in the door. But no pews were rocking, no one was jumping around and each of the 3 chandeliers seemed to be just fine in their proper places, hanging still. They were definitely not prepared for what they heard and saw next!

   

Prayer ART 101 Lesson 1

  I have been sketching, drawing, painting my entire life- at least as soon as crayons or other media was introduced to me.   I am intrigued by faces. I love to draw people's faces, to study the collection of curves, contour, and lines that create that one of a kind visage.  And I feel confident in my ability to capture a person's likeness.

   But if you ask me to draw a straight line, a star, I have great difficulty!

And don't even think about requesting a circle! Noooo sirrreeeeeee! 

At least not on canvas or in my sketchbook.  But I do make them in my Bible. 

{GASP!} 

 YES, I WRITE IN MY BIBLE, don't you?

  If you don't out of a God-given conviction then I step aside. But if it is because you heard someone say you shouldn't, then I challenge you to get your pen/highlighter, crayon- whatever is available and begin!  My Bible has promises highlighted in green,  references to the character of Christ in purple,  Praise in Yellow, and warnings in - well, I wanted to use red, but it is too dark, so, pink. 

    Arrows, exclamation points, question marks, dates and personal notes of revelation fill the margins. This has been a HUGE source of reflection and encouragement to me.

 Often I am reading and a verse or passage seems to "lift off the page". I call that the Holy Spirit's highlighter, ha!  It is God's way of getting our attention, usually for strengthening, but sometimes as warnings. When that happens, a new note and date are entered onto that page. 

     The Bible is alive, you know. It isn't a book by dead authors. The same lessons, truth, trials and victories they had, we have. The only thing that separates us is the date on the calendar. The truth breathes right into us, upon us when we read it. 

That is why it is so applicable!  So my Bible is a journal about my journey through it! 
     Circles have been talked about alot lately in Kingdom discussions, largely due to the author Mark Batterson and his work The Circle Maker.
 {***Good book for sure! Strongly recommend you reading it!}  
 It really uses the circle as an analogy or visual for persistence in prayer. 
 You may have heard the term "standing in faith"?
 The author exhorts us to find God's quickened promise to us and "circle it" with prayer. 

 I have many such circles drawn around passages in my Bible and in my heart. 

What about you? 

   A step in that direction is to note, underline, circle, square, highlight those promises right there on the page. It is ok if it isn't the neatest, most eye catching piece of art you create.

 As long as it is a work of HEart!  

  I leave you with one more image and a quote from  The Circle Maker:

 { My Dad's own Bible - if HE does it then it HAS to be a good thing! lol! }

"The promises of God are like the tree island in the middle of the lake.

 They are the difference between sinking and swimming

 because they give you a place to stand.

 And when He keeps His promises, you won't just stand on water;

 you will waltz into the Promised Land through waters God has parted."  

  

I am extending my staff of faith

for the parting and imminent completion of crossing over and planting my feet on that land I have seen by the Spirit for so long a time, 

circling all the way. I hope you will join me.  

As to the reference of the island, well, you just have to read the book!

"Prayer Opps"

Amidst cerulean blue sky dusted with translucent feathery clouds,
the sunlight graced the tops of trees and danced upon the nearly still lake. 

The crickets sang softly. Serenity.

Almost. "errrrrrrip" {insert needle scratch on turntable}

 Excuse the interruption, please. 

 You've  heard of a "photo opp", right? You know, a politician's best friend; just the right time and setting to create the appearance of something favorable

 to shine the spotlight on his/her good side.

   Ok, now back to my story...

After an awesome (and I reserve the word for God alone) demonstration of love,
 acceptance and redemption in the worship service,

 my husband and I
 headed off to a change of place-
 a state park nearby. 

We wanted some time for meditation and reflection.

 And tranquility, serenity. 

It became immediately obvious that I would have to persist to find it.
First, my chair kept coming unlocked, making it unbalanced.
 It's one of those collapsing canvas chairs:

Then, my music device would not operate properly. No worries, I had a back up!
But nooooo, that one wouldn't play the CD. Ugh.
No prophetic worship to listen to.
Okay, so let's embrace the silence. Let's listen.
 I began to journal a prayer. Bible? Check. Journal? Check.
 Pen.... I realized I'd left my pen in the car. Get the keys, go to car, get the pen.
Done!
Midway through one sentence the pen ran out of ink.
 Get the keys, go to car, get replacement pen.
 {Note to self, save for Ipad!} Ahhhh. Now it begins, I thought.
And it did!

Sun still shining, breeze blowing and {insert sound from above here}
but the soft chirping of the crickets was being drowned out every
few seconds. A battle was raging via cell phones. A very angry young
man was venting in varying volumes.

In the past I would have been annoyed.  

I might have wished him away, or worse,

 called the authorities to complain. 

 But today I hear the Father's heart greiveing.

 In between the shouts punctuated with cursing is the sound of a heart

 that is deeply wounded. The rage is the cry of his heart torn 

and twisted by sin, confusion and betrayal.

 And the Father cries. 

What do you do when YOU hear someone like this? 

