Turning Our Idols Of The Heart Into Powder

[hillsbororiver]

TURNING OUR IDOLS OF THE HEART INTO POWDER From LOF Part 14

In Ezekiel 14:7 we read:

"For every one of the house of Israel [WE {Gentiles} are now the circumcision of God, Phil. 3:3. WE {Gentile believers} are the true Jew, Romans 2:28-29. WE {Gentiles & a remnant of racial Israel} are the spiritual Israel of God, Gal. 6:16] or of the stranger that sojourns in Israel, which separates himself from Me, and sets up HIS IDOLS IN HIS HEART..."

We all have "idols of the heart." Whenever we disobey God, we are giving allegiance to and manifesting idols in our heart.

When ancient Israel turned from God, they too manifested the idols in their hearts by building a literal golden calf idol with which to worship. And what did God do through Moses?

"And he [Moses] took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire [don't forget I Cor. 3:15], and GROUND IT TO POWDER, and scattered it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it" (Exodus 32:20).

How many understand our Lord's statements in Luke 20:17-18?

"And He beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The Stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the Head of the corner? Whomsoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever It shall fall, It will GRIND HIM TO POWDER."

When we fall on the Stone (Jesus), we are broken. Or as John tells us in Revelation,

"And I saw one of his heads as it were WOUNDED TO DEATH..." (Rev. 13:3).

Yes, when we fall on Christ we are broken, we are wounded (by the "sword" of God—Rev. 13:14 vs. Heb. 4:12). This is our human attempt at salvation. But then we fall, and our "deadly wound [which we received by the Word of God] was healed" (Rev. 13:3), we went back into the world, back into Babylon, thus leaving our first love. When the wound of the Sword of God's Word that had slain us, is healed, we fall from the love of God, and we again turn our love to the world from which we came.

But here's the good news concerning this stone. If we are among the chosen that overcome, then the Stone falls ON US, and our spiritual house built upon the sand comes crashing down. And when Jesus falls on us, He GRINDS US [along with all of our idols of the heart] TO POWDER!

Remember we are but "clay" in the hands of the Master Potter, and clay consists of particles of sedimentary silicates of aluminum less than two-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter—in other words, very fine powder. In Ancient Israel, the sin offering, the peace offering, the meat offering, and thank offering all had to be made with fine flour. All of the universe is composed of very fine things.

All of the instructions on what was to be offered to God in the service of the Tabernacle in the wilderness, who was to offer it, and how it was to be offered is not just quaint little stories of history:

"Now ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENED unto them for ensamples: and they are written FOR OUR ADMONITION, upon whom the ends of the world [ages] are come." (I Cor. 10:11).

Christ is representative of all and every one of these sacrifices. And

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He [Jesus Christ] IS, SO ARE WE in this world" (I John 4:17).

So, when we read of the fine flour, oil, salt, and frankincense in the Old Testament offerings, we must understand that WE TOO are to be like fine flour—spiritually humbled and ground fine like powder, oil—having the Spirit of God in us, salt—we are to BE the "salt of the earth," and frankincense—our very lives becoming a sweet smelling incense to our God.

Some of the things we must go through seem bad on the surface. But as in all of God's dealings, what appears at first to be something horribly bad, is in reality, only a necessary stage in the process of overcoming sin and self so as to be qualified to reign with Christ in bringing the rest of humanity into a knowledge of the Truth, redemption, salvation, and finally, glory.

Read it all here;

http://bible-truths.com/lake14.html

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

[Patrick]

TURNING OUR IDOLS OF THE HEART INTO POWDER From LOF Part 14

So, when we read of the fine flour, oil, salt, and frankincense in the Old Testament offerings, we must understand that WE TOO are to be like fine flour—spiritually humbled and ground fine like powder, oil—having the Spirit of God in us, salt—we are to BE the "salt of the earth," and frankincense—our very lives becoming a sweet smelling incense to our God.

Some of the things we must go through seem bad on the surface. But as in all of God's dealings, what appears at first to be something horribly bad, is in reality, only a necessary stage in the process of overcoming sin and self so as to be qualified to reign with Christ in bringing the rest of humanity into a knowledge of the Truth, redemption, salvation, and finally, glory.

Probably the article that had the biggest impact on me (they all have, but this one really kicked my backside). Those 2 paragraphs are what make me look forward to God's dealings.
Everyday is a qualifying session!
Oh, I still grumble at times and consider myself "not qualified" at this time in my life. To borrow a quote from one of my favorite movies, The Outlaw Josey Wales, "endeavor to persevere"!!

