Unto Everything There is a Season

In parting ways with an acquaintance a few years ago, I was asked if there was any final advice I could give. I pondered the question for a moment, and then looked directly at them and said, "Find God in everything." 

Although it is true that there are many festivities observed during the winter months, it is also a statistical fact that there is an increase in mortality. Death, respectfully, during a season of death. Why do I say this? Well, winter is the season when nature becomes dormant or dies. In fact, according to vital statistics, there are fewer babies born during the winter months than any other season. It is a season of slumber. This is why we find that even in the midst of celebrations, there is always great sorrow. 

However, we must remember that even in darkness and death, we can find the true light. 

In Isaiah 45:7 the Lord says, "I formed the light and created darkness, I make peace [Shalom] and command the chaos [Ra]; I, the Lord, do all these things."

Simply put; YHVH-God is in control of it all. 

So if He is in control of it all, then that means that we can find Him in it all. God is all around us; He is the very air that you breathe. He is a perfect God, searching through an imperfect world, knocking on the doors of hearts; even the ones full of despair. He is Hope. He is Light. He is the Love that heals all wounds, and fills every void. 

The Preacher, that is, King Solomon, said in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To everything there is a season, a time and a purpose under heaven."

There is a meaning and a purpose for every season in our lives. There is an order of things, with every cycle, even when it seems chaotic. God is ever present. He is the still, small voice that can be found when we quiet ourselves before Him. And although during the time of lost it may seem as though the Lord is the furthest, it's actually the opposite; it is when He is the closest. 

"The Lord is near to those who are broken-hearted, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." - Psalm 34:18

And just like the dark, dormant months of winter will eventually pass, so too will sorrow. And this will make way for life to spring forth: a new day, a new song. In the beginning YHVH-God calls light out of darkness, life out of a void. The evening and the morning were the first day. Before a child is born, it is knitted in the darkness of it's mother's womb. Then the child comes forth into the light. So it is with the children of the Most High. But we have something even more promising than any earthly encounter; we have the promise of eternity with Him. 

"And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." - Revelation 21:4

Dedicated to all those who have lost loved ones...

Spiritual Food For Thought

Shalom

Mena Lee Grebin

Faithful Walk Healing Ministries 

Share My Life...

A few years ago I began what I call my "Love Journey." It began with a forty day fast I was led into, in order to obtain the fruit of Love.

At the end of my fast, I received a visitation from the Lord. At one point, Jesus was sitting on a chair, and I was sitting on the floor, at His feet. It was a very intimate moment, yet my mind was racing with a thousand questions to ask Him. In the end, I asked the Lord was there anything I could do for Him. He studied my face for a moment, then responded with this one phrase, "Share my life." 

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus says, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." 

In order to understand what Jesus is requiring of us to follow Him, we must first take a look at how He lived. Christ thought nothing of Himself. Although He came as God in the flesh, He took no glory, but gave all glory to the Father. He lived a life of a servant; always willing to give, and bestowing mercy and grace at every chance given. And though He was a man of sorrow, He was not passive. He portrayed truth even unto His death. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, delivered the possessed, defended the helpless, and forgave the sinner. He denied Himself, so that those who believed in Him, would be resurrected in Him.

Yet when we take a look at the average Christian today, most do not even begin to reflect the life of Christ. We become Christians to only later become self-centered and self-righteous. We find ourselves willing to go above and beyond for earthly pleasures and necessities, but will sacrifice only the bare minimum for the edification of our souls. We'll work overtime on a job, because we want the extra money, or to impress our boss, but we won't work overtime to submit to prayer and supplication. We'll spend thousands of dollars on a carnal education, but we won't be humble enough to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us the Word, which is free. We will run around all day fulfilling the duties of man, but when it comes to the things of the Lord, we'll say we're too tired.

Again, Jesus said anyone who is to follow Him, they must first become selfless by denying themselves, and then take up their cross. Yet the church is full of selfish people who only pick up their crosses when it's convenient for them. But have you ever stop and asked yourself; was the time when Christ was afflicted and bore His cross a convenience for Him? 

Jesus looked at me and said, "Share my life." And immediately, I was filled with the understanding that I must suffer that the world should not live in me.

We need to ask ourselves, are we truly taking up our crosses to follow Christ at all cost. This commitment means a total denial of self, so that the Spirit of the Living God is glorified in you. And the Spirit of the Lord being glorified through you means that you, like Christ, become the salt of the earth, and the light in the midst of darkness. You are now baring witness to the truth, that Christ is alive, and living in you. This is how we bear fruit. And this is how we begin to obtain the greatest fruit of all; Love.


