NUGGETS
The story behind my weekly nuggets. (From a boy who helped to make maple syrup.)
Some time ago I felt that the lord described my spiritual journey as follows. Many years ago, (like about 65) when I gave my heart to the Lord He filled me with fresh maple tree syrup. This gave me joy and I had many thoughts and many words to share. They carried some life and experience. It had some mild maple flavour and although the volume was great the content was quite weak in concentration.
Then He told me that if I accepted the trials and challenges of life and kept my heart steadfast, even in the heat of affliction, then that sap would become condensed. As it enriched it change form sap to maple syrup. By then I may have fewer words and less volume but the life element and the maple flavour would be much richer in content. (It takes about 30 gallons of sap to be boiled down to produce one gallon of syrup.)
If I continued even in the “boiler” of testing, then the Maple Syrup would become more concentrated and eventually become nuggets of maple sugar! By then the volume would be much less, but even a few words would carry as much insight and revelation as several gallons did in early life. From this I felt that week by week, want to share some of the nuggets of wisdom that I believe the Lord has “boiled” into my life. They are free for the tasting, but it may take some time in the “boiler” of life to fully experience their reality.
Don’t let those who are angry with you define who you are,
They are simply telling you who they are!
Cherish a flash of inspiration because it is often like a dream,
If you don’t acknowledge or record it may quickly fade away.
Offence may often be more about me. My offence and impatience could
actually be a mirror showing me the size of my ego.
Response to earlier words from the Lord, determines whether
I receive further words. “If we don’t listen when He calls,
why should He listen when we call.” Zech. 7:13
Hurting people don’t always need our words or our help,
Sometimes they simply need our love and our presence.
The days that I willingly laid aside my choice,
Are the days when I most clearly heard His voice!
Sharing knowledge adds more information,
Sharing light brings exposure and revelation,
Sharing love empowers others to experience transformation!
Overcoming grace is always available even in time of great turmoil,
but that grace can only enter through the door of our hearts. That door is either closed by fear or opened by faith!
Making a significant decision is like driving a stake,
Consider carefully so it doesn’t become a mis-stake!
After I let go of my struggle and fear,
I discover that He has always been near,
When I believe and drop self effort I discover that HE IS HERE!
Is my life about others or just about me,
When I make a decision is it about I or about we?
In my conversation do I make myself the star,
But I never really learn or discover who they are?
Grace is much more than a breakfast prayer,
GRACE is what shows in my life when Jesus is there!
An evil thought may seem to come out of space,
But we must learn not to give it a place,
If we allow it to stay in our mind, it will produce more of its kind!
To die to self, my ego, and my ambition, seems like loss and pain;
But knowing that God replaces with Himself is ultimate gain!
albertjzehr.wordpress.com 