Over the past several days, I've spent a lot of time studying God's Word, watching HGTV, and really spending listening to what God is trying to teach me. Yes, me and perhaps one of you. through the reading He will speak to you as well.
When the Lord showed me that He wanted me to begin Journey of Sisters, it was pretty obvious through different situations and times that it was about bringing down walls! Walls that we humans build such as race, economic, denomination, judgments, well you name it and we are able to build walls to keep some people in and some people out. Don't you agree? Ponder it for yourself and think about it.
Many of you know that I closed the shop portion of JOS because I really felt the LORD telling me to get my focus back on Him and He would guide my steps. Well, the process is beginning over the past several days I've heard many times about bringing down walls to open up a room on HGTV and then I brought the new study by Priscilla Shirer on Gideon and she speaks to this topic as well. She speaks beautifully to unity in our churches about how unintentionally statistics show that Sunday morning is still one of the most segregated hours in America divided by denomination, culture, race, and worship style! Hello are we listening??? Unintentional she points out on the churches part, but still allowing separation to happen and the enemy to attack through the cracks!
I love the way God works! I have gone off to be quiet, to listen and spend time in God's Word and in His Presence and guess what He shows up to remind me to what He called me to in the beginning! He still wants me to help bring down walls. I forgot to focus on Him and He would do the rest. Yes Indeed it is about being open. Open, but standing strong in HIS Word allowing Him to do the tough work.
Open you ask? How? Well, He continues to show me through this special time that we (Christians) need to show love and compassion. How is that shown? Is it shown, when we are sitting with our arms folded in judgment or when we are sharing God's Word by being His arms and legs in this difficult time period? Well, of course He lead me to some very special words in 1 Thessalonians 3: 11 - 13 ~
Now may our God and Father himself and our LORD Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the LORD make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of Our God and Father when our LORD Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
Big words we are to increase and overflow in love for each other ~ even those difficult to love ones. The people that are different from us! You know the ones we are keeping on the other side of the wall?
Jesus is coming back one day and this particular scripture is speaking to what we need to be doing in the meantime! WE need to be loving more and showing more compassion. How? Well, I believe He spoke some words to me on this topic too...show them God's Word! Share His Word not our WORDS! I mean we are to love and show compassion and continually allow His Words to speak to the situations in the world surrounding us. I want to say right here before any of you that read this post today I am a sinner! I need forgiveness just like everyone in this world needs forgiveness ~ none of us are without sin! So let's bring down the walls by loving on each other and holding God's Word up as the way! Point to His Word today and allow love to increase and overflow out of each of us! Isn't it beautiful to think about all the walls that would come falling down, if we followed His instructions found in this particular scripture?
Well, in the words popular on HGTV let's bring the walls down and open up the rooms or our hearts! After all, the heart of our home is God or at least He should be!
I'm excited to see what He shares next...
Opening up,
Debbie
