"The Focus of Our Love"

May 26, 2005
 

"The Focus of Our Love"
Cindy McGill
Hope For the Harvest Ministries
www.hopefortheharvest.com
dreaminslc@hotmail.com
 

Our Need For The Deliverer

Things are getting more defined as we move into the next season in our walk with Jesus. It is encouraging to see the hand of the Lord direct our paths and establish our steps. He is so faithful to walk us down roads we have never seen before.

In John 3:16-20 it says,

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed." NKJV

God is not into condemnation. This Scripture says that men LOVED darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil and they didn't want to be found out. Darkness and secrets are designed, by hell, to cripple us and hurt us. God is after secret things so He can heal us. Whatever is not exposed has strength and an ability to keep us prisoners, preventing us from moving forward in destiny and the path He has set before us.


Changing the Focus

John Paul Jackson always says, "What you focus on, you make room for."
When we focus on God, we make room for Him and He becomes most important in our lives. That is the place where everything makes sense; where darkness and sin loose their grip on us. When darkness is exposed, it has no power and cannot keep anyone in prison any longer.

Psalm 34:3 says:

"Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together." NKJV

When we magnify the Lord, He becomes very large and is the main focus. The word "magnify" literally means:

1 a : EXTOL, LAUD b : to cause to be held in greater esteem or respect 2 a : to increase in significance : INTENSIFY b : EXAGGERATE

The focus has to be changed. If we focus on sin or wrongdoing, it becomes larger than the Lord. If we focus on the Lord, we don't want to sin.

We love because He first loved us. God literally teaches us to love, because He IS Love. He doesn't just have love. He is a safe place. God already knows what is going on and stands ready to deliver us from everything the enemy has tried to do to keep us from fulfilling our destiny.

Every evil work loses its power when the light of God is invited in. God is not a condemning God . . . He just wants to restore us and make us free. He is very passionate about restoration. That is why God sent Jesus to die for us. When the object of our love is changed, we get free from every evil trap and bondage that has tried to keep us prisoners.


On The Streets

We do a lot of street ministry. Everything from prophetic, encouraging words to healing ministry and dream interpretation. Our desire is to take the "Light" of the world to dark places so people will have a choice to change the focus of their love -- where they won't love darkness anymore, but will love the Light instead. We just offer people a taste of "the Bread of Life" and a safe place to change their focus and get a new life and direction.

A loving Creator reaches out to the ones He has made and offers them life for death. The Love of God is so strong. Compassion and mercy surround us. Love compels us to go out and compels them to come in. A great exchange takes place. An exchange from the dirty to the clean, from the prison to the freedom, from darkness to light, from shame to embrace, from depression to joy, from rejection to acceptance. A discovery is made that, truly, NOTHING can or ever will separate us from the love of Christ.
He is WITH us and FOR us. FOREVER.


Compassion Without Compromise

God is a compassionate God, but not a compromiser when it comes to sin, wrongdoing, and going against things He has clearly told us in His Word. Sin has a payment. It is called "death." The "Lifegiver" has a MAJOR problem with things that cause death. It is not a time to hold on to things that He is trying to deliver us from. No matter what sin may have overtaken us, there is nothing too shameful or dirty that God will not make clean. His arms are outstretched, ready to forgive, and heal.

God is into love and forgiveness. In His compassion and mercy, He is uncovering things right now so they can be dealt with and He will take them from us. It is of major importance that this happens. Multitudes are in the valley of decision right now, and as revival fires get closer, many more will be there. It is time to position ourselves for the greatest harvest of souls the world has ever seen. We must get things dealt with in our own lives so He can fully use us in the coming days.

The Author of Life knows how life is to be lived. It seems logical to listen to Him and do things His way. Laws are trying to be forced that re-define things the Lord put in place from the beginning of time. Everything from the institution of marriage to removing God from our constitution. God is the Creator of marriage. It was His idea in the first place. No one in the world would even have any knowledge about marriage and intimacy if He hadn't defined it for us and told us about it.

There seems to be a growing mindset in the world that if God is simply removed from the scene, then He won't be visible and have to be reckoned with. It would be hard to remove the God of the Universe from the Universe.

Colossians 1:12-17 says,

" . . . giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

"For by Him ALL things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- ALL things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before ALL things, and in Him ALL things hold together." NASB (Emphasis mine)

ALL things, not just some things. He doesn't just have truth, He IS the TRUTH and HE IS NOT GOING AWAY.


Joy follows Obedience

A war is raging and the things MUST be dealt with that are out of order in
our own lives. In these hours, as we will listen closely to the Holy Spirit, He will lead us and guide us into ALL truth and the Truth sets people free.

As we willingly give things up that are keeping us slaves, joy replaces
sadness and freedom replaces bondage. There are three things we can do
immediately to come into freedom:

1) Talk to God a lot. Talking to a non-condemning God who loves us with all of His heart is not a hard thing to do. He is waiting for us to come to Him so He can forgive us and pilot us through this season. God will give us wisdom for the asking and immediately take sin from us and remove it so far from us that we can't see it anymore. When we confess it to God and ask Him to help us, He does. In the early 70s, I was in a ministry where I heard Leonard Ravenhill make a statement. He said, "When men start praying, they stop sinning." Pretty simple, but it is true.

2) Follow your leader. It is God's choice to give us people in our lives to oversee us. Humble leaders who have God's heart are put there by God to protect us. It's for our good. He speaks to them about you and gives them wisdom for you and your specific needs. They will pray for you and with you about issues you are facing. A bond forms with them and, together, you can advance in your growth in God.

3) Cease striving. When we can relax, we can let God take us into this
next season. If we will do this, the path will be easy to see and follow. God is fashioning us for the things He has for us in this next season. When we get there, we will be the right person for the right thing at the right time. If we rush ahead without knowing what we are rushing to, then we can hinder the thing He has for us. Our natural tendency is to do things the way we have always done them, but there are new things God wants to use us for in the coming days. God is FOR us, all the way.

Expect great joy as we let God lead, instruct, and adjust us.


Be Blessed,

Cindy McGill
Hope For the Harvest Ministries
www.hopefortheharvest.com
dreaminslc@hotmail.com

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