I Hired the Pressure

All I can say is...what a difference a change of perspective and a few days listening to the Lord can make. I guees from the last blog, my situation has obviously not changed, BUT my perspective definately has.

Thursday Eric and I made our weekly trip into Tupelo--we try and go there once a week to see civilization:) On the way we had a rarely found opportunity to really talk. And talking we did. I hadn't really had the chance to talk to him about all of the mixed emotions I had wednesday that had produced the last blog. I just began to talk about my frustration with the Lord, but not mostly with the Lord, but myself and the situation. I talked about how the whole reality of moving to Hamilton and what God was wanting to do in us just really hit me...and not in a good way. In response, Eric said that He had been dealing with the same thing wednesday!! That he had spent the majority of the ride to and from work crying and talking to the Lord about the very same things: the cost of the wasted life. I would say it was a much needed God moment for both of us. We talked out our expectations and our unmet expectations. Our frustrations and our failures. Our misteps and our flaws. And what the Lord was saying to us in all of that. And the resounding answer to the pressure we both have been feeling was this: You asked for it.

Nice right? We asked for it? I know I didn't ask for this. This pushing and pulling and stripping away of me??? But then I began to hear a lot of the prayers that I have prayed and a lot of the things I have begged the Lord for. Let me know you. Let me see you. Use me Jesus. Make me yours. Give me a pure heart. Let my life be a life poured out before you. Teach me to love like you so. Make me like Him. Use me, whatever the cost, to see a generation and a nation turned back to you. Burn me away until only you remain. I will wait for you, as long as it takes.
So, I guess I asked for this. Repeatedly, in as many ways as you can probably imagine. My hearts cry has been "whatever has to be done then do it. I just want you." And I'm getting that--not the way I expected, but isn't that just like the Lord.

And so just gaining the revelation that the pressure is being applied for a reason and that primary reason being because I asked for it, a whole new perspective could be taken. Then last night God just confirmed through Damon, everything He has been saying to us.

I just want to say before I get into the explanation of this message, with karis I hardly ever get to take notes. I actually leave usually feeling like I only heard part of the sermon- I'm sure most of you moms and dads can relate! But- I'm going to give you what I can remember that was so impactful!. I really would like to get this message on CD and send it to all of you.

Damon spoke out of 2 Corinthians 4. If we can ever get our perspective of eternity right, then everything else in our lives will begin to take it proper place. If we can see things from the view of 120 years (at the very longest) in relationship to ETERNITY, our present sufferings/afflictions will seem incredibly insignificant. Go ahead, take a moment, pull out the word and read 2 Corinthians 4. This will change you life if you let it. Ok, now go back and read 3:7-18.

In Chapter three Paul refrences our face being covered with a veil, unable to see God clearly, before we come into a relationship with Jesus. So, think now about a bride and groom at a real wedding: notice the veil on the bride. The veil doesn't allow the groom to see the bride but also it doesn't allow the bride to see the groom clearly. The veil is not lifted until covenant is made. Once covenant is made a clear view is given. Like the groom, God unveils our eyes after we have established covenant with Him through His son Jesus. I wonder if the reason Gods glory is not being revealed in the church is because we have comprimised the covenant? (thats another message)

Ok- so since we have established covenant with the Lord and can see Him. Lets go on. v.8-11...
"For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh." Because of this covenant we are "delivered unto death" ... "afflicted but not crushed"..."perplexed but not in despair""... "persecuted but not forsaken"..."cast down but not destroyed".

Ok...go dow n to v. 15. "For all things are for your sakes..." So- the pressure is for my sake? The perpexity is for my sake? The persecution is fo MY SAKE? Being cast down is for MY SAKE? V.17... "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, WORKETH FOR US (PREPARES and PRODUCES and ACHIEVES for us) a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory". I love this. Lets look at this in relation to my earlier stated revelation. When you are a seeker with a heart after God you pray the prayers I have prayed. You pray for the oil of the Lord to be poured on your life. You ask. You cry. You beg. And you know what God says-- Ok. I'll give it to you. You don't know what you're asking for, but I'm going to give it to you. In essence , YOU HIRED THE PRESSURE. So many time we allow the pressure to control us, BECAUSE we have a wrong perspective of eternity. We view our pressure in our time. HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST OH GOD??? But-- if we could begin to see the pain in the light of eternity, even 70 years of severe pressure would seem like nothing. A breath. But usually we end up working for the pressure- allowing it to hire us and bending beneath it...instead of saying, I hired the pressure!! I control the pressures effect. I can let it do one of two things- push me to God or away. Whether God is sending the pressure or is allowing the enemy to apply pressure, its up to us how we respond to the pressing. We can either revolt and jump off of the press exclaiming, "I didnt ask for this!! " Or, like the olive, you can stay in the press until you are pressed to a point that there is nothing left of you except dripping oil. Wow. I would rather have a life dripping with the oil and His precense than a life free from pressure.

Just as a side note- important to the context of "light" affliction in this verse. Would you consider being beaten with rods "light" affliction? I say that Paul would consider this light affliction because if you look at chapter 11:23-28 and read about the three times he was beaten with rods, you realize he left that out of the previous writings (along with other persecutions in this list). Maybe he didn't consider these heavy affliction. Maybe it was because he had the right perspective of eternity. And what do I consider light affliction? I'm tired. I can't pay a bill on time. My child in the hospital. Just a thought to consider in light of eternity.

Lets go on. One more verse :) 4:17 " So we fix our eyes not on wht is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." What we are going through is temporary. But neccessary to produce oil. What is unseen is what will last. If we can't see the end result of what the pressure is producing, we won't get what we're supposed to out of the pressing. So today- hire the pressure. See your life and momentary pressure in the perspective of eternity. And thank Him for the pressure:)

Love you all-- thanks for walking this out alongside of us. Keep pressing until oil is produced in you!