I grew up in Southern California, the land of orange orchards and strawberry fields.
I remember well the acres on the corner lot near our elementary school—the Aihara’s place—with row after row of strawberries.
I remember two things about my elementary school friend Lynne Aihara—her remarkably beautiful handwriting and sifting rice.
When I was invited to spend an afternoon at Lynne’s house, we usually spent the time sitting at her kitchen table while she sorted through the rice. It was a staple at every meal, every day in her family, so there was a LOT of rice to clean.
Her grandmother made it clear this chore had to be done first before we went out to play or do anything fun.
I can see the 40 pound bag slumped against a corner wall, Lynne holding a small metal pot and scooping it out into a bowl. All the rice had to be washed before it was cooked—Lynne’s job was to make sure it was free of debris and bugs. Her watchful eyes meant nothing but clean, white kernels of rice made its way into the bowl. Everything that was not-rice was disposed of.
This sifting rice memory came to me this past weekend when I heard Anne Graham Lotz at a conference. She was speaking from Matthew Chapter 24 (preaching, really, she has her father’s strong gift) urging us to ‘wake up!’ to the fact that we are in the end of the End Times.
In this chapter in Matthew, Jesus’ disciples come to him, asking what would be the sign of his return. He recounts a worrisome list of disasters—global, spiritual, personal and environmental.
As Anne taught us about each particular area, I paid special attention to the signs she mentioned taking place among religious people and in the spiritual realm.
Many people will come in Christ’s name, she said, and teach and preach what they call God’s Word, but it will not be God’s Word.
As believers in Jesus, we need to know the truth first to be able to pay attention to what is not-truth. We need to be sure of God’s Word and what it says.
This got me thinking doubt can be a very good thing………when it’s a ‘knower’ kind of doubt, put there in your spirit when you hear a message or a word in God-sorta language, which does not sound like God’s Word.
Paul put it like this in Philippians Chapter 1:10 (the Amplified Bible):
“…that you may surely learn to sense what is vital
and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value
Recognizing the highest and the best
And distinguishing the moral differences;
And that you may be untainted
and pure and unerring and blameless
that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied
you may approach the day of Christ
not stumbling nor causing others to stumble.”
I’ll say it again, we are in the end of the End Times. People don’t like to talk about it much–oh, they’ve been saying Jesus is coming back forever. But the ‘birth pangs’ Jesus spoke of are closer together and more intense.
There are wars, rumors of wars, falling meteorites, droughts, floods, famines…the list goes on and on.
In these last days, I don’t know about you,
but I desperately need the Holy Spirit’s power to
“sense what is vital,”
“sense what is vital,”
to “recognize the highest and the best,”
and to “distinguish moral differences.”
“So that I may approach the day of Christ
not stumbling or causing others to stumble.”
I want to be a question-asker, a light-bringer and a truth-knower.
Thank you for “funneling the focus,” Jody, for these last days. May we, indeed, be question-askers, light-bringers and truth-knowers. May we watch our steps, use our heads, and make the most of every chance we get. These are desperate times (Ephesians 5:16, The Message)!
A “knower kind of doubt.” Yes, I am with you there. You are a blessing to me.
I have found this to be the only way to sift the wheat from the chaff. Not to believe every spirit, but to test everything I hear by its fruit. When we look at Paul's teaching, we see that he kept preaching only the one thing,”Christ in me, my hope of glory”. Over via Jen's.
Much love XX
Mia
“I want to be a question-asker, a light-bringer and a truth-knower” Amen! Me too, my friend! Was just reading Matt. 24 about the end times yesterday…and the reality of life we live in. Oh, that our voices of truth might not be silenced, that many will hear of His goodness!! That His light might shine the brightest…even more as life get's ever increasingly darker. Wonderful words! Always love having you linking at UNITE~! Many Blessings, my sister in Christ!
Sifting through the truth. This also reminded me of the bank teller that knows the fake bills because she handles so many real ones. We become experts in truth the more we hear it.
Lovely post! This is my first time visiting your blog and I really enjoyed it! Coming over from Hear it On Sunday linkup.
This is a great image—everything that is not rice….everything that is not God. Yes. Liking that very much.