Spiritual Food For Thought


Shalom
Mena Lee Grebin
Faithful Walk Healing Ministries

The Wailing Wall...

I recently had an encounter with the Lord that I would like to share with you...

I found myself at the wailing wall in Jerusalem. It was a busy, bright day, and I noticed that I was on the side where the men prayed. Directly in front of me, about ten or eleven yards, stood Jesus. He was at the wall praying. His back was turned towards me, but I recognized Him immediately. He was dressed in a simple linen robe, and wore leather sandals on His feet. Across His shoulders and back, draped a huge tallit (prayer shawl). To His right and left stood Jewish men; some rabbis. They were all praying, some rocking while cupping little prayer books in their hands.

Full of excitement, I called out to the Lord and began walking towards Him. But I was quickly quieted at the thought that someone would notice a woman was on the wrong side of the wall. My walk turned into a light jog as I made my way through the crowd towards Jesus.

As I drew closer, I noticed that a rabbi began to shout to another rabbi about the fact the Jesus' head was not covered with a kippah. The rabbi seemed irritated, and looked around asking for someone to give him a spare kippah for Jesus' head. To the rabbi, Jesus was just a man who had was not properly dressed for prayer. I realized that no one recognized Him.

Finally, a man tossed the rabbi an overly large purple kippah, with a golden Star of David embroidered at the center. The rabbi walked over towards Jesus and slapped the kippah onto His head. Jesus never moved.

I made my way through to the Lord, and stood next to Him at the wall. I was still very excited to see Him. Jesus turned towards me, and I saw great despair on His face. He looked as if He had been crying. Instantly, I connected with His spirit, and I knew He was saddened because no one recognized Him, yet still, a great love radiated from His core. He had been praying for His people, Israel.

Jesus reached out His hand, and we both turned to walk away. As we walked through the crowd, people passed to our left and our right, but no one seem to pay us any mind. I looked at Jesus and asked, "Lord, why do you appear differently to people?"

Jesus took a few more steps, and then turned to me and said, "I reveal myself to people according to their hearts..."

Many times we can get so caught up in the religious routines of life, that we end up missing our core purpose. So many Christians have a preconceived notion of who God is and how He's suppose to manifest Himself in our lives. Some base this on how they grew up, or what their parents taught them, or even what they heard in church. But truly, what man can contain God? How can one mortal being know all the ways of Elohim?

The Pharisees thought they were prepared for the Messiah. They thought they knew what He was supposed to look and sound like. After all, they had studied all the writings of the prophets, and were awaiting the coming King. Yet when He came, they were blinded by their own religion and bias; therefore they missed Him.

The rabbi at the wailing wall did not recognize Jesus; all he saw was a man who did not have proper attire...

In the latter days, the Spirit of the Lord wants to visit us in ways we've never experienced. He wants to expand our walls and reveal the hidden mysteries of His existence. But we must be willing to die to our preconceived notion of who He is and how He's suppose to manifest. We must let Him be the I AM in our lives.

Think about that statement: YHVH said "I AM," not "I was," which means He no longer is; nor did He say "I will be," which means He has yet to come into existence. No, He is the I AM; the ever present God. He is everything, because He owns everything. Your life is already written out. It is already done. He's just asking that you walk with Him in the now, and let His will be done in your life. Now is the time to open your heart so that the Son of Righteousness can reveal Himself to you.


Spiritual Food For Thought

Shalom
Mena Lee Grebin
Faithful Walk Healing Ministries

He That Beareth Good Fruit...

One night I was taken in the spirit, and found myself in a beautifully lit place. I was seated at a wooden round table that could fit, at the most, four people. At the center of the table was a wooden bowl, full of fruit. This particular bowl had all sorts of lush berries in it.

I looked up and saw Jesus sitting directly across from me.

I was so excited to see Him! I then began to look around, and saw that the place was full of other wooden round tables, and they too all had bowls full of fruit, various in type, and all placed at the center of the tables.

I got really excited, and thought to myself, "This is it! We've arrived!" 

I stood up as my eyes searched the room looking for familiar faces. Jesus knew my thoughts.

"Sit down" the Lord said in a gentle voice. But my excitement overtook me.

"Lord! This is it!  I exclaimed. I need to go get this person, and that person..." I rambled off names of those who I knew and were dear to me.

Again, the Lord spoke, this time with a more stern tone.

"Sit down Mena" He said.

