Crystal....no way! But if more patience is needed, perhaps more time at the feet of Jesus would help?

Angela...been missing you, lady.

Wow Gwen, thanks so much. Will check out that video first chance I get...tonight maybe. Good to have brothers/sisters to share our burdens and cares.

Thanks Cathedralfolk, a kamkwit for me too please. (Did I spell that right?)

Barb, I get chills whenever I see posts like yours. God bless, sister.

(and t.y. for reading/starring, Teresa)

Sharon, bless you sister. The waiting can be so hard, especially if we've been taught literally our whole lives that the world belongs to go-getters and those who help themselves. I received so much comfort this morning as he exhorted me through his word to rejoice in him, not the things I've always been in a rush to lay hold of myself. Of course, this requires that I wait on him in hope, allowing him to be my help and shield. This does not come easy!!

Mule, it's easier not to worry than it is to wait. Isn't it?  :-)   Love the new profile pic. You look like a natural out there w/the kayak.

Herman, your love for the Lord is so very uplifting. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and excitement for the Savior!

 3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.

 6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.

 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

 8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

 9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Mike, interesting that Simon the leper's name is mentioned and not this woman's. What she did was more important than who she was. As the soothing oil poured over Jesus' body He was refreshed for what lie ahead. This came at a great price for the woman. But as others focused on the cost she saw the need. How did she know? Did she know? I don't know. But Jesus did.

She was criticized. She was judged. Her actions did not make sense. Others knew the kind of person she really was. She openly humilitated herself. Why this waste? If only she had not poured out everything for one person.

Spikenard is a rare herb. The roots of it are crushed to make the oil that was used to anoint Jesus.

Mike, the fruit of the Spirit is not intended to be self-absorbed. Picked too soon it will taste bitter. Left too long it will spoil. We don't pick it GOD does. The most important part of the fruit is the seeds inside. As they are planted in the lives and hearts of others it will reproduce.

Sometimes the fruit is crushed and made into an ointment. From our pain today comes healing for another tomorrow.

You see Mike, I trust that GOD has a purpose and plan for every tear. I do not understand why life is at it is. But I do know whose I am and He knows I know. Patience is waiting for GOD to prepare me so I will have the opportunity to break out my alabaster box.

.....peace.....

Mike,

This is scary.  I agree with your blog.  That should give us both cause for concern :-)

While we wait, we do His will, right?  We continue to resist the devil.  We continue to serve each other.  We continue to do the things we see Jesus doing.

Abraham and Sarah didn't wait on the Lord when they decided to conceive Ishmael.  We conceive our own Ishmaels when we run ahead of the teachings of Christ.

It seems to me that "waiting on the Lord" is the Old Testament equivalent of "dying to self".  Both teachings focus on what God is doing and not what we should do to fix our situation.

We are righteous because we believe the promises of God.  But when God seems to be dragging His feet about fulfilling His promise, our job is to wait.  The Israelites moved through the wilderness when the pillar of fire and smoke moved.  When the pillar stopped, the Israelites stopped.  It would have been foolish for them to run ahead of the pillar or continue to rest when the pillar moved.

We are in training to be the bride of Christ.  He is not compatible with a woman who runs ahead of Him.  His bride is as He is.  Jesus did nothing that He didn't see His Father doing.  He is our example.  Timing is everything.  Too many cooks spoil the broth.  We are worthy to be the bride of Christ when we operate like Jesus did.  

When a storm threatened Jesus and His disciples, He took action.  He spoke to the wind and the waves and they obeyed Him.   He didn't ask God to calm the storm - He spoke to the storm - "Peace. Be still".  This is important because we have people "waiting on God" to rescue them from things they have power over.  When people brought the sick and infirm to Jesus, He healed them.  He didn't pray for God to heal them, He did it.  Jesus is our example.  He cast out demons with a word.  He did not tolerate religious error.  He did the things He saw His Father doing and He is our example.

Waiting on God is an art.  We wait for His promises to us to be fulfilled while we continue to take action against the works of the devil.

Abraham waited 25-years for the promise of God to be manifest in the natural.

Rob

Rob, not scary at all bro. We agree on lots, I'm sure. Not everything though. THAT would be scary. BTW, I fully agree w/this: "..when God seems to be dragging His feet about fulfilling His promise, our job is to wait." God has his timing, his plans, right? Do we question his sovereignty or his goodness just b/c his timing seems too late for our comfort? (This is far easier to say than put into practice, too.)

Gordon, you said "..the fruit of the Spirit is not intended to be self-absorbed." Amen, it's all about letting our light shine. This is one of the thoughts that keeps me going through some of the difficulties I've experienced recently. The most important part are the seeds? Yes, and hopefully those who see us suffer meekly are themselves the SOIL into which we sow those seeds. God bless, brother.

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Mike?  Thank you.  This is exactly where I am right now.  Very quiet.  Resting in Him, and letting Him take care of the things I have no control over.

He does a much better job than I could ever do.

Love you,
Joey

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Thank you so very much for this Word - I find comfort in them.  God bless you, Mike.

Joey, quiet and resting in the Lord is a good place to be. Just miss you, that's all.

So pleased to hear that, Panda!

Hi Marcella....always nice to see you pop up.

Thanks Patrick. It was an intimate moment I shared w/the Lord, before sharing this w/you all. Such a pleasure to share those.

His timing and not ours....that is accepting his Lordship. Demanding our timing (I want it now, I need it now, I will accept it no later than now, I name it/claim it now, etc.) is not. Liz, such a simple post, and yet very profound. Thanks, sister.

Did you say "finding REST"? hhmmmmm...you mean I can trust that He is doing this in me. Do you mean that it is His work, not mine?....boy, that is contradictory to MY thinking.

I'm glad of that.

You know that your talking my language now...Rest....Ahhhhhhhhhh. 

Mike,

As a name-it-and-claim-it kind of guy,  I am aware of God's timing (painfully aware). We are commanded to ask and receive that our joy may be full.

Hope differed maketh the heart sick but when the desire cometh it is the tree of life, we are told.  God wants us to ask (name-it) and receive (claim-it) so that our joy may be full.  If we don't ask then our obedience is lacking.

Jesus is not promoting covetousness when He commands that we ask in His name.  Covetousness is an attitude.  Having an abundance of things and riches without being rich toward God is vanity and vexation of the spirit.  Greed is the root of all evil.  The sin of greed is not limited to rich people. If you're a fool, riches will destroy you.  But if you're a fool, poverty will destroy you.

We are to ask with the confidence that what we ask for will be given us.  Abraham was righteous only because he was fully persuaded that what God had promised He was able also to perform.  God has promised that our hearts desire will be given to us.

If we are delighted in the Lord then we won't be asking out of greed or selfishness but out of trust and obedience.

Understanding God's timing is a challenge but just because it may seem that God is slack concerning His promises is no reason to stop asking with boldness and confidence in the name of Jesus.  God's timing is just the kind of thing that can discourage us and cause us to lose confidence in Him.  It can lead us into lowered expectations.

Lack of confidence and lowered expectations are signs that we've failed the test.  Doctrines that teach us not to ask for whatever we wish are ways that churches have institutionalized mistrust of God and disobedience to His word.  Before you pooh-pooh name-it-and-claim-it, make absolutely sure that you are still in the faith.

Rob, may we walk together then according to God's timing.

Juanita Mae, I am so honored to be able to host you on your spiritual bday. 26 years is a long time to wait. I pray for the patience to last as long as God plans for me to wait. 2009 has been rough, I pray it isn't the start of a trend or the tip of an iceberg. If so, I'll need folks like you to lean on. Thanks for your love. :-)