Known by Love
Cynde Layne Wilkerson
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.  Eph 3:16-19

I am so in love with love, that it’s hard not to share or express it, whether in word or in deed. However, it would be extremely difficult for me to share a love that I do not walk nor live in. Seemingly, that would be impossible, yet, it is a common practice among us (2 Tim 3:5).

Over the weekend, I heard an amazing word that penetrated my heart. The service presented a theme that dealt with love and the sharing of a love with one another; a love we should all possess, especially, if we say that we are disciples of Christ. Sharing it amongst ourselves as believers is most important. If we can’t show this love between us, how can we share it with the world? When we say we know the love of Christ, we should be displaying and exemplifying said love at all times, amen? Not only are others watching to see if you are living what you say you possess, but they are taking note. I would never want anyone to see anything but the love of Christ in me or speak negatively in regards to me not representing the life of Christ. This brings about an offense not only to the body of Christ and the ministry, but to God. The scripture clearly states that we should not give an offence in any thing, so that the ministry would not be blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God (2 Cor 6:1-7).

Paul speaks to the Ephesians about the power of God’s grace and his desire that they would be strengthened with the power of the Spirit, as well as realizing all of the wonderful amenities they’ve been afforded and have access to once becoming believers. He prays they will realize how wealthy they are in Christ; however, they have yet to accept fully what’s freely been given to them. He lets them know how important it is to be rooted and grounded in Christ and His love, so they can stop living beneath their privileges and able to live a life that brings glory to God. He also tells them that once you have this knowledge because the spirit dwells in you and you experience His love, understanding will come. After this, you are able to grasp along with your brothers and sisters in Christ what the breadth or width; the span, and length, and depth, and height of this amazing love; meaning that it is beyond human measure. When we know this love of Christ, it surpasses all knowledge and allows us to be completely engulfed with all that is God and you’ll want to share this love gladly and with fervor.

Everything that Paul said to the Ephesians, absolutely applies to us as believers as well. We must be rooted and grounded in this love. When we understand who God is and His love for us and what we have been afforded because of this love, it will make us desire to know and to comprehend even the more, the unsearchable riches of His love. We are strengthened when we have knowledge and when Christ dwells in our hearts by faith.

When there is an inward change because of this love, it will reflect on the outside and others will be able to see us as we really are; that walking manifestation of love, truly representing the God we serve. As I stated, I love to share and express this love, whether in word or in deed; sharing a love that I so proudly walk and live in. Desiring to always be known by love!
 
Until the morning, be blessed!
Cynde
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A Satisfied Soul
Cynde Layne Wilkerson
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:11

This week, I was blessed to hear a much needed word that was specifically “just for me!” As I listened attentively to hear what the man of God was saying because you never know whe...n or who the Lord will send to give you a word of encouragement; a directive or a reprimand. We must be willing to hear it all when it comes to the Lord speaking. You will know when it’s the Lord because it will agree with or confirm in your spirit what He has already given you. Needless to say, it’s been days of continual praise and thankfulness for just being so mindful and concerned about me, as well as la reminder that He loves me so much.

The scripture today is a perfect combination of a beautifully formed promise spoken by Isaiah. Such a gathering of wording that describes what the Lord has spoken to me. When I read this verse, it gave me such an overwhelming feeling of “happy”ness, rolled up in some relief with a dash of comfort and peace and a nice slice of joy along with a spritz of refreshment to restore and give me a pick me up of just pure satisfaction! That was a mouthful!

My mind raced in many directions as to how I would even begin to express what I’m feeling. Perhaps if you knew my circumstances, or if you knew my situations; even if you were there to experience my life, my story, you’d have a sense of the reassurance that this Word brings today as it coincides with the word that I received. Not only is it exciting to know that the Lord is always there to lead and guide but He’s readily available for counsel and direction or whatever we need. However, we must to have an ear to hear what He is saying, so that we know we are on the right path because life is filled with many twists and turns and it is impossible to know what any particular day will bring. However, it is wonderful to know that we can find contentment and strength in the midst of it all.

God promises to fill our soul during our periods of dryness, when there is seemingly not enough to replenish us, and He also promised to send a refreshing. Naturally, we understand what a drought brings. It can be detrimental to a farmer’s crops and his land. They become weak without the nourishment that’s needed and are unable to grow or produce. As a consequence, there could be a stunt in growth or ultimately they shrivel and die. The same could be said of us if we are not being nourished by the Lord. The scripture says that He will satisfy our drought, our lack, or whatever is deficient in our life. Giving us all the nutrients that we need in order to grow and flourish as He intended. He will also renew our strength during the drought and cause us to have what’s needed because He will supply all that is required to sustain you. He tells us that we shall be like a well watered garden.