My focus shifted back to Him. I slowly sat back down, never taking my eyes off of Him again. The Lord continued;

"There's no need to go and get anyone. If they bear good fruit, they will be here." 

The tone in His voice then shifted and I could see the look of concern on His face.

"The problem with my children is that they are not bearing good fruit. They are seeking that which is earthly, and building their treasures there. Many are only seeking the gifts (1 Cor 12:1-11), which are bound to the first life. They cannot bring it here because there is no need. Only the fruits can be brought into eternity; and the good fruit is the manifestation of my Father's character in their lives."

"Tell them...go and tell my children, that in order to sit at my table, they must bear good fruit." 

"And how does one begin to bear that fruit Lord?" I asked almost in a whisper.

"They must first learn to dwell with Me" Jesus answered.

Jesus told us in Matthew 7:19 that the tree that does not bear good fruit is axed down, and thrown into the fire. This represents eternal separation from God, which happens in hell. In Matthew 21:18-22, we find that Jesus cursed a fig tree because it bore no fruit at all, which the scriptures tell us withered away and died.

Jesus uses several illustrations in comparing us to fruit or fruit trees because inside of each fruit lays a seed; and the seed represents salvation.

Once we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior, the seed of salvation is planted in us. In due time that seed is expected to take root, spring forth, and bear fruit in its season. But for those who become stagnant in their walk with Christ (by allowing their flesh to rule), the fruit either is rotted, or is not produced at all.

Later, in Galatians 5:16-26, the Apostle Paul lists the lusts (desires) of the flesh, which we are to avoid, and then he lists the Fruit of the Spirit, which we are to walk in, and therefore live by.  Here is the scripture below:

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and do not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelries and the like; of which I told you beforehand, just as I told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. And those who are in Christ, have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.  -NKJV

So with this, we need to evaluate ourselves. So many of us that profess to be "Children of God," lack the very characteristics of Him. Children are a reflection of their parents; whether in image or likeness (character), or both. As it is written, If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit, meaning that we are not subjecting ourselves to the desires and temptations of this life, which cause us to sin. But we are led by the Holy Spirit; which is the Spirit of the Lord who anoints, convicts, and leads in truth.


Spiritual Food For Thought


Shalom
Mena Lee Grebin
Faithful Walk Healing Ministries

The Error of Season...

Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us that for everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.

One of the dilemmas I have come across many times in ministry, is the church's error of season.

Many Christians miss out on breakthroughs, blessings, deliverance, and even spiritual promotion simply because they didn't know the season.

Satan's plot from the beginning has been to distract us so he can rob us. And unfortunately for many, this has been an accomplishment: all the way down to the very calendars we follow; so that we miss our appointed times and seasons.

So many in the church today are caught up with the carnal things surrounding them, that they fail to realize, or merely underestimate the spiritual battle hoovering over their heads. We are fighting when we need to be still, feasting when we need to be preparing, fasting when we need to be sowing, harvesting when we need to be praying, and slumbering when we need to be watching.

And the distractions are growing...

In Hosea 4:6 the Lord states, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge". 

Notice that the Lord says "My" people.

In order to understand the season, we must first learn how to be still and listen. This is beyond your regular church services on Sunday, or Saturday, or your prayer meetings, or weekly bible studies. No, I'm talking about learning to dwell in the secret place of the Most High. I'm talking about building your intimate relationship with YHVH-God, and recognizing the voice of The Shepard so that you won't lack.

In Jeremiah 33:3 the Lord says,"Call unto to me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not". 

Many quote that scripture, yet don't live it. In fact, we'll quote many scriptures with our mouths, and will even be quick to correct others with it, yet lack the very fruit that should be produced from living it.

Most only cry out when they're at wits ends, or are in desperate need of something. But if you're in school, and only show up for class once a week, do you really know what's going on? How can one expect to pass the test if you have no depth of what the teacher has taught and prepared the class for in that time frame, or season?

If you don't know the season, you will fail the test.

Because the Israelites didn't recognize their season, a three and a half days' journey turned into a forty-year chastisement, and a whole generation died in the wilderness.

We are in the season when the remnant will rise. But not everyone who is in the church, is a part of the remnant. Not every preacher/prophet/teacher/evangelist/apostle you see on television, listen to on the radio, watch on YouTube, or who wrote the book you read, is a part of the Bride. Remember, even out of the ten virgins who were awaiting the Bridegroom, only five entered in.

Seek the Lord this day, so you will know the season that you're in, and prepare accordingly. Do not get so caught up in the things and cares of this life, or even its blessings, that you end up missing being caught up to meet the Lord in the air.


