by G. D. Watson
If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25
If God has called you to be truly like Jesus in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility. He will put on you such demands of obedience that you will not be allowed to follow other Christians. In many ways, He seems to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.
Others who seem to be very religious and useful may push themselves, pull wires, and scheme to carry out their plans, but you cannot. If you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.
Others can brag about themselves, their work, their successes, their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing. If you begin to do so, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.
Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries, but God may supply you only on a day-to-day basis, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, a helpless dependence on Him and His unseen treasury.
The Lord may let others be honored and put forward while keeping you hidden in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.
God may let others be great, but keep you small. He will let others do a work for Him and get the credit, but He will make you work and toil without knowing how much you are doing. Then, to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work which you have done; this to teach you the message of the Cross, humility, and something of the value of being cloaked with His nature.
The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, and with a jealous love rebuke you for careless words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.
So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign and has a right to do as He pleases with His own, and that He may not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you.
God will take you at your word. If you absolutely sell yourself to be His slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love and let other people say and do many things that you cannot. Settle it forever; you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue or chaining your hand or closing your eyes in ways which others are not dealt with. However, know this great secret of the Kingdom: When you are so completely possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven, the high calling of God.
May the Lord give you all the strength you need. Praying for your entire family, dear brother!
God be with you at this time, Mike. Look forward to hearing from you next week.
Lord, have mercy I pray, upon Mike and his family…and yes Lord…may Your truth be manifested to us all with greater power & grace even as we bow and wait for Your return.
Amen
Am praying for you all.
Bless you dear brother.
Steph
Mike, our prayers are with you brother! May your faith remain strong during this season of trials. Thank you so very much for your boldness in sharing the Gospel!
~ktf~
John
My prayers are with you and your family, Mike. Am praying for rest and refreshment for you and for grace and love to pour from you to your family in these trying times you are presently in. May God’s glory be made known through you in whatever comes your way as you travel this weekend. May His care of you be made piercingly known in your heart. Bless you.
To all who are praying for me and my family and especially for God’s truth to become manifest as such in His Church; thank you dear brethren and may the Lord truly be Lord of our Lives and we be His bond slaves fulfilled in Him with our treasure in Heaven not here in this temporal, demon-infested world.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
May you have just a wonderful time with your family. May you have wonderful time of rest and renewal and like Heather says, looking forward to hearing from you next week.
Our God has gone before you and prepares the way Mike.
Be Blessed dear brother in Christ with Gods strength, surrounded by His love and protection as you and your family travel.
Connie
Will miss the daily dose : )
Hope you really enjoy you time with your family.
God bless you with greater revelations of His provision.
In Christ
Fiona
Take care, my good brother. Keeping you and your family in prayer.
Praying for you all, dear Brother.
Be rested in Him, for His Glory.
Blessings to you and your dear family.
In Christ,
Karen
We are holding you and your family up in prayer daily Mike.