Stand to see what He would Say

There are times when we have snow, sleet, ice and extreme cold temperatures in the winter.  We know this is not a permanent situation.  We have knowledge of the established weather patterns for our area, because we can call to remembrance history, we know our current condition is only temporary.  It is passing, but during the present, it has many far- reaching effects.  We dress warmer, turn up the thermostat, sometimes limit our travel, businesses, schools and churches close, we are affected by the immediate conditions, but even after the weather has passed there will be effects.  We may have stayed home more, having a direct effect on our grocery bills, also grocery stores and restaurants.  Children possibly will have a snow day from school, which later is to be made up later after the snowball fights and the snowmen are long forgotten.  We adjust our heat to be more comfortable, but when the bill comes due we may have forgotten the unusually cold weather and ask ourselves why is the bill higher than usual.  Those who live in the north have a different plan; those who live in the south have a different summer plan or life style. We have a plan, which for the most part works as long as there are no unexpected changes.
The Lord is invading our lives and our plans with His presence.  May times His presence has immediate effects and at other times there is the long-term or ripple effect, such as throwing a pebble into a pond.  When the ripples touch us, we may have forgotten the original incident that set things in motion.
The consistent theme is one of new beginnings, new doors, new gates and also a new gait, a new way of walking.  Through it, we begin to walk in a new way.  In order to enter into the new we are consistently brought back to some of the old.  We experienced some hardship, disappointments, unexpected events and intense resistance even in the first days of this season, our new beginning.  The Lord is using this time to bring to our attention the forgotten incidents that have had a ripple effect or a consequence in our lives.  In His goodness and His mercy, He desires to show us events in our life, we have forgotten – thinking they are such small things.  These events produce some of the current waves, or ripples we experience as we look for new things.  When past events are taken to the cross they may not have an immediate effect on our today, but they may on our tomorrows.  We may have unknowingly thrown many pebbles into our lives, but we know that when our Rock – Jesus Christ comes into our life there are continual effects bringing a new beginning along with our destiny.
We indeed cross over into new beginnings, doors are unlocked, gates are opening and all of the other promised things, but some of the ripples that seem to be never ending from the past may distract us.  We are not to lose heart and become weary in well doing.  All things are working together for our good, as we are the called of the Lord.  It just may not look like or feel like what we have anticipated.
God is answering our prayers, but we must not lose sight that sometime our answerers are delayed, as there is not yet a breakthrough.  God gives us the authority to decree His purpose in the earth.  The first new beginning we will step into is a new way of talking resulting in a new gait, a new way of walking.  Yes, there are opposing forces at the gates, but greater is He that is in me than he who thinks he holds the hinge or latch on the gate.  We have, are and will overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of our Testimony.  This is season to position ourselves to see what the Lord would say.