Spiritual Food For Thought

Shalom
Mena Lee Grebin
Faithful Walk Healing Ministries

The Idol...

One night while in prayer, the Lord spoke to me and said, "My children treat me like an idol."

It was odd to hear this, considering that it had nothing to do with what I was praying about at that moment. I thought of the first two commandments, and then tried to ponder what He was saying. I then proceeded to ask the Lord how was this possible.

"Think of an idol" the Lord continued.

I thought of an idol. The first thing that came to mind was Buddha. It seemed to be an easy one. After all, I always saw statues of this dude in the nail salons.

"How do people pray to Buddha?" the Lord asked.

"Well, I've seen them use food, and incense, and candles, and all sorts of stuff, Lord." 

"When they are finished praying to it, what do they do?" 

"Um....they leave?" I answered, perplexed at the Lord's questions.

"Why do they leave?" the Lord asked.

"Because they said Amen? Um...because they're finished?"

"Why do they leave?" the Lord asked for a second time.

"Because the person is finished with their prayer or request?" I said, doubting my own answer at this point.

A third time, He asked "Why do they leave?" 

By now I knew I was answering wrong. So instead of continuing, I decided to reverse the question.

"Lord, I don't know! Why do they leave?"

"They leave because they never expect the idol to answer them" He responded.

The Lord continued; "My children treat me like an idol made of wood, stone, or metal. These things are dead. They have no life. They cannot respond. But I AM life. Yet, my children pray at me, instead of to me. Once they are finished, they quickly leave because in their heart, they don't expect me to respond."

I was immediately convicted. I knew that I was guilty of this in my own life. I began to repent to the Lord of treating Him as such.

Too many times, we don't consider that although God is spirit, He has feelings. We even more forget that Christ is a person, who again, has feelings. In fact, the very reason why you feel is because we, as mankind, were created not just in the image of God, but also after His likeness - which means; His character and personality.

In Psalm 40:1, the psalmist, David, said; I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.

Here, the key note is that he waited patiently. So often we are not patient with the Lord. We live in a society where we want everything now; we've been conditioned to only follow our senses. Yet, in this process, we fail to realize that this form of living goes completely against faith.

Faith is the substance of things we hope for, and then becomes the evidence of what we can't see. And without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:1,6).

Understand this: it takes faith just to believe in God, and to build a relationship with Him. It takes faith to believe that the God who created all things, the God who called you by name before the foundations of the earth, the One who knitted you together in the secret of your mother's womb, is the same God who will answer you...IF, you wait patiently for Him.


Spiritual Food For Thought

Shalom
Mena Lee Grebin
Faithful Walk Healing Ministries

He Who Dwells...

A couple of nights ago I was taken into the spirit. I found myself sitting in a doorway. This doorway was ancient and actually didn't contain a door. Before me was an radiant light that brought forth peace, but I was well aware that behind me laid darkness.

A voice came from the light and began to speak to me; it was the Lord.

He said, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High..."

He paused.

I then responded with, "Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." 

The Lord continued; "The key word is dwell. The problem with the church is that they are not dwelling. I chose to become flesh, and dwelt among flesh for the purpose of redemption. But the church will not dwell with me. They will come to me, they will ask of me, but they will not dwell with me." 

I pondered on what the Lord was saying, and began to evaluate my own self.

"The only way I can protect the church from the accuser and from judgement is that they abide in my presence. I cast no shadow. The shadow mention by the psalmist is my presence. A shadow covers. I cover, protect and comfort those who abide in my presence. But one cannot know my presence if they do not first dwell with me." 

The vision ended.

The word dwell in Hebrew is "yashab" meaning to live, to remain, to inhabit.

So in other words, we must live and remain with Him; we can't just be visitors. But many in the church today, only visit the Lord. We stop by here and there, when it's convenient, or when we are in need of something. We ring the doorbell of heaven, stand in the doorway and make our requests, saying a few hallelujahs and amens, and then be on our way. But the Lord is seeking more. He is seeking those who want to live with Him on a continual basis; those who never want to leave His presence, His will, His truth, His shalom. Many of us claim that this is what we want, and others dare to claim that this is what they have; but ask yourself; "Do I truly live in His presence?"

Psalm 91 is called the "Covenant of Protection". It is the promise that God will cover us during times of trouble; that in Him we will find refuge. But the promise of this psalm opens up with a requirement: the call to dwell with Him.

Spiritual Food For Thought


Shalom
Mena Lee Grebin
Faithful Walk Healing Ministries