What is your first thought, your first response?  Frustration?

 Feeling like your "space" has been invaded? 

Or do you pray?  

Whether you are called as an intercessor or are a willing "pray-er", 

YOU can be one of God's press agents! 

Pray for the brokenhearted, hear what the Father hears.

Pray for the darkened, distanced soul(s). 

Pray for reconciliation to God,  

and in my case, to the recipient of the harsh words. 

Next time you encounter a grumpy or angry person, 

remember that under the surface is a heart beating, 

wanting desperately to know not to give up,

 that somewhere real, life giving love is available to them.

 Though you may

be across the room, store, parking lot or world,

 you can PRAY. 

When sirens sound , You can pray! 

You can create a "meeting" between that person and the Lord. 

Pray that the Father imparts His heart to you so that

 you are a channel of love and hope even to souls 

you may never meet face to face.

Watch for, listen for and prepare for "Prayer Opps". 

 Through prayer, arrange opportunities for God's mercy and grace to shine!

So, now you know what I wrote in my journal! ;)

Saddle Up!! Final in Meekness for the Preakness series

  " Saddle up your horses-
We've got a trail to blaze
Through the wild blue yonder of God's amazing grace
Let's follow our leader into the glorious unknown
This is the life like no other, whoa whoa
This is the great adventure

Yeah

Come on, get ready for the ride of your life
Gonna leave long faced religion
In a cloud of dust behind
And discover all the new horizons
Just waiting to be explored
This is what we were created for, yeah "

So, you have been corralled by His love, 

taught to accept His reign,

and acquired skills necessary for navigating 

the course of life. 

That entire process was only the prelude to being a 

"horse" prepared to race.

 The most difficult, most painful

part after submitting, learning and being shaped

 was to be told that now you have to be confined and wait. 

"WHAT? Shut the gate? "

 I have been enlarged beyond 

anything I ever dreamed possible, 

and You want me

to squeeze into that tiny,

 harsh, 

anonymous starting gate?

YES, I am bucking, I am  kicking AND snorting!!!

WHY did You do all this? Why all the months of training, 

if only to wait? To be shut into this starting gate???

Starting?? Really?  I thought we began a LONG time ago?"

Are we calmed down yet?  

 Has meekness finally settled like a blanket

over your soul?  

It has over mine. 

Oh, it took awhile! This whole series began one day

                          in prayer, seeking God's word for me and us as a couple 
in a very loooooooooooooooooooong and trying season,

   I saw a Chrysanthemum.

 I had no idea what it meant, but the vision was very clear. 

The individual petals and the layers of them were easily distinguished.  
     I then heard the Lord whisper "Meekness" and was reminded of Jeremiah 12:5
 “If you have raced with men on foot
    and they have worn you out,
    how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble, only feel secure in safe country,
    how will you manage in the flooding of the thickets by the Jordan?

In researching the Preakness, 
I learned that a blanket of chrysanthemums covers the winner!

So even if you are STILL in that starting gate,
 know that  the special attention and ornamentation lavished on a royal steed
 is the figure used to represent Jehovah’s turning his favorable attention
 to his repentant people, making them like a victorious war horse in Zec 10:3-6.

  We are His wild souls

trained to run;  His beautiful thoroughbreds

 

wise in navigating fields and streams,  and equipped for victory in battle. 

 NOW was it worth it???

Minnie Pearls Amongst Us

Good Morning!

Greeted with fresh breezes, blue skies, and sunshine,

I felt blessed to be able to sit on the porch for some 

time of meditation today.  I often sit quietly for awhile 

to see what He will say.  Today's message was unexpected. 

I thoughtI was just being distracted... distracted by meaningless things.

I could not have been more wrong. 

We have  Minnie Pearls amongst us!

What am I talking about??  Well, if you are younger than myself, 

or not in the South, you may not know of Minnie Pearl.

Minnie Pearl was a comedian.  Pearl's comedy was gentle satire 

 of rural Southern culture, often called "hillbilly" culture.

 Pearl always dressed in style-less "down home" dresses

 and wore a hat with a price tag hanging from it, displaying the price of $1.98. 

 Her catch phrase was

"How-w-w-DEE-E-E-E! I'm jes' so proud to be here!"

 delivered in a loud holler. 

"AND..?"  you may be thinking.  

Yes, we have comedians in the South, but NO, that is not what I mean.

In my "meditative state" (lol) I noticed the price tags were still on

the new pots we purchased this week for our growing herb garden 

and my sunflower.

UGH!!!!

 I don't like to see price tags on items.

 TACKY- right?

So I tried to remove them, but 

the moisture from recent rains

made that difficult.

So, here they sit with the price tags half removed:

As I was scratching on them, getting the icky sticky driven up
under my fingernail, I heard the familiar "Still, small voice" say;
"Many of those that I paid for still have price tags on them."

Our neighbors passed by, taking their daily walk. There are price tags on 
them, and they don't even know it. They have been purchased but 
they know nothing of the pearl of great price!

THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY ARE PRECIOUS TO THE LORD, 
AND THAT THEIR DESTINY IS THE KINGDOM!

