Dear Fellow Believers,
We are in a refining fire season.  That is probably obvious!  I went through a season in that refining fire from last fall until just a few weeks before the COVID-19 virus hit the US, so I know how that season looks and feels!  I am changed.  You can't go through that fire without being changed!  "I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure.  I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold.  They will call on My name, and I will answer them.  I will say, ‘These are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God'."  Zechariah 13:9

“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices.  At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you.  Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.  My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart." 2 Chronicles 7:12-16

Sometimes God "hits the reset button" (as I put it).  God is using this difficult season to purify His people.  It is time.  Many of His Believers, the church and ministries have gotten too much of the world in them and they have become powerless.  This refining fire will remove the impurities just as it removes the impurities when refining gold or silver.  Many Believers have prayed for revival and prayed for salvations.  But, God is first allowing a fire to refine the church and His people!  I have seen many salvations that were just a number and there was no change or growth in that person.  They came into the church and found the world so why should they seek God's righteousness and feast on His Word?

We will come out of this pandemic.  Nothing takes God by surprise.  But whatever comes our way, He will use for our good!  We only have to trust Him.  But we will come out changed.  The things that should be removed from our lives and from within, will fall away.  If we submit to this refining fire we will come out more spiritually wise and discerning that ever before.  But trusting God is vital! 

There will be churches that close and ministries that will fade away.  Don't blame the devil! Not this time!  It is God's refining fire. Other churches and Believers will re-evaluate everything they do. Belts will be tightened.  Areas of ministry that aren't fruitful will be ceased. Wasteful spending that is being used on unnecessary and unfruitful projects will be stopped. In business, there is a term called "lean manufacturing".  Well, there is coming a season of "lean ministry" and the "fat" and the waste will be burned away by the refining fire.  It has nothing to do with lack, but with the church (individually and corporately) becoming humble, efficient, pure and holy before God and before the world. They will get a fresh revelation of what it is to be a steward of God's property. 

If you were expecting company to your home, would you prepare?  If you hadn't cleaned or done any laundry for months, would you receive those guests into your home without cleaning up?  First we order the natural to usher in the supernatural!  Our house needs order!  We pray for revival and that must first begin in the Believers. To ignite that revival, first requires the flames of a refining fire.  Lord remove everything from us that is not of You!  When you have been refined, you are strong and unbreakable....unshakable!  And you shine!

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.  Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.  But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.  If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.  But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

There will also be Believers and churches/ministries that will thrive after this refining fire! They have already been removing the impurities that prevent righteousness and holiness. They were quietly working with the right "materials"--Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.  Matthew 6:33  They have been humbly serving and seeking after His righteousness.

Don't mourn for what was... rejoice for what it coming!  When it is finished it will be beyond what was lost! For His Glory and for our good.

Be ready,

Deborah
DeborahLuchie.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you.

Dear Fellow Believers,
Have you ever felt burdened down?  I have!  Recently I experienced the feeling of having that burden lifted off me.  I know one thing for sure, you don't realize just how heavy that burden is on you until it is lifted!  The emotional, mental and spiritual toll burdens take on us is only part of it.  There is a physical heaviness that comes with those burdens.  When God lifts them from you, it feels so light!  There is a physical relief I can't remember ever experiencing before!  Praise the Lord!  There was an old song we used to sing in church that said "I remember when my burdens rolled away; I had carried them for years, night and day.  When I sought the blessed Lord, and I took Him at His Word, then at once all my burdens rolled away."  So true!

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 ​

Along with that great burden being lifted, the Holy Spirit gave me a greater understanding of these scriptures.  We all are yoked to something.  That yoke may bind us with others, to material things and/or control us.  It controls and guides our actions, movements and decisions.  The world's yoke is so hard to bear.  It takes us places we really don't want to go, makes us do what we really don't want to do.  It also comes with some heavy burdens from the consequences of those decisions and those wrong associations.  Burdens from being yoked to the wrong people or wrong groups. Those burdens grow heavier and heavier over time!  When I was younger, I didn't understand this scripture or why we would want to be yoked or even to have burdens.  But His yoke binds us to Jesus Christ and allows the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us.  The world's yoke is a hard taskmaster, cruel in the long run.The longer you carry it's burdens, the heavier they become until they become unbearable!  But the Holy Spirit is a loving and wise teacher who governs our lives if we will submit.  His burden is light and the more you submit to the Holy Spirit, the lighter it becomes.   

