There’s a Time to Let Go!

Those who love The LORD with all their heart, have counted the cost, having picked up their cross to follow Him!

Those who love The LORD with all their heart, have counted the cost, having picked up their cross to follow Him.

The chasm has become much deeper and further apart yet one can see with greater clarity from a far distance those whom you labored over, investing your love, determination and time; choking back the tears and grief at the revelation of seeing the cost of their unbelief.

Troubled by the thoughts as to why a person who met perfect love, could possibly turn away knowingly and willingly in such a final stroke, as one who would sign a final testament note.

To finally comprehend and see the overwhelming revelation of their understanding, that God won’t go against free will and free choice.

He gives the right to choose to each of us.  Each one will stand before God facing the ramifications of influence and their rights and choices they made.

He is a God of Justice, Mercy, and Judgment and as a just God, He is slow to anger and rich in mercy.

However, no man, no matter how eloquent, no matter how compassionate, no matter how desperately determined to stand in the gap for others can only go so far.  God won’t violate freedom of choice.

“Behold therefore the kindness and severity of God,”   Romans 11:22 KJV.

Those who are mature, know how to weigh things in the balance of God’s Word.  For we know Him both as Lion and the Lamb, Grace and Union, Thy Rod and Thy Staff.

“So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock.  Then I took two staffs and one “Grace” or Favor and the other “Union”, and I pastured the flock,”   Zechariah 11:7 NIV.

Free will and free choice trumps all interventions.  God will not intervene once that choice is made.

God gave us the gift of free will and free choice and God will not interfere by standing in the way of those God given choices.

If God will not take away free will and free choice, who are we to think we can make them choose?

Rizpah stood in the gap for her dead sons and desperately kept the buzzards away, but her sons were still dead.  There is a time to let go,  (2 Samuel 21:10)

“And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before The LORD.  And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?  That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”  Genesis 18:22-25 KJV.

Shall not the judge of the whole earth do right?

Job offered burnt offerings for each of his children to be sure that if his children violated, sinned, or cursed God in their hearts, that Job was motivated by fear by getting involved in making sure his adult children had been covered by sacrificing.  Job said, “The thing I greatly feared came upon me.”

There is a time to let go.  It isn’t easy, but we love dearly and have agonized over those who have clearly turned away from God, and it is hard, and often a process to totally release them into the hands of God.

A lot of times we get in the way of the hand of God seeking to work on those we love, and as long as we fight our battles, God cannot.

We cannot be responsible for others even those in our own lives and family that we labor over intensely.

Yes, we pray and labor intensely seeking God to forgive them, but there comes a time that it must come from within and it must be their decision.

It is agonizing to slowly watch those we have closely known, to choose to follow the wide way that leads to destruction.  There is a time to let go.

“And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually,”   Job 1:5 KJV.

“For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came,”   Job 3:25-26 KJV.

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey


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Gone With the Wind!

There is a process that must happen when the season and set time is fulfilled.

There is a process that must happen when the season and set time is fulfilled.

It happens that the restraints of our lives that had grown up all intertwined within, must come to the threshing floor.

The chaff and wheat must be winnowed as one.  For it is during this process of refinement that the transformations and the lessons are revealed.

The chaff is only the byproduct that is to be released once the maturation comes of time and season.

The process of changing begins with the chaff and its outward appearance.  Through the winnowing and being tossed up over and over with circumstances and you may feel completely out of control, but it is in this raw process that the releasing of the husk and all the byproducts are finally separate so that
the true grain may appear.

The stubborn chaff being tossed up into the air over and over is also felt by the true grain.  For in the time of separation what was intertwined must be a combined effort to separate and release what isn’t seemly and what is worthless.

The winnowing process separates the grain, stalk, and husk.  To winnow the grain, the pieces of the crop just threshed are thrown it up into the air.  The wind blew the light pieces of chaff while the grain, which was heavier, fell almost straight back down.

As the winnowing continues, the chaff blows and the wind sweeps it away to never been seen again.

By being the weightiness of the kernel of wheat we are thrown up in the process but the true grain will fall to the ground of the threshing floor.

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail”   Luke 22:31-32.

The illustration was clear.  Just as wheat is winnowed and sifted in a sieve, Satan demanded to be able to pressure Peter until things surfaced in his life.

Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail and that no chaff would remain, as the true grain of Peter was revealed.

May we remember also that The LORD has prayed for us too, and that this process must happen for the revealing of the true grain, the true believer and those things that are unnecessary in our lives.

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey


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The Divine Curtain Call!

It takes faith, hope and discipline to pick up our cross and follow in Christ’s steps. 

 

Sometimes the inability and limitations of our humanity fail to properly express the fullness that we are so eagerly hungry, thirsty, and filled with hope.

