Tuesday, September 1, 2009

My Final Thoughts from OnGoing Call (#3)

It's been a week since I posted #2! I needed some serious time to process this last thing. God had to give me some practical application before I could really understand how serious He was about this.

Transformation by the Word of God was the theme of the previous post and goodness,who doesn't need a transformation!

Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things. Proverbs 27:19 says that "As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man". I want so desperately to reflect my Jesus and only my Jesus. To do that, my deceitful heart NEEDS the transformation only the Word of God can bring.

Over the last little while, God has reminded me through several avenues to ask Him to break my heart with what breaks His. He's been doing some serious heart surgery on me. Showing me what has to go so that He can be seen.

Several weeks ago, God impressed upon my heart that there was something in our home that needed to change, or better said...something needed to go. This particular thing (9 times out of 10) does not line up with Philippians 4:8. Very little of what it puts out is pure, lovely, true, or ANY of the attributes that passage describes.

I did my best to ignore it for several days. Then, the impression began to grow and I felt like if I didn't tell Chad I was going to choke. So I casually brought it up one night. I just let it hang out there. You see, the removal of this particular thing is going to HAVE to come from him. He is the head of this house and I feel very strongly that if this is to be removed the ultimate decision has to come from him.

A couple of days later he commented he had been thinking about what I said and asked if I was still feeling led to do this. Dadgum it. I knew this was God confirming it. I think in the back of my mind I was secretly hoping that Chad would totally disagree. (That way if we kept "it", God could take it out on him not me! Real spiritual isn't it...) Anyway..we agreed to pray and talk again after I returned from Winnsboro.

In my mind I had made a mental pro's and con's list. With the con's side significantly longer than the pro's. The more I thought on the list the more disgusted I became. Yes, God I see. For right now, it has to go.

During the Saturday sessions as Jill was continuing on with the transformation theme, she quoted a book. "5 Laws of the Dying Seed" by Fuschia Pickett.

This quote. Oh my goodness. It totally made me realize WHY God had placed this radical thing on my heart.

Do you want to know what the quote says? I thought so. Get ready....

"When we embrace the mind of Christ, HE pierces the carnality of our mind."

God immediately spoke to my heart. I have been asking Him to break my heart with what breaks His heart. THAT is what was happening. He was answering my prayer. I saw things a different way. He showed me just how carnal (worldly, sinful, everything opposite of holy) that "thing" is. AND, it disgusts me.

He transformed my thinking. He pierced my unholy mind and let me see just how broken His heart is when I entertain that "thing".

He challenged me to not just quote Romans 12:1-3, but to LIVE IT OUT. To no longer conform to the world but be transformed by the renewing of my mind. He didn't just pierce my mind to hurt me. He pierced my mind to show me how much it needed to be renewed! Verse 1 of Romans 12 tells us to present our bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God. Girls, your mind is part of your body.

As you can see, I'm not broadcasting what this thing is that will be leaving our home this week. That is between us and God. He told us to do this, not you. It may be for a season, it may be for the rest of our life I don't know. However, I do know that Romans 14:12 says that each of us will give an account of himself to God. We are responsible for what God tells us to do, as you are responsible for what God tells you to do.

As Jill read that quote and I heard the word pierce, my mind thought of how Jesus was pierced for my sin. After what He did for me, how can I not obey?

So..there it is. Has God pierced the carnality of your mind? Is there something that you feel like He's calling you to put aside for awhile?

6 comments:

Haley said...

I really enjoyed this post, as usual! I'm curious to know what this "thing" is, but I also respect that it is between you and God. I have had a few "things" as well that I had to get rid of. I also have a few "things" that I know God still probably wants me to get rid of, but I'm rebelling a little. Steph, you're an inspiration to me! It's so encouraging to see God working in someones life and to see your obedience to Him. He will bless you for that! Love you, girl.

Leah Adams said...

He has done some serious piercing in my heart in the past few years. If you don't believe it, ask my husband. He will tell you that I am a different woman today than I was 10 years ago. Praise Jesus!! I needed to change. I needed it badly.

So glad you shared this with us. I know that He will reward you hugely for your obedience.

Leah

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

This was a great post....one I need to reread... Love your blog....
Hope you will stop by and visit my new Christmas blog.

jenmom said...

This has for sure got me thinking and evaluating what "things" in my life may need to go. Yes, I'll be chewing on this a while!
Thank you for challenging me!
Jennifer

Still Learning said...

Wow. Each and every one of your posts is just such a blessing. You are always an inspiration to me because you live where right where we do. Just trying to be more like Him. And it's such a personal journey isn't it?

On a lighter note if your "thing" is an XBOX 360 my son would be most happy to take that off your hands for a season or two....

Jenn

Heather C said...

LOL@Jenn... :)

Don't you love that when we're faithful to seek out the Lord's guidance, He is so faithful to give it? He longs to reveal His heart to us... we only need to wait on Him and look for His leading. I'm so proud of you!