As I look out my window at our first snowfall, I am reminded of my book Christmas with Abba that was published in 2009. Now thirteen years later I have revised it and I am working with an illustrator to get it ready for publication. It is a book about the gifts of the Spirit found in 1 Cor 12:7-11. In the midst of finalizing this revised copy the Lord started speaking to me out of 2 Tim 1:6-7 about stirring up these gifts and that He has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and of a sound mind. Maybe you have the gift of prophecy, gift of faith or maybe the gift of wisdom whatever gifts you have been given He wants you to stir them up and not be afraid to use them. The Koine greek word for stir up the gift is anazopureo which means to kindle anew, rekindle or resuscitate, like you would a fire. Lord thank you for reminding us that you are a loving Daddy who gives good gifts to His children. The gift of salvation being the greatest gift of all. Help us to rekindle the fire within for your honor and for your glory.
God speaks through many different ways including His creation. When I took the time to study the formation of a pearl I discovered how the pearl is a treasure in an earthen vessel just like Christ is in us (2 Cor 4:7-11). Let’s take a closer look at what goes on inside the shell and discover the hidden treasure that lies within.
The pearl is the only gem formed in a living organism. It needs a clean healthy environment to grow. A current of water helps create that by removing waste and supplying oxygen and nutrients to the environment. When an irritant finds its way into the shell causing the flesh of the mollusk to get irritated, an organ called the mantle secretes an iridescent substance called nacre. Over time layers of nacre coat the irritant and a pearl is formed.
Now let’s look at this through spiritual eyes. We are living creatures like the oyster which need to feed off nutrients from the living Word of God and allow the streams of living water to flow through us which is the Holy Spirit. We can’t allow ourselves to live in stagnant water if we want Christ to be formed in us. When irritants come into our lives we can allow God to coat them with His love and over time His character, reflection and beauty are formed in us and through us.
Next, let’s take a look at three different types of pearls. The first are natural pearls. These pearls are: rare, uncommon, irreplaceable, made spontaneously, price is determined by weight rather than size and by rarity not necessarily beauty.
Second are cultured pearls. These pearls are common, made in highly controlled environments, one oyster is sacrificed for another, price determined by size and luster and they can be replaced.
Third are artificial pearls. These pearls are: man made beads, with an iridescent coating, light weight, cheap and have no depth in color.
In our desire to have Christ formed in us, we need to allow God to do that hidden work in us naturally, by the work of His Spirit. We should not be cultured by the world and how it deals with the irritants of life. Nor should we be cultured in church environments that control the living water from flowing, learning to sacrifice but not obey Him or His voice. We need to start asking ourselves are we climbing the “christian” success ladder at the expense of our relationship with God and others? Do we find ourselves faking it saying we are yielded to His ways but really just pretending we are, trying to find every opportunity to escape this hidden work.
It’s only when we surrender our lives to Jesus completely can we be transformed. We don’t want to be a cultured pearl that is shaped but not by His hand nor do we to be the fake pearl that reflects a life with no value, weight or depth.
Oh! Holy Spirit come and reveal to us these places! Help us yield to the work of Your Spirit and let Your life be formed in us; the depths of Your glorious riches revealed to us from within. We choose to yield ourselves and allow Your love to cover over all offenses, hurts and wounds and as we do You will manifest Your nature and Your Glory through us. Jesus, You want to reveal yourself to us from within us. Oh! That we would yield ourselves to you, today!
2 Cor 4:7-10 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always caring about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
I was reading Isaiah 61:1-3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God;To comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning. The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. A mantle is an outer garment like a cloak to help keep you warm. Prophets were known for wearing mantles as a sign of their calling from God. So can we say we are called to bring Him glory and praise at all times? Yes! Through every storm, through every trial we choose to bless the name of Jesus and magnify His name and when we do our mourning turns to dancing, our sorrow turns to joy and we are clothed with strength. We need His strength to stand in this hour. Oh! Let us magnify His name together and be clothed with His strength today!
The two most vital steps in the winemaking process are pruning and training! The pruning and training are essential for a healthy and fruitful yield during harvest season. The new wine requires a new mindset which is found in the new covenant not the old. The old branches of thought have to be cut off and trained to go in the right direction and without this process the yield will not be as healthy or fruitful. Are we willing to be pruned and trained to produce a healthy and fruitful yield during this harvest season. Are we willing to say not my will not your will be done because if we are then we will have to walk through the same pattern Jesus did which is a life of surrender. He was crushed and poured out as a drink offering for us but is He being poured into new or old wineskins. Luke 5:37-39 says “No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into a fresh wineskin. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, The old is good enough.” Let’s not say the old is good enough. Let’s not get stuck in old ways and patterns of thinking that are works based and not faith based. If you are being trained, pruned or pressed in this hour, rejoice for New Wine is about to burst forth!
v10 “My beloved responded and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, And come along. v11 ‘For behold, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. v12 The flowers have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning the vines.” This word pruning is interchangeable with singing. I believe as we draw near to Him in intimate, pure worship Rom 12:1 (offering up our bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to Him), that a natural pruning will occur. Any branch connected to the vine (Jesus) has no fear of pruning, for it knows it’s not going to die because it’s life source is Him and when the gardener (Our Heavenly Father) does prune it, the branch experiences more life and strength not less. The last part of verse 12 reads, “And the voice of the turtledove is heard in the land.” This is like the call of our lover calling us into intimate relationship with Him but also a call to those who are not in relationship with Him to respond. It’s a time of intimacy, a time of pruning and and time for abundant fruit!
My Morning Dove 