These seasons come much like an event on the stage of life where once the scene ends the curtain closes.  However, what remains is hidden and skillfully being crafted by God for the set time of His favor.

Yes, there are those whom God takes of this world to showcase His glorious grace as He plans from the beginning of time to mold and squeeze the divine skin of wine revealing within the fresh new message in a modern-day role revealing the truth of the greatest story of old.

The Ancient of Days never delays even though we may feel wasted and cast aside, there are always prophetic plans in motion that God has devised.

For isn’t it said, that even going through the valley of Baca, He makes a well springing up and He brings rain that fills the pools of life again?

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God,”   Psalm 84:5-7 KJV.

It is through the times when things are veiled, dark and hidden that our resolve is deeply tested.

Our faith is tested when we are holding on to this hope that we cannot see.  Believing in hope and through that hope we are not ashamed! It is through this season that we find out what we believe within our total being.

God already knows what we believe, but He wants us to see what we really believe.  It is during these times of testing that conflicting mindsets surface when we are pressed and we wonder why it is so seemingly dark, dead and dry.

“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.And patience, experience; and experience, hope,”    Romans 5:3-5 KJV.

For who has hope for a tree that has been hewn down?

Why would confusing, doubleminded times come?

God doesn’t do anything without a dynamic purpose in His mind.  You are His creation and His design as the master builder builds you so you will be defined as you are prepared to step into your destiny divine.

God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore.  He hasn’t changed His mind towards you.  He loves you and nothing changes that fact.

It is during these times that doubts surface when pressure reveals the reality of our own belief system.

When we face what we really are, then we can find the revelation of finished work of Christ and the rest of faith in His ability to be kept by the power of God.

It is in this place that The LORD lays out His plan and defines the next scene of our life.  God wants to take our worry and give us a real-life story!

That’s what it’s all about!  The Church and the world need to hear the message of redemption by hearing the individual message of our own story.

We are the living, walking testament of God, as epistles seen and read by all men.

Though the times of the drawn curtain seem dark, and not much seems to be happening, this is the most critical, revealing evidence of our belief of faith! Move forward in faith, hope and love and do not deviate!

Much has been hidden, yet behind the scenes things are being remodeled; the set is coming together, the curtain is beginning to open for the next scene of events!

Soon you will again see what was waged against you and now becomes the source of our growth in faith and fortitude.

However, it is what goes on behind the scenes of your life that is measured by God.  Like that drawn curtain; many cannot see their worth, value and destiny that God has waiting for them!

God’s plan and measure is to come up higher by beginning to understand what Christ did so that we are able to function steadfast in understanding the new level of grace and mercy towards ourselves and others!

There are many levels in the kingdom of God and it takes those hidden times behind the curtain to learn to be led by faith without seeing a thing happening.

It takes faith, hope and discipline to pick up our cross and follow in Christ’s steps.

As we learn these things we will be prepared vessels fit for our Masters use as he uses our story to help win the lost and to build up the body of Christ.

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey


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Falsity Exposed!

Do you really want to be in ministry? Do you think you have a high calling of God on your life?

Do you really want to be in ministry?

Do you think you have a high calling of God on your life?

Do you truly know the way of the cross?

Are we picking up our cross and following Jesus every day?

I can tell you the truth; The degree of our calling and purpose will be the level of preparations as we learn to grow deep and our roots grow deep as the winds blow strong.

During storms, we may lose every piece of fruit and leaf on our tree, but when we are established by God in our root system we will learn to sway with the winds but the storms will have no power in uprooting us from our life source.

To be rooted deeply in Christ takes our yeildedness towards the process of knowing Him and our willingness to face anything and anyone in our determination to follow HIM.

In becoming the vessel fit for the Masters use will cost us everything!  It is through the process of life and death to self that processes us through the measurement of trials, tribulations, temptations, loss of all things and sorts, even to sorrow that leads to death itself.

The depth of our heart is unearthed through our experiences.  Even though God see’s the end result we must go through the process that proves to “ourselves” and exposes our capacity to be able to carry the weightiness and vastness of the secrets of God.

God doesn’t share His secrets to just anyone.  We must be found faithful to HIM and HE knows when we are ready and that happens.

To be filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit happens to those who have learned to wait on Him through experience.

To be of corporate use, we must learn to yield to the Holy Spirits training.  As we learn the process through Christ, He will prepare us to expand exponentially within by going through the process of death to self, arising in newness of life in Christ.

This isn’t a one-time deal either; the bible tells us to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.

When we all fail and miss the mark and sin, there is always forgiveness when we truly recognize our condition and state of existence and repent.

Repentance is learning to turn away from that sin.  We learn throughout all our lives how to respond to our Father, and what breaks his heart.

God does not look for robots in doing just what is expected.  He wants us to respond to Him as Father and Abba.

