What is the Lord showing you fresh these days?

[Sons to Glory!]

I have had a desire to start a thread regarding things that are fresh experiences of Christ and/or that the Lord is showing us currently. My intention is that we will be edified/built-up. We are all saints of the Most High God (think about that!), in our Father’s family, and precious.

I pray the Lord would lead us within and guide us without as we share His grace with one another!

So to start, I want to share something that has really been an enjoyable and encouraging topic of continued fellowship recently among the saints I gather with. For me, it started with a brother sharing something to a small group of us over dinner one night, perhaps a month ago. He said he was reading in Matthew 25 where the Lord told a servant, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things. Enter into the joy of your Lord!”

This brother said the Lord really spoke to him regarding two things – that the Lord said “faithful in a few things; and the brother said the Lord told him he would hear these very words. Man, his sharing hit me! “Faithful in a FEW things.” Jesus didn’t say many things, but rather “faithful in a FEW THINGS.” Wow!

Of course we’ve heard this passage for years, but somehow I think I always sort of skip the word “few” and even, amazingly, translated it as “many.” That is, I was incredibly hearing, “Since you have been faithful in so many, big things . . .” Nope – not there. “A few things!”

Then a flood of verses started flooding into my mind (as the Spirit does when showing us something) regarding this. It is small faith – like a mustard seed – that He’s looking for. Not necessarily quantity, but rather quality. Over and over in the Bible it is the principle of God starting small. It started with the One Grain falling into the ground. It started with just 12 disciples. A little faith. A little seed. A “still, small voice,” etc. (There is much here – I have a goal to write a new booklet concerning this matter of starting small.)

Then there was some Sunday sharing shortly after this, pointing out how Hebrews 11 (the so-called “Faith Chapter”) shows these “snapshots” of various ones being caught in the act of faith. If you look at most of these people, like David, they did some really despicable things! But it is their moment of faith that is captured in Hebrews 11.

Someone then shared that it’s like a father who is taking pictures of his kids doing various things. But when he catches them doing something he is really proud of: SNAPSHOT! And what is really amazing about our heavenly Father is that He actually forgets those other times! (He says He forgets – what is not of faith is sin – so He forgets all that is not of faith from us.) He knows this whole faith thing is something we are just beginning to learn, and He knows that He will get us where we need to go.

Then we were taking about Hebrews 11 at a breakfast fellowship and it was remarked that Sampson is also mentioned there. Sampson, who essentially forgot who he was, remembered who he was at the very end. He finished well and is included as a snapshot in Hebrews 11! I got a little flash fellowshipping about this, that this might be a picture of the church. Think of it - things look so much a mess in Christendom (and in us individually), but what if we remember who we really are at the end, and it all finishes well!? SNAPSHOT!

Our Father is so much for us! He wants the best in and through us, and will get the best. Along the way He encourages us (the God of all encouragement) – “Just have a little faith in a few thing! I know there will be failures . . . (I forget those.) Just remember who you are in Christ and finish well!”

Once more, I am encouraged to run the race – “Looking away unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!”

[aron]

Good thoughts here StG.

On the flip side notice that the enemy continually tempts one to leave the safety of the few things entrusted by God.

"ALL this will I give you. . ." ~Matt 4:9

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by aron

Good thoughts here StG.

On the flip side notice that the enemy continually tempts one to leave the safety of the few things entrusted by God.

"ALL this will I give you. . ." ~Matt 4:9

You know, that is right! A few years ago the Lord showed me something in what He said to the unfaithful servant, "You should have deposited it with the bankers." For me it meant to just be faithful to show up and be with the saints (the bankers) a few times a week (and I often get the confirmation from Him that this is correct). The other thing He's shown me to be faithful in is to seek Him and get into His word early each morning. And lastly to turn to Him, in whatever small way, as I think of Him throughout the day.

Simple! A few things.

I tell ya - these few practices have been rich! I know something of Christ is being conveyed and deposited within me.

Just faithful in these few, supposedly small things . . . As He told the Church in Philadelphia, "You have a little strength . . ."

[A little brother]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

So to start, I want to share something that has really been an enjoyable and encouraging topic of continued fellowship recently among the saints I gather with. For me, it started with a brother sharing something to a small group of us over dinner one night, perhaps a month ago. He said he was reading in Matthew 25 where the Lord told a servant, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things. Enter into the joy of your Lord!”

