As I was reading my daily devotional today, the Lord took me to Isaiah 55. In my studies, I found something interesting. Verse 13 clearly states that "Myrtle trees will come up in place of the thorns." Did you know that Myrtle trees release their sweet fragrance during the time that their leaves are CRUSHED? Beloved, have there been times where you have felt squeezed and crushed at every side? God wants to replace those "thorny" parts (the part of us that battles doing His will, our offenses, bad attitudes, lusts) and replace it with Him that we may be a sweet fragrance to His nostrils (which only comes through times of "crushing")!
The Lord also took me to John 15 this morning. It's confirmation of what He is doing with us. Verse 2 says, "He BREAKS off every branch in ME that does not bear fruit, and he PRUNES every branch that does not bear fruit, so that it will be CLEAN and bear more fruit!" Ouch! So we are being CRUSHED, BROKEN, and PRUNED to be cleansed and ready to be used for His glory! If you want to dig deeper and know more, see below:
BREAK-In the original language it means to be loosened and delivered (he wants to loosen us and deliver us from bondages, past hurts, etc)
CLEAN- To make pure. Cleansing requires cleansing by the blood (I am sure at times you feel so broken and hurt that you feel you shed blood). Gold becomes gold when it is loosened or freed of its impurities. When it is made "clean", it becomes gold. Be free from impurities (wrong thoughts, actions, deeds) and be cleansed and walk blamelessly and innocently.
Awesome sister!!! Since I have been using Young Living Essential Oils...I have enjoyed learning more about how these oils were used in the Bible...specifically Myrrh. Customarily Myrrh was applied to umbilical chords of newborn babes to protect their navel from infection, which symbollically is meant to cut off generational curses inherited from ancestors. Pretty fascinating. Daddy made every provision for us through HIS plants. There is more to share, but I won't "hog" your comment space!! Thanks so much for sharing this. You are such a blessing to us!! ~Kisha~
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