And there is another group amongst us. They have removed the price tag
altogether. They do not want to be reminded of the cost of their redemption.
They don't intend to return, to repent, visit the Service desk to ask for the exchange of righteousness for filthy rags  that is available for them.
  They discarded the price tags and live as though their life ,
 or any life has no real value. How sad. 

And then there is you and me. 
We know the price. We don't have it hanging from a hat
but the price was on our heads-
 and it was paid IN FULL
$2,000 years ago!

 We wear it boldly and even proudly- 
like a neon sign. 

 We are just proud to be here!
And we understand that we don't want it removed.
 We need reminders of
the cost , and of our value.
 { Yes, it was more than $3.00, 
but it did involve the Trinity!  }
BUT...
 Can we get past the focus upon ourselves and
our issues and our blessings enough to see
the Minnie Pearls?? 
The ones oblivious to the price?
And what about those removed- distant and rejecting the Offering all together? 
HEAR the FATHER'S CALL to you and I today:
it is a Kingdom Call to go out and reveal the price tags 
and restore the value to those 
whom He purchased with the Blood of His Son!

Matthew 13:45-46

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁴⁵ Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls,

⁴⁶ Who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.

WHATEVER IT MAY COST US
 TO SHARE, TO EXEMPLIFY THE KINGDOM, 
IT IS WORTH IT!

I pray you will be aware, alert  and prepared
to answer this simple but profound call. And that you
are reminded of it each and every time you shop,
and your eyes land upon a price tag.
May you encounter multitudes of Minnie Pearls
on your journey!

Meekness for the Preakness; The Heat is ON!

Our time as students and then staff at Christ For the Nations 

taught us valuable life lessons. 

The dean of married students- Dean Holland, often said

 "The fire is hot here". 

 He was right. We went through a time that

cemented our family and taught us servanthood and accountability.

Growing in the Lord takes you through many seasons,
 each which is progressive and builds upon the previous ones. 

 Jeremiah was told he would be like fortified walls of copper against those that opposed him. 
(Jer 1:18, 19; 15:20)
Copper disperses heat evenly, not allowing the food being prepared to get scorched. 
So for Jehovah to assure Jeremiah that he is fortifying him with a copper wall 
meant that the Lord would sustain Jeremiah
  as long as the " heat " was being applied. 
So if we are faithful now, 
Father will sustain us then, helping us to maintain our integrity,
 no matter what we face.

   Those areas in your life that seem to be trigger points 
need to be fortified by the heat of God's word as you learn His ways.

Humility before Honor;   

 Meek, Yet Stern as Steel.

Humility does not mean the meek will take everything "lying down."
A meek person will feel the wrong done against him and feel it bitterly. But because he is not thinking of himself, his meekness does not allow his spirit to give vent to a hateful, savage and vindictive anger that seeks to "get even." He will instead be full of pity for the damaged character, attitudes and blindness of the perpetrator. From the stake Jesus uttered, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34).

We hear so much about "going to a new level",
with connotations of being exalted;

yet God really wants
us to learn how to go deeper
 into the depths of Him!

Those who desire to serve the Lord in fullness, 
in broad anointing and
great authority must  learn how to bow lower. 

DESPITE popular "theology"

you will NOT

 be able to bypass 

the Eye of the Needle. 

Baggages of self justification, pride, 

laurels of past accomplishments
will not fit through this gate.
 This gate requires that you be 
stripped of all the above and more.
This gate requires more than faith-
it demands TRUST. 

This gate in Jerusalem was uncommonly used.

Most did not pass through here.

The coat of humility must be put on 

to get to the other side.

   It isn't the experience of being misunderstood, suffering,
 or poverty itself that will undo us
, but rather the sense that we are not accomplishing anything,
 and enduring hardship to no good end.
That's why the apostle Paul emphasized that we do not labor in vain (1 Cor. 15:58).
 We discover there is no wasted effort or pain, 
because there is nothing that God cannot redeem.

A person of meekness no longer verbally recites nor mentally
 rehearses the wrongs done to him.
 Instead the focus is on the great grace and destiny
which is given through Jesus.

  Meekness is strength that is submitted to an appropriate authority.

The stubborn, unrepentant attitude of an apostate people is compared with the impetuous manner of a horse dashing into battle without regard for the consequences
.—Jer 8:6. Hmmm....

 If you have run with the footmen - if the smallest evils to which you are exposed cause you to make so many bitter complaints, how will you feel when, in the course of  prophetic ministry, you're  exposed to much greater, from enemies much more powerful?

Up till this time, in spite of the onsets you have endured, those could be compared to a sojourn in a peaceful land; but a yet greater battle may come 

 where you may never for a moment be sure of your life.

         The starting gate is not a comfortable place,

but it is a vital training framework. It may seem like you are there forever. It does for Dan and I today. 

Weariness can get the best of you if you 

let it.  

This is a time to mentally rehearse the lessons already learned 

that have prepared you to run the race, 

Bridle your tongue from complaining

and keep your eyes forward.

"Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,

² Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Hebrews 12:1-2

Amplified Bible