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hi Joe

I can realate to that excerpt and I thank you for posting it.
What stands out for me is quote : our very lives becoming a sweet smelling incense to our God.

It is to OUR GOD that our lives become a sweet smelling incense. To humankinds carnality our lives become an odor of death.

I know what it is like to feel as if Satan is having me for lunch!    Rather like the buzzards who gather around dead meat to eat it and the rottenness of the circumstances that this entails for the carcuss of the fallen animal. There is no defense, no strength to stop the assult of the buzzards eating it alive.

1 Cor 6:7...Why not rather let yourselves suffer wrong and be deprived of what is your due? Why not rather be cheated, defrauded and robbed?

1 Cor 15 : 19 If we who are abiding in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied.

2 Cor 2 : 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

Phil 3 : v. 10  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
v. 11  if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Peace be to you brother

Arcturus

[hillsbororiver]

Hi Arcturus & Patrick,

Arc, thanks for 'fleshing' this out with the additional scriptures, I know exactly what you mean by your statement;

"I know what it is like to feel as if Satan is having me for lunch!"

It is not pleasant and when I see I am once again putting myself on the devil's lunch menu I know for certain it is time for one on One prayer with our Lord in hope the cycle will be broken and that the lessons learned stay learned!

Patrick, I am with you there, this beast business has had the most impact on how I view myself and the world around me, this is quite profound and life changing. The sad part is 99.9% of Christianity is looking for this beast somewhere "out there."

This sure is an incredible journey!

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

[Deborah-Leigh]

Right Joe!

You astutely observe and share, quote....when I see I am once again putting myself on the devil's lunch menu I know for certain it is time for one on One prayer with our Lord

Yes it is our carnality that feeds Satan. That is so true! Here is a valuable eviction notice prayer that I believe also connects to Heb 12 : 2 Looking away from all that distracts to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith and is also its Finisher.........

Here is a precious prayer gift to give and especially to be blessed to receive.

Philemon 6 And I pray that the participation in and sharing of your faith may produce and promote full recognition and appreciation and understanding and precise knowledge of every good thing that is ours in our identification with Christ Jesus and unto His Glory.

Peace to you brother

Arcturus

[Robin]

our very lives becoming a sweet smelling incense to our God.

I've been thinking a lot this month on how the grinding to powder hasn't done anything to make me "sweet smelling". I seem to be so much worse in that area than when I started. I am meaner and grumpier. There is underlying pain that causes me to seem harsh and short with my responses to others. Most of the time I would rather not talk at all. It seems that endurance uses all my energy and I don't have anything left over to give. My nervous system is shot. I have a negative thought process due to all the constant, hard circumstances for so many years.

I don't seem to be where God would want me to be at all and there seems to be nothing I can do to change my bad brain. I could try to fake joy and gratitude, but I'm not very good at that. I am very grateful for the truth that God has revealed to me. I often wonder if God can change all of this in me. It just seems so big and un-fixable. I know there needs to be repentance somewhere in all of this. I need to be set free from some carnal part in me that has a strong hold.

I'm very sorry for who I have become or maybe God is just revealing more of the beast that has always been there.

[hillsbororiver]

Hi M.G.

First off I want to say that there have been many times in the past when I have been encouraged and have learned from what you have shared with us here.

Is this a feeling that is constant? Have there been times when in fact you have felt progression in your journey?

This experience you are having is one I have some familiarity with and when I am in that desert surrounded by dark clouds seemingly without His presence there is little anyone can say that improves my condition, I am drawn to solitude (when I can find it) and I pray, not in the traditional sense but as a conversation a child might have with a parent when the child has been discouraged, even beaten down by events in their young life.

Sometimes I have wrestled with His Spirit as Job wrestled with the Angel of The Lord, begging, pleading for a blessing and refusing to give up until it was granted, more than once my spirit was so weary I fell asleep as I was engaging Him. Dreaming dreams that often were troubling yet comforting as I knew where the inspiration of them were stemming from, I knew that He was there, I had not been abandoned.

This in itself did not make things easy but hope was reinstilled and faith was strengthened and before long the promises the Lord has given us seemed real and alive again.

You are in my prayers Sister.

His Peace and Comfort to you,

Joe   

[Robin]

Thanks Joe. It is constant.

