Field of Grace

When the stormy winds blow from the Father, the first place they blow us is into His Field of Grace. He is our Great Shepherd as described by David in the 23rd Psalm. This chapter is given from the sheep's point of view in praise of his tender, loving Shepherd, and the care that He gives.

The Shepherd takes care of ALL of the needs of the flock as a whole, but provides individual care for each sheep as well. Usually after a storm or trial, we are in need of quiet healing and help from the shepherd. Verse one says, "I shall not want." While in His field, or pasture of grace, He withholds no good thing from us as his precious sheep. Isaiah 57:15 says, "I dwell....with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to REVIVE THE SPIRIT of the humble, and to REVIVE THE HEART of the contrite ones."

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters." vs 2. Isaiah 40:11 "He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd; he shall gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." In the Middle East, a shepherd will lead his sheep to pastures that will provide sufficient food to keep the sheep fed. He separates them by themselves, allows them to eat the grass on all sides around them, then taps them on the head with his staff WHILE CALLING THEM BY NAME to signal his authority and let them know they have eaten enough.Then he leads them to cool waters to wash the cud down and allow them time to rest and digest the food.  The Lord calls us by name, speaks to us to comfort and confirm His spiritual feeding to help our souls ,without giving too much at one time. "My sheep know my voice, and I KNOW THEM, and they follow me." John 10:27. He puts us in His field by the still waters to allow us to be strengthened by His Word and be refreshed in our weary souls."Be STILL, and know that I am God.." Psalm 46:10a.The last half of Isaiah's verse that says He gently leads those with young is a blessing to me. It signifies His special care of the female sheep, being the ones bearing the young, and His affectionate compassion on them in a special way!

He restores our souls in the field of grace. Isaiah 57:18 "I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and RESTORE COMFORTS unto him..". After trials or problems, we feel depleted and empty. He will fill us again!"Restore unto me the joy of they salvation." This doesn't mean we lost our salvation, but sometimes we lose that happiness in our soul from weariness. Physical exertion and sickness can cause this as well, and Jesus knows this. He said that He remembers our frame is dust (Ps.103:14). Psalm 28:9 says He will"feed them also, and lift them up forever." "I will RESTORE health unto thee, and I will heal thee of they wounds, saith the Lord..." Jeremiah 30:17.He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace;"Ish.55:12a."When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, THEN THOU KNEWEST MY PATH!" Psalm 142:3. He will lead us in the way when we can't see where to go, and protect us from further harm until we are healed. 

In His Field of Grace, He feeds, leads, and restores. Thank God for His loving care for us His sheep today. (This chapter will be concluded tomorrow.)

Let the Stormy Winds Blow

 

 

The winds have been relentless these past few days. Strong winds coming in from the North, notoriously known for its power and cold harshness, have blown everything in its path. We know the Master of the wind is the one in control of them, but He brings not just these literal forces of nature. He sometimes ushers in spiritual "stormy wind,fulfilling His Word," Psalm 148:8 as well.

The Lord led me to this verse in Song of Solomon this morning- S.O.S. 4:16,"Awake, O north wind; and come thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits." It jumped out at me with the help that I needed. When the Lord allows spiritual stormy winds to blow into our lives, there is ALWAYS a reason for it. It is part of HIS PLAN. The Lord has placed His Seed into our souls, His spiritual garden, to produce fruit. Not our fruit, or works of righteousnesses which we have done,but HIS FRUIT that remains.  The Lord purges us to remove useless "chaff" from our lives, as stated in Hosea 13:3."...as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor...". He blows His Holy North wind down from Heaven, to us on earth, in the south, to produce this effect in our souls. When the chaff is blown away from the threshing floor,the wheat, or fruit, is all that remains. God wants us to be more and more like HIM, being conformed to His image. He wants to produce only the FRUIT of the Spirit, as found in Galatians 6:22-23,and remove all else.

"He causeth it to come whether for correction, of for his land, or for MERCY." The Lord was talking in this verse to Job, 37:13. It may be for correction to purify sins out of our lives that are there, or it may be because of His mercy. How could it be by MERCY? Only the Lord knows what would happen to us spiritually if the chaff was allowed to stay there. It could corrupt the spiritual fruit produced in our lives, and make it of none effect. "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption;but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Gal.6:8. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law." "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phillipians 2:13.

The Lord wants His spiritual fruit to be all that remains after  His winds have blown over us, so "that the spices thereof may flow out.."as stated in Song of Solomon.Just as Job had not suffered as a result of sin in his life, it was a test of stormy wind that purged his own view of righteousness from himself. "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." Job 41:5&6.  "..that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." Phillipians 1:10&11.Then the Lord will smell the sweet smell from the "spices" of a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God." Phillip. 4:18.

When the stormy winds have ceased to blow, and have fulfilled His Word, by purging,may we be able to say, "Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits." S.O.S. 5:16.May He then say to us, "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." S.O.S. 4:7.

The Full Spectrum Rainbow-Conclusion

In conclusion to the Full Spectrum Rainbow, the seventh and final color is Purple. This is the color of a royal King. Most robes of kings, or even their crowns, have this deep, rich color to signify their majesty. But, when Jesus came to suffer the death of the cross for us, it was first used toward Him in mockery. Mark 15:17-20 says, "And they clothed Him with PURPLE,  and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about His head, and began to salute Him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon Him, and bowing their knees  worshipped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took off the PURPLE from Him, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him." The next time the Lord is adorned with the color Purple, it assuredly WILL NOT BE IN MOCKERY! When the Lord returns to Earth, to set up His kingdom here, He will come in power and full glory as King. Revelation 19:11-16 gives us the details of His return. Verse 16 says, "And he hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Jesus will reign forever as King and will make all things new,"And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Revelation 21:5.

The Rainbow serves as God's reminder to us of His promise. The Lord wants to remind us at the end of storms, as He first promised Noah, that He will never destroy with water, or storms, the entire Earth again. We can apply this to the trials and storms we go through in our Christian life. They are not to hurt or harm us, but to help us grown, purge, and teach us His Truth. Sometimes we might feel like we can't make it, or we just feel like giving up. But, remember HIS PROMISE! Remember the colors of the rainbow and each blessed truth that they stand for. They will remind us of His Blood, Fellowship, Glory, Salvation, Priesthood, Heavenly Grace, and that HE IS KING! What a beautiful reminder that the Lord has taken care to create, to remind us of HIS PROMISE!

God's Promise 
Many trials come and go
Like the ocean's ebb and flow,
But God's promise still He shows
With the glory of His rainbow. (Gen.9:14&15)

The red reminds us, "I redeemed you that day, 
"You are forgiven, your sin taken away." (Titus 2:14)
The orange speaks of holy fellowship sweet (I John 1:3)
As we quietly sit and learn at His feet. 
Yellow shines forth God's great glory
That is revealed each time a sinner hear the old story. (Act.9:1-6)
Green is the color of Life everlasting (John 3:16)
Freely given to sinners just for the asking.(Rms 10:13)
Blue for His Righteousness and Holy Diety, (Luke1:35)
Sitting by the Father making intercession for me. (Heb. 7:25)
Indigo says, "Because I arose, (Luke 24:6)
You may now trade Grave garments for new Grace clothes. (Col. 3:9&10)
Purple the color of our Heavenly King,
"Lord of Lords" in Heaven, one day we will sing. (Rev. 19:16)

A blessed reminder from our Saviour above, 
He hasn't forgotten, and is not withholding His love. (Is. 49:15)
We are in His Hands with our names written there, (Is.49:16)
Shielding us from harm with a Father's loving care. (Is. 41:13)