This brother said the Lord really spoke to him regarding two things – that the Lord said “faithful in a few things; and the brother said the Lord told him he would hear these very words. Man, his sharing hit me! “Faithful in a FEW things.” Jesus didn’t say many things, but rather “faithful in a FEW THINGS.” Wow!

Of course we’ve heard this passage for years, but somehow I think I always sort of skip the word “few” and even, amazingly, translated it as “many.” That is, I was incredibly hearing, “Since you have been faithful in so many, big things . . .” Nope – not there. “A few things!”

Amen. To me, "a few things" is also how we should view the things we have done. Sometimes we have inflated view on our services. We started with success in a few things and gradually build up our SELF-confidence, then pride creeps in. We believe we are so blessed that we can conquer the world and in Aron's words "leave the safety of the few things entrusted by God".

Luk 17 gives us a balanced view on how to serve our Lord...

17:7 But which of you, having a slave who is plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, Come immediately and recline at table?

17:8 Will he not rather say to him, Prepare something that I may dine, and gird yourself and serve me until I eat and drink; and after that you will eat and drink?

17:9 He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were ordered, does he?

17:10 So also you, when you do all the things which are ordered you, say, We are unprofitable slaves; we have done what we ought to have done.

[tentmaker]

Thanks for starting this thread. Now I have a place to share this.


I had a small experience recently, this is the short version of, still probably not short, quick and to the point enough but anyway. To me, at the moment of realization of, it was quite tremendous (and still considering it).

I had a task around the house that required melting some lead into a project I was working on. I had a chunk of lead and a propane torch, but wondered if the max torch temperature could actually melt the lead that I had. I had never done anything like that before. I went on google and did some checking. I soon got side tracked into reading something about the source of propane coming from fossil fuels. Hmmm. My understanding is that the crude oil under the ground has been there a long, long time, not 6000 years (nor 60000 years), being there and just waiting to be pumped out and used for something. Then the verse Eph 1:11 came to me, “in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will”. My mind then took a little adventure with the part of that verse that says “purpose of him who works all things”. Could it be that fossil fuels, created through some process, perhaps many ages ago, (millions of years - or more?) be part of this purpose? I considered that there was a good possibility Adam didn’t know about fossil fuels, or crude oil, stored in massive reserves in various places under the earth, all over the earth, for untold, unknown, untraceable amounts of time in his time. Paul, who wrote Eph 1:11, did he know about it? Probably had no idea of. Then comes the 1800’s, petro is discovered and has a necessary use. What I saw is this: We use gasoline to get from here to there. Without it life would be different. It has only been in use a short amount time in comparison to human history. Much of God’s building work, which is a great mystery, is benefited by the ability to travel. Short distance, long distance. No petro, limited travel, limited building, limited fellowship. This also includes electricity: No power, limited building, limited fellowship.

Some kind of action, some process on earth, on God’s order, occurring in ancient times, over an unknown amount of time necessary to create it, caused crude oil to form. Why it is underground is a mystery. The powers and principalities in the heavens must have witnessed this occurring, but had no idea what it was for? At that moment I beheld the patience of God, the wisdom of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will. Also Eph 3:10: “ … to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”. This is for me/us! I/we shouldn’t neglect it. The above mentioned only skims the surface of the topic itself (also -fossil fuels, petro, crude oil, etc all refer to the same thing, same source).

Anyways I never did get the lead melted …. went off in another direction.


If this isn't what you had in mind or doesn't fit here let me know and I'll delete it ... thanks

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by tentmaker

Thanks for starting this thread. Now I have a place to share this.


I had a small experience recently, this is the short version of, still probably not short, quick and to the point enough but anyway. To me, at the moment of realization of, it was quite tremendous (and still considering it).