I think it is more of a physical/mental illness of sorts. My brain doesn't function correctly and so much stress makes it worse. I know that God is using all of it for his plan, but I just wish I could be more like Paul was with all his hardships.

I have many blessings right now. My son has been sober for close to a year thanks to a couple of interventions from God. My grandkid's headaches have been so much better this year. I just moved into my own little place where I have quiet and solitude. God has always been good to me even through the grinding.

If I could explain what it feels like it would be like God is a dentist and I've had a constant toothache that he has been working on daily for about 15 years, lol. That's as close as I can get to an explanation of what I'm experiencing.

I've had the Job grumbling a couple of times this year. I was triggered by your Job thread last year and I was begging for God to heal my grandchildren when I couldn't endure watching them suffer. I felt angry at God on both of those occasions. Most of the time I am able to accept his plan in my life and hold onto the faith he has given me.

I think there may be a huge carnal part of me that wants to hang onto some control. Freedom and not being attached to anything worldly can be frightening.

The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. I think I understand that better now after writing all this. Thanks for listening.

[dch1]

All I can say is many many many tears flow as the spirit reveals to you how all of the things that happend with YOUR dreams and YOUR desires were because of that stone falling on you. it hurts like of a son of a gun, but then you realize you are one of the chosen. Then many tears will flow again. GLORY TO GOD!Whatever the idol is,when you are called and chosen that stone comes down and it comes down hard.

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hi MG

I want to agree with what Joe expresses quote : I want to say that there have been many times in the past when I have been encouraged and have learned from what you have shared with us here.

I too have also noticed that while being ground, the Lord does bless and make provision so we do not perish no matter what miserable state we experience through His grinding. Ray wrote that the Lord was a man of "sorrows" which has recently been a comfort to me. Babylon has brain washed its following to believe if you are not happy clappy then there is something wrong with you. The reverse is actually more near the truth. As Jesus was and is so are we supposed to be here and now and Jesus was a man who was acquainted with grief.

He will release us from this misery and one day we will be fully birthed into the joy of the Lord when He returns to give us full redemtion.

Peace and love to you sister

Arcturus

[hillsbororiver]

Hi Everyone,

I have been in discussions with a Brother on a very interesting point he has discovered (perhaps more on this at a later time). In searching though scripture seeking to verify some things I ran across these verses in Exodus that I believe is very pertinent and germane to our journey with the Lord as He leads us.

Exo 13:21  And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

Could this be that as we are being led and basked in His Light it is a peaceful recognition of His Love and Divine protection and as we stumble in tribulation at night, in darkness, it is His purifying Fire consuming us, yet He is still with us, leading us.

The feelings are polar opposites but throughout our entire journey the Lord is with us, doing His work in us.

Exo 40:38  For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

 

[hillsbororiver]

Hi M.G.

This might be an example of how the Lord will use yours and our trials and tribulations to bless others, both here and now and in the next age!

Hi Joe,

My grandchildren have abdominal migraines. It might be something to look into if the doctors can't find any other diagnosis.

Here is some information.

http://www.healthcentral.com/migraine/types-of-headaches-38002-5.html

M.G. you were spot on.  I suspected the abdominal migraines after reading the link.  We finally got him into a Doctor who suspects the same thing, so now he can be treated.  His last bought of sickness, he had a migraine headache to go with it.  It appears to be all the same thing. 

Thanks for your awesome insight!

Yours in Christ,

Joe


Also,  Thank you everybody for your prayers!

I am happy to hear this good news and witness how it came about.

His Peace and Wisdom to you,

Joe

[Deborah-Leigh]

Hi Joe

That pillar of cloud and fire has got me thinking! He never leaves nor forsakes us! Many can not see His Light for the clouds!

Quote:  Who is it that brings about what is your will and what you will do?  GOD! http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,6452.0.html

Peace be to you brother

Arcturus

[Robin]

Thank you for the encouragement.

I have often wondered what the pillar of fire and cloud represents. The one thing that stood out was they couldn't move until the fire or cloud moved. Sometimes they stayed in the same place for a long time.

[hillsbororiver]

Hi M.G.

You are very welcome! I honestly believe this is very true, we experience things to help lighten the load of our brethren, as Christ lightened ours through His suffering.

These unique experiences prepare us for the offices we might hold in His Kingdom.

As far as the pillar of fire and the cloud, isn't it true we can do nothing, either stepping forward or being completely purified without His direction and inspiration?

His Peace to you Sister,

Joe