Close your eyes for a moment and think of the most beautiful garden you’ve seen and imagine yourself as that well kept garden. A garden that has not been deprived of what was needed to grow; complete with a brook where the water is ever flowing giving life; it's soothing and tranquil. And because the Lord is the water that sustains it, the living water that causes it to never run dry. He is a continual flow of blessings to us, His people, His garden. This garden has no wants or lacks anything because it is tended by the Master Gardener. A Gardener who cares and does daily upkeep with love; maintains and keeps it healthy so that it can flourish and grow and becomes the fragrance He is looking for as it blooms.

In the midst of all we face today, whatever our dry place, God is our ever present help, always there to tend to us and to let us know that I am here to guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in periods of lack, in periods of dryness, and strengthen you as you go through your valleys; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. What an encouraging word, a word that will cause us to praise Him for whatever dry place we are or have been in. I trusted in the Lord, I waited patiently as He has been revealing Himself mightily and working things out in my favor. I have understood that all things work together for my good and that in due time the Lord would answer. I was so overwhelmed and pleased last week that the Lord would take time to send a precise word to let me know that He is there and that He has come for my words. “For I have satiated (satisfied) the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul (Jeremiah 31:25)."

He said that He would satisfy our soul if we would just trust Him. Today, my soul shall continually make her boast in the Lord: I have humbly heard and I am glad about it. My soul is satisfied!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde
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The Whole truth and Nothing but the Truth
Cynde Layne Wilkerson
The Whole truth and Nothing but the Truth
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. John 17:17

It has been a wonderful whirlwind of a weekend with lots of praise and worship, as well as a continuous rich word from great men of God. A word that provoked thought, while deeply penetrating your soul speaking to the natural man in order to bless the spiritual man if you were listening.  So today, my heart is full of so many emotions; I am thankful, grateful, appreciative, enthusiastic, excited, and even more passionate about moving forward in that which God has purposed for me to do. My mind races as it meditates on the many nuggets of truths I received over the past few days. Although, it would be impossible to share them in one sitting, one thought continues to linger in my spirit and was confirmed once again and that is one of truth.

I live and have always lived on the premises of truth. I have been many things but I have always stood on honesty and sincerity, and without pretense because what you see today is what you’ll see tomorrow. I would not want it said of my life that I am insincere or that I exude deceptive behavior. Firmly, I believe in keeping it real and making it plain for real life application to everyone that I speak with because the word meets you where you are. My life is an open book. If I can’t tell you the truth about who I am and where God has brought me from or how He has kept me, how am I an effective disciple or effective witness? Better yet, where is the truth in that? How can I help anyone in this way if I am to busy trying to keep up the façade or a false appearance of who I want you to think I am as opposed to who I really am? Let’s just keep it real. We cannot bless others if we don’t confess that we’ve been through some things or experienced some things; been through some fiery trials and some violent storms. How can we truthfully say that I have been saved all my life and no evil have I done. Really? Where’s the truth in that?  Well, I can only speak for me, I know my life was a mess and I needed saving and He stepped in on time and truth set me free!
 
John pens the words that Jesus spoke in this chapter. The time for Jesus to leave was drawing close so He starts off by praying to the Father for Himself and then His disciples and ending the prayer for all believers. He prays and tells His Father that He is thankful for those that He has given Him and entrusted to His care. He also lets Him know that the disciples, these ordinary men of the world that were taken had been given the opportunity to walk and live among the Word in order to bear witness of Him. They were now set apart and separated from the world. Not only had He taken them and taught and prepared them but and they received His words as well. He in turn ask His Father to sanctify them through the word so they could be set apart and carry on the work He had started. This word, revealed through Jesus (the Word) Himself, would be able to keep them as they go out into the world to share this truth after He had departure.
 
Just like the disciples, the Lord is trying to sanctify us with His word, his truth, because we are living in a time that we need to have an ear to hear what the spirit is saying to the church and make no mistake, I am not talking about the physical church but to those which are called the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:20-21), the church that Christ is coming back for. He is speaking loudly and it is so imperative that we are listening so that we can respond accordingly and expeditiously. We have work to do because people are lost and need to hear the truth and we don’t have time to waste. We have to pull off whatever is hindering us from becoming all that God has called us to do and whatever is keeping us from ministering as we should. Bless someone with the truth so they can live and know about life eternal. No, everyone is not going to believe or receive you, but I guarantee you that if you just tell the truth about where God has brought you from and what He has done in your life and sanctify them with the word, you’ll make a connection because God said in Isaiah 55:11, "So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
 
We have been afforded the opportunity to plant or water the seed, the scripture says, it’s God that gives the increase (I Cor 3:5-7). As believers, we have been sanctioned and commissioned to go out and tell the truth; the whole truth and nothing but the truth!

Until the morning, be blessed,
Cynde
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