GULLY WASHER

We are having a gully washer today.  Dark clouds, thunder, lightning and rain seem to be the order of the day. I remember as a kid when the gully washers came we would head for the ditches to wade in.  We first had to push a lot of debris away.  Stuff that had been buried in the bottom of the ditch and came to the surface during the hard rain and ditches running over.  No telling what may come up.  I wonder, sometimes, why we did not get our feet bruised or cut on some of the debris.  I don't remember any incident's like that.  I did notice that the bigger ditches along the roads bring a lot of debris. It starts floating as the water rises.

Sometimes the Lord sends us a gully washer, spiritually.  The preacher preaches hot and heavy.  Something comes to the surface and the Lord deals with us.  "Me, pride?"  Surely not!  Right in the middle of pride is the letter "I."  So really the problem is within and needs to come to the surface.   But as he preaches seems the debris gets heavy.  "Unforgiving."  Not me!  But something comes to mind from the Lord.  (It may have been a long time ago or recently)  What about gossip?  I don't like for someone to tell me something that borders on gossip.  Even if it is the truth, it is better left unsaid.   Someone ask me a question about another Christian one time.  "Do you think they are really what they say?  My answer was, "I am not the Judge."
It really did not matter what I thought about that person, God is the Judge.  Some people thrive on gossip.
Before you judge ~ make sure you know both sides of the situation at hand.  We can have our opinions, but keep them to ourselves.  That way we will stay out of trouble.

Preacher preaches on with his gully washing preaching. What about Bible Reading, what about our prayer life.  Each day my husband and I start the day with reading the Bible and praying.  Does that make us Spiritual?  No way!  Are we reading because that's what the preacher expects or do we read for direction and leadership from the Holy Spirit?
It is easy to read and not know what you read.  When I find myself in this state, I just start over whatever chapter I was reading.  I ask the Lord  to apply His Word to my heart.

Well,  as the preacher preaches, something hits me right the in middle of  my being.  Something else has come to the surface.  I glad we have a forgiving  Savior.  I'm glad He sends gully washers in my life and get some of that what our pastor calls ~"stinking thinking" out so we can look at it and see that we need to confess.   That's be to God for His Love to us.  Have you had a gully washer in your life  lately?

"And  the Lord said, Simon, Simon,behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; But I have prayed for thee; that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen the brethern.   And he said unto him, Lord , I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.  And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou  shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me."  (Luke  22:31-34)


I think Peter meant every word he said when he told the Lord he was ready to go with him to prison and to death.  He was completely devoted to the Lord  and determined to go with Him if it meant death.  He had sailed on the stormy sea of Galilee with the Lord.  He had seen miracles of Jesus.  He was the one who said,
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God."   He was a bold fisherman and had faced many storms.
He had been through many difficult times with the Lord and the other disciples. How could he not be sincere?

Yet, there was coming soon a day when their faith was to be put to the test.  Jesus was just before being put to the most dreadful conflict in His earthly life.  Jesus warned them of what was soon to take place in Gethsemane.  He, Himself, was entering into conflict with the prince of this world, Satan.  He knew that Satan would do all he could do to destroy Him and His followers.

He looked at Peter and said,  "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift
you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not."
He wanted his followers to have the assurance in the time of deepest darkness and despair that He would be there for them.  Peter had often seen the Lord pray and had seen the answers to prayer.  He had been with
the Lord when He raised Lazarus from the dead.  Peter really thought he was stronger than he was.  He did not fully understand his heart.

Peter did fail, but in answer to prayer he was restored and became a channel of blessing.
We, like Peter, undergo times of deep testings.  We get fearful and frustrated within.  That's when we need to remember  that the Lord is our Great High Priest.  He ever lives to intercede on our behalf.
We are tested, but not forsaken, bruised and bewildered, but not abandoned; utterly cast down, but not destroyed, because of Him who says to us today as He did to Peter long ago: " But I have prayed for thee
that thy faith fail not."