“To those of you who have been in My refiner’s fire, remain steadfast just a while longer. I am moving you to another season soon. In the time you are to remain under My hand of vigorous training, learn the deep lessons I am teaching you.

"Rest in My presence. I will show you My heart as We spend quality time together. When this season is over, you will understand why you needed the skills I have given you. Others will benefit from your learned obedience. I will be glorified in your life as I send you forth. Be patient! I am with you. I will soon be able to trust you.”

Deut. 1:6 NIV

The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.”

2 Chr. 16:9 NIV 

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him...”

James 1:2-4 NIV 

2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

4) Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Rev. 2:2-5 NIV

2) “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance.  I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

3) You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary.

4) Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

5) Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”

Rev. 3:19 AMP

Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude].

In the book of Amos, it talks of two not being able to walk together unless they are agreed. How can we expect Jesus to overlook the filth of the world’s attitudes that are still in us, when He died so that they might be eliminated?   We are, in fact, saying that His suffering and death are of no consequence, if we refuse to allow lofty attitudes to be removed from our lives.

It is time that we all acknowledge our need of God’s mercy.  It is also time that we understand that He is showing us our need; so that we, in turn, will function in His mercy towards everyone, as He has. He is being merciful at this very moment as we see who we are not.

To withhold mercy would, once again, show a wrong heart motive - one of consuming God’s mercy while showing none. It is one of the most selfish of acts, most unlike the One whom we say we represent and for whom we are waiting, so that He might take us with Him because we are supposedly like Him.

The merciless heart is very much like that of the foolish virgins in Matthew 25. They came, not for the good of the master who was to arrive, but for their own good. They are also the ones pounding on the door after it had been closed and locked.  Quite a sobering thought!

Eliminate whatever You are after in me, Lord,

Jim Corbett