​“If you love Me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you...  But when the Father sends the Advocate as My representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you." John 14:15-17, 26

Remember that it is not only sinners who carry burdens.  You can be a believer, not living in sin, and be heavily burdened in fear, anxiety, unbelief, envy, worry, anger, and much more.  If you are a believer who feels the weight of burdens search within yourself to find the source.  Maybe you are yoked to the wrong people or other associations.  Ask the Lord what you need to release to be free.  Seek His yoke above anything else!
​
The burdens of the world will drag you down.  The fun and pleasure of sin is fleeting and soon becomes a heavy weight.  Sometimes that burden is so heavy it's hard to get through the day.  Can you feel the weight of sin and wrong relationships and associations?  When it becomes too heavy and you are ready to trade your yoke in for Jesus' yoke, let it go.  Disconnect yourself from the world's yoke, joined to bad associations and sinful habits.  It comes off easily with the blood of Jesus. Take His yoke and feel the weight lift off you!  

Be ready,

Deborah
DeborahLuchie.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you

Dear Fellow Believers,
Recently I heard this statement, one I had never heard before. "Don't bleed on the sheep."  While this letter is written to all Believers, I am speaking specifically to the shepherd more than the sheep!   Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.  Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. James 3:1-2 NLT

So what does "bleeding on the sheep" mean?  It is when a pastor/teacher preaches out of their pain, issues and the sin they may be battling in their minds.  Instead of teaching them the Word of God and growing strong mature disciples, they are pouring their pain and emotional issues all over their sheep.  They are "bleeding all over them". When I heard that phrase, it reminded me of what the Holy Spirit had been telling me for weeks: 

Times are growing short.  It is time for pastors, teachers, preachers and all to teach the Word of God, to get more focused on teaching and preaching the Gospel only!  We also must not manipulate the sheep for our own purposes or feed OFF the sheep.  We are charged with feeding the sheep, caring for them, protecting them from evil and leading them in the way they should go.

Pastor, your sheep don't need a life coach, a relationship coach, a self-improvement teacher.  Your sheep need to get the Word of God in them and learn how to hear the Holy Spirit speak and guide them.  They need to see a strong, unshakable man or woman of God, raising a standard before them, who is saying "Follow me! This is the way we should go!"  

The world is having a stronger influence on your sheep than you and your church are.  They are becoming comfortable with the sins of the world, to the point of not even believing those things are sin.  That is because God's Word is not etched in their soul.   I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11 NLT  

Going to most churches today is akin to going to a gym to get strong and fit, but only hanging out in the smoothie bar and then saying "I don't understand why I'm not seeing any change in my body! I go to the gym every day!" 

Pastors, ministers of the Gospel, are your sheep strong and courageous when they face the world?  Do they have unshakable standards and walk in the power of God's Word everywhere they go? Do they have unshakable faith and trust in God? Are they fully equipped to handle the sin and deception that is epidemic in the world?  If not, you aren't fulfilling your calling!  If you have battles of your own, get a mentor, a prayer partner; someone you may confide in and seek counsel and prayer. Your pulpit is not your therapy session.  Your sheep aren't there to minister to you.  You are there to minister to them. 

We don't need any more shows.  We don't need therapy sessions.  We need sheep who are strong as lions because they are full of the Word of God.  If the world took their Bibles and their internet away, they would be quoting scripture to those who don't know the Word.  Feed your sheep for they are starved for the Word!   

A third time Jesus asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep".  John 21:17  NLT

If that isn't what you want to do, go become a coach, a motivational speaker, write books or become an entertainer.  But don't do it under the cover of being a pastor or spiritual leader of any sort. They don't need another "ear tickler". There is no more time to play.

It is time to get serious, man and woman of God.  God has given you an assignment.  Feed His sheep.  Recess is over.  School is in session!  This is your assignment:  

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word [as an official messenger]; be ready when the time is right and even when it is not [keep your sense of urgency, whether the opportunity seems favorable or unfavorable, whether convenient or inconvenient, whether welcome or unwelcome]; correct [those who err in doctrine or behavior], warn [those who sin], exhort and encourage [those who are growing toward spiritual maturity], with inexhaustible patience and [faithful] teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable].  But as for you, be clear-headed in every situation [stay calm and cool and steady], endure every hardship [without flinching], do the work of an evangelist, fulfill [the duties of] your ministry.  2 Timothy 4:1-5 AMP

Read that aloud, as an oath to the God you serve, then fulfill it!

 Be ready,

Deborah
DeborahLuchie.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed.  Thank you