The High Winds of Distractions

January 26, 2017

Oh, my dear family of Heartdwellers, I need your prayers. I have been barraged with distractions this week. I understand, my perfectionistic streak likes to see everything working and in order, so when things get lost, misplaced, broken, jammed... I like to take the time to fix it right then and there so I have what I tell myself I need.

Last week my dog got out and because he had lost his collar to his little playmate on the other side of the fence, he didn't have an owner. But the Lord triumphed anyway and he was returned to me. But I made a resolution to get him another collar with tags. Having done that, yesterday that collar disappeared when I went to put another tag on it. I saw it lying in the snow in the neighbor's yard but I couldn't get into the gate and they weren't home. So, I was thinking 'I'll use a fishing pole and hook to catch it'.

And then I thought, 'You know what? This is a huge distraction. I'm going to go back to the Lord.' So, the whole thing took me out of prayer. I left a note on the neighbor's door, and they threw it over into our yard and I felt convicted that I needed to thank them, because we have had issues in the past. So - here I was motivated by the fear to make sure if my dog got out again, that he'd get back to me. And I allowed that to take me out of prayer.

I felt sure that the Lord wanted me to send this letter to them, and my handwriting lately has not been good. So I typed it out, went to print it, and viola! the printer wouldn't work. So, I called the tech department and we went over it for an hour and it still didn't work. At the very first impulse to write the letter, I should have waited until I was out of prayer. But I didn't, reasoning to myself, 'Oh, it will only take a minute'. Right.

Lord, this has been a rotten, miserable, impossible day. I understand that I've had a major part in that, what I have done this week in being house-crazy, compulsive-obsessive compulsive. But I don't understand today. I wanted to honor what I felt You were saying, but the printer wouldn't work. Please speak to me.

Jesus began, "I have not forgotten you, Clare...but have you forgotten Me? Don't wander from My side, not for a moment. Stay here, head on My heart and don't wander. Please, cling to Me."

It's what I want with all my heart, Lord - but things keep presenting themselves.

"And you fall for them, My Love. Truly, you are an easy catch. The devils have been playing ping-pong with you, making you run to and fro putting out brush fires. Let them burn; you have better things to do. You don't see how very much you are being influenced by these forces. But ANYTHING that takes you away from ME, no matter how virtuous... right now is a trap. Stop falling for these traps. You are in grave danger by giving into compulsions that are worthless.

"You must get ahold of yourself and put a stop to this."

I was thinking of the lame lasagna I pulled out of the freezer and I was going to add some things to it - frozen spinach and stuff. Even while I was gathering ingredients my conscience was telling me...'another trap, get back to prayer, you have something to eat already.'

Jesus cut in again, "I'd rather you didn't do that right now, it is another trap. Can't you see that?"

Yes, I guess I do. All my Bible and holy book readings today talked about how the Israelites angered the Lord by their adultery. Even the quail they complained against God to have, spoke to me. I was hoping they weren't about me, these different reading in the Psalms, addressing this issue...but they were about me.

Jesus continued: "Eat what's in the refrigerator and don't take on any cooking. Once more, you need to keep your volunteer busy with real work. No more side projects. Please, move forward."

What the Lord is talking about here is, there's a sound proofing I had asked the volunteer to do, because the sound from Ezekiel's room and my room were getting crosswise, and I wasn't able to concentrate on my music, and he wasn't able to concentrate on his. So I asked our volunteer to please put some foam up between the two walls to cut out the sound. But it turned out to be a huge project. It took the whole afternoon. We didn't get to our correspondence and other things.

Jesus continued again, "Enough is enough. Let's get back to basics. Share your bad behavior with the Channel and hold yourself accountable to them. These are tests, My Love. Real tests. 'Will she hop off on another sidetrack right into a snare, or will she turn away and stay with Me and be faithful.'

"As your husband said to you, 'Turn away from these things that are calling to you.' You are not the only one going through this. The enemy has taken on a full--scale war of distractions with My Body to keep them from serious prayer and the works I've called them to.

"The things I want to launch you all on are very important to Me and the graces are running very strong right now and all of you need to get into the slip stream of My grace and go with the flow. The enemy is trying to kick you out and lead you off on a wild goose chase.

"Ask yourself, 'Is this absolutely urgent vital or can it wait?'

"Let me give you an example: paying your electric bill before you are cut off is absolutely vital. Fixing a leaky faucet can wait. Feeding the fire before the house gets cold is vital; making a week's worth of lasagna is not. (I was going to stretch it with veggies, and the Lord said, "I'd rather you NOT do that. Eat what you have prepared and focus on Me.")

"I cannot stress this enough. Common sense should have told you not to take all that food out of the freezer, but just to make do."

So, I got up and put everything back in the freezer. And made my protein drink, and while doing that I began to see where I have been stiff-necked and self-indulgent, careless - even reckless, trying to get things done really quickly to get back to the Lord. And that, in turn, has endangered my health. You know, that 'type A' behavior?

I get it Lord. I am needing Your grace more than ever in my life right now. I am no match for my enemies and my flesh, but with Your help...

Jesus began, "I want you to know, My people, that I will not contend with a soul forever. Some spend their entire lives hanging by a slender thread of grace. That can be stretched to the breaking point - until I put that soul back on the shelf and find one more worthy of My graces.

"Never presume on My Mercy. What I might forgive, My Father may step in and call a halt to. You don't want to be in that place. It is a vast desert with hardly any water. There the scorpions sting and the snakes writhe and the soul who has worked their way into that place suffers severe remorse. So, I am asking you all - be attentive to My graces and do not take Me for granted.

"You see there are very high winds at the elevation we are climbing to, and those winds are powerful. Your resolve to use great wisdom and obey Me must be greater.

"That said, Clare, you're going to make it. You really are, My Beloved. But you must apply yourself now, right now, more forcefully against the enemy's insinuations. It is up to you My Dearest, truly it is up to you.

"Now I grant you My forgiveness. Please, get up out of your pit of compulsions and walk with Me in peace, joy and bliss as we pray and create together. I love you. I love each one of you, Heartdwellers - beyond what you can comprehend or you would die on the spot. Those whom I love I chasten.

"So all of you, My exquisitely beautiful Brides, apply yourselves to the graces I am imparting and do not allow the enemy to toss you around like a football. Every time you go off on a distraction, they get points and make a goal. And you get further behind in My will. Don't put them in the winner's position. Fight them with all the strength and graces I give you. After all, is it so hard to say NO? That's what I'm counting on you to do. Look away and say NO! Then take My hand as we walk together into the glorious work we have to do with one another.

"Don't let the high winds of distractions blow you off course."