I had a task around the house that required melting some lead into a project I was working on. I had a chunk of lead and a propane torch, but wondered if the max torch temperature could actually melt the lead that I had. I had never done anything like that before. I went on google and did some checking. I soon got side tracked into reading something about the source of propane coming from fossil fuels. Hmmm. My understanding is that the crude oil under the ground has been there a long, long time, not 6000 years (nor 60000 years), being there and just waiting to be pumped out and used for something. Then the verse Eph 1:11 came to me, “in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will”. My mind then took a little adventure with the part of that verse that says “purpose of him who works all things”. Could it be that fossil fuels, created through some process, perhaps many ages ago, (millions of years - or more?) be part of this purpose? I considered that there was a good possibility Adam didn’t know about fossil fuels, or crude oil, stored in massive reserves in various places under the earth, all over the earth, for untold, unknown, untraceable amounts of time in his time. Paul, who wrote Eph 1:11, did he know about it? Probably had no idea of. Then comes the 1800’s, petro is discovered and has a necessary use. What I saw is this: We use gasoline to get from here to there. Without it life would be different. It has only been in use a short amount time in comparison to human history. Much of God’s building work, which is a great mystery, is benefited by the ability to travel. Short distance, long distance. No petro, limited travel, limited building, limited fellowship. This also includes electricity: No power, limited building, limited fellowship.

Some kind of action, some process on earth, on God’s order, occurring in ancient times, over an unknown amount of time necessary to create it, caused crude oil to form. Why it is underground is a mystery. The powers and principalities in the heavens must have witnessed this occurring, but had no idea what it was for? At that moment I beheld the patience of God, the wisdom of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will. Also Eph 3:10: “ … to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”. This is for me/us! I/we shouldn’t neglect it. The above mentioned only skims the surface of the topic itself (also -fossil fuels, petro, crude oil, etc all refer to the same thing, same source).

Anyways I never did get the lead melted …. went off in another direction.


If this isn't what you had in mind or doesn't fit here let me know and I'll delete it ... thanks

That's great - a perfect place to share your seeing! Yes, all these things around us that we take for granted and/or think of as some sort of a coincidence . . . when we see things clearly for what they are, we see that He is certainly able to do these things. And He does! And His motivation is love to us.

So I like how you said that the fuels formed in the ground were there, ready to be revealed at this time. The world is a much smaller place and I marvel at how fast we get from one point to another. And also how fast information travels.

The setting 2000 years ago was also quite the "coincidence." The Romans were masters of a vast reach of territory. And to all these places they brought their language, including Greek. Greek was an excellent language to write the New Testament in. And once written, it could easily travel along all those great Roman roads!

So today, the gospel and those carrying it can get to the remotest parts of the earth without that much trouble. (it would take the Moravians a month or more to reach their mission field) Plus, the technology can much more easily translate the good news into various languages. (again, it could take the Moravians years to master a language and write it down)

[awareness]

I like it. "A few things" means I have a chance. Amen Lord

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by awareness

I like it. "A few things" means I have a chance. Amen Lord

I know! I used to think I didn't stand much of a chance at all - which is really focusing on me and is all about my performance (and which is actually making Him out a liar . . . a "hard man")!

I believe there is accountability, but His intention is that we make it in a "few things," not a ton of BIG things!

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by A little brother

Amen. To me, "a few things" is also how we should view the things we have done. Sometimes we have inflated view on our services. We started with success in a few things and gradually build up our SELF-confidence, then pride creeps in. We believe we are so blessed that we can conquer the world and in Aron's words "leave the safety of the few things entrusted by God".

Luk 17 gives us a balanced view on how to serve our Lord...

17:7 But which of you, having a slave who is plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, Come immediately and recline at table?

17:8 Will he not rather say to him, Prepare something that I may dine, and gird yourself and serve me until I eat and drink; and after that you will eat and drink?

17:9 He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were ordered, does he?

17:10 So also you, when you do all the things which are ordered you, say, We are unprofitable slaves; we have done what we ought to have done.

As I was biking yesterday I was musing about how prideful I can get when the Lord shows me something. I've had at least a couple times where He has really turned the light on -I see it - and get all excited. Of course I want to share it, which is good I think. But not long after getting the light, a puffed-upedness (like that word?) creeps in and it's like, "I've seen something you haven't," and that's where it seems to start. Before long, there is no life in that knowledge, or at least in my conveying of it.

As I was biking, I was considering how this happens on much larger scale among us believers. Knowledge fails. Something that was real light just becomes dead ritualistic knowledge in our practice. We also seem to be blinded to that pride.