Winter 1997
An Aspect Of His Dealings
by Wade E. Taylor

As we grow spiritually, we become aware that we are beginning to see and understand things that others neither see nor understand.

As a result, we may become critical of those who do not see as we see, and we may even become proud when we discover that we have spiritual understanding which others do not have. If we are making genuine spiritual progress, each one of us will experience in some measure or form, these reactions.

Although this is not good, it should encourage us, as it is an indication that we are making spiritual progress, and that we are entering a higher realm of spiritual life and understanding. However, if we are to continue to develop spiritually, our pride and critical spirit must be dealt with and overcome. If not, this will be as far as we will go in our spiritual development, and worse, we will begin to lose ground, spiritually.

Fortunately, our Lord was a carpenter and knows how to make crosses. Jesus said,

"If any man (or woman) will (desire and choose to) come
after Me, let him deny himself and take up his (own)
cross, and follow Me." Matt 16:24 (Parenthesis added).

That is, the Lord will uniquely arrange a circumstance (a cross), that He has personally designed to crucify our self-esteem, and our being critical.

The word "if" tells us that this is an option that we ourselves must choose. We must "hire" and give permission to our carpenter Lord to build this cross, upon which we ourselves will hang and die to our pride and self-centered ways.

We must specifically make this arrangement with Him; otherwise, He will not build this cross. Not one of us relishes a cross, nor do we appreciate the difficulties, which He will arrange, in order to crucify us. Once we are upon this cross, our hands and feet are nailed, and there is little we can do. None of us like these restrictions to our liberty, but we must stay there until the work is done and He has released us.

The normal habitat for a flower may be a garden, or the woods. But if we desire a beautiful flower to display, we would go to a florist to obtain one that had been raised in a glass greenhouse.

This glass "hot house" is a place where everything is intensified to bring forth the beauty, the full potential of this "flower" (you and I, changed into His image).

The Lord is bringing forth a people in this day who have been prepared to display His glory. Therefore, special "cities of refuge," or "hot houses" are being established for this purpose. Those who are spiritually perceptive are discerning where these places are. Those who respond and choose to enter one of these, for whatever time the Lord may indicate, will come under the intensity of a special working of the Holy Spirit.

Many years ago, I worked in a greenhouse for a short time. I wheeled the dirt from long flowerbeds in the greenhouse to the outside, and then replaced it with fresh dirt. It was almost one hundred and twenty degrees within, and I would stop and wait a few minutes to get adjusted before I entered with a fresh load of dirt.

This environment was devastating to me, but the flowers flourished in it. I was told that this changing of the dirt was done each year to maintain the quality of the flowers that were produced.

Whenever I entered the greenhouse, I had only one thing in mind - to get out as quickly as possible. So also, we never appreciate the dealings of the Lord, until after the flower - the fruit of the Spirit, appears. Then we recognize that all we had gone through was worthwhile.

"And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed
upon Him to hear the word of God, he stood by the
Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two ships standing by
the lake. But the fishermen were gone out of them,
and were washing their nets."

"And he entered into one of the ships, which was
Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out
a little from the land. And he sat down, and
taught the people out of the ship.”

"Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon,
Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets
for a draught." Luke 5:1-4.

Because the people pressed to hear, Jesus entered a ship and pushed out a little from the shore. This "pushing out" refers to our being brought into a different atmosphere (hothouse), where we receive direct, personal attention from the Lord in preparation for something greater, "a launching out into the deep."

Notice that the Lord did not stand on the shore and teach them. It is difficult for us to grasp the purpose and intensity of what He was doing when He pushed out a little from the shore. He moved from the (seeming) normal situation of life (land), and entered into a new atmosphere (water), in order to prepare them. After this was done, He then said, "launch out" - go even further into the deeper purposes of the Lord.

"I love them that love me; and those that seek Me
early shall find Me ... that I may cause those
that love Me to inherit substance; and I will fill
their treasures." Prov 8:17-21.

This word, "early" has a special meaning that transcends the thought of the first thing in the morning.

I did not like wheeling dirt into the green house, as it was intensely hot within. "Early" means that I grabbed the handles of the wheelbarrow and proceeded because I knew the Lord had directed me, and that there was a higher purpose than merely moving dirt. Although I did not understand, I strongly felt that there was something in the heat of the atmosphere that would accomplish within me what the Lord desired.
My part was to believe this and then act on it. "Early" means that I did not waste precious time struggling with my contrary feelings. The Lord has a particular "hot house" for each one of us, which will expose our need and change us according to His purpose and desire.

Some flowers will grow almost anywhere, but when a special show-flower is needed, we go to the greenhouse. So also, when the Lord desires to display the very best from within His Church, He will go those who have entered the "hot house" of His preparation, and have come forth with spiritual substance.