We His children must realize our love relationship with Abba is to learn and know the nature and character of Christ.

This relationship and repentance are part of learning to walk in the increased processes of restoration and reconciliation of our continued learning with Him.

Returning to God in repentance is not to return to religious bondage and scary fear nor is it to serve through drudgery and robotics.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,”    2 Timothy 1:7 KJV.

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee,”   Jeremiah 31:3 KJV.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent,”   Revelations 3:19 KJV.

Thanks be to God that the sacrifice of Christ was done as the final payment for all the sin in the world.

However, there is an action we must apply through repentance.  When we fall and sin, we must be truly sorry apply that blood once again to cover our mistakes as we must turn away from sin.

There is always hope and a new beginning as long as we have breath in us, for it is Christ in us the hope of Glory!

As we learn through yielding our entire lives to full capacity, we thus learn what the abundant life is all about!  As we learn that overflow isn’t just for us and our experiences, but more importantly, it is for others.

“To the direct degree of His purpose in us, will be the proportion in weightiness we will be made to carry.”

When weight lifters fail and injure themselves they must refrain from training.  There is a portion of time necessary to heal and once they return to training these must start back at a lower level to prepare those muscles to handle greater weight again.

It’s a process beloved. If we are determined to carry the weightiness of Christ, we must be trained, seasoned, and patient through the process of healing when we fail, and are injured.

“The LORD will not give you something you are clearly not ready for.”

God will not give us more than we can handle or bear.  The LORD knows what we have been built with and when it appears or feels that we are coming apart at our very seams, we must remember the cost of the cross.

Our experience at that moment may feel like the end of our lives, but HE promised us would be with us and that He will not give us more than we can bear.

I am not saying this is easy, as depending on the depth of price and calling, God has you in mind, and in the mind of God your very plan has been in motion since before in your mother’s womb.

God seasons us through the process of time and when there is a greater anointing there are greater seasons of training and the greater opposition.

Do you know before you can truly be a vessel fit for His use you must be crushed like grapes in all your temporal glory to make wine?

Being crushed is being put to death of what we were, to become what HE is; and is something much bigger.  The process is hard but it is necessary to make you into that vessel filled with HIS SPIRIT.

If a ministry tells you it is all good with no bad they lie!  They may teach you to never confess anything negative, or they may tell you to suppress the truth by continually saying you’re blessed when you are actually in despairing misery in need of help!

These false ministers confess how together they are but it’s a lie!  If we could see behind the scenes the hypocrisy and false doctrine we would run!  These are the type of ministries that are false, legalistic and led by pride filled bondages.

If you find yourself in one of these types of ministries, it is best to run and get out every and anyway you can, because it will never get any better.

Getting free from this type of abuse will give yourself good mental health and there are plenty of good ministries out there that follow the way of the truth of Christ and His Church.

Pray and find the one you fit in.

Serving Christ is the hardest thing you will ever obtain but the most satisfying and awarding.  Truly knowing HIM and finding him in the deep cannot be measured against, for HE IS PERFECTION!

We do measure ourselves against Him, because it isn’t us who live, but CHRIST who lives in us!  To really know Him in Spirit and Truth will make us the most influential person in many of our relationships.

Learning to be who we are in Christ is all about knowing HIM in ALL seasons that makes us REAL and well rounded.  Our identity is found in Christ, and those who be as Christ have crucified the flesh and the lust thereof.

We cannot produce The Fruit of The Spirit in our own power for we are simply the conduit of his power.  The Fruit of The Spirit is produced through seasons.

We are planted, fertilized watered, pruned, cut back, go through seasons of change so we will grow and thrive.  Christ’s Zoe’ vine life flows through our branches and it is not our power that does it.

We are to learn how to abide in relationship with Christ so that the power of Christ will be made known.  For He must increase and we must decrease.

How can we help others if we pretend perfection?  What a lie and A very BIG revelation of false teaching, prophecy and false churches.

Beware of these types of people and be not conformed to their rapt approval in attempting to flatter you and puff you up later to capture you in a web of deceit!

Once they ensnare you, you find yourselves after their attention and supposed acceptance, and you cannot understand why they treat you differently and keep you unsure of your acceptance in everything and unsure how to step.

You quickly become a number to them and one they control. Jezebel works like these, and she still weaves her works today in many ministry and churches.

If you are not as free to leave as you were to come in, you are in a cult!

If condemnation (rather than a healthy disappointment to see you leave) and emotional manipulations are seeking to control you, be glad that you left!   It will never get better.

“We are called to be part of the body of Christ.  You are free to serve, free to live and free to do right!”

The stronger the control and bondage of false ministers, ministries and churches, the more likely you are to face unpleasant and unhealthy consequences.

Please keep praying and look until you find what gives you good mental and spiritual health and treat people with respect and honor.

 

In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey


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