Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Feb 21st, 2011
Thru Pris Van Sutphin
I felt the Lord’s urging, then got distracted, and later heard the song, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”.
It’s by Elisha Hoffman written in 1887.
What a fellowship, what a joy divine,A
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Refrain:
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Song 8:5 NKJV Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth.
John 13:23-27 NKJV23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. 25 Then, leaning back* on Jesus' breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
In Songs leaning is:
OT:7514 qp^r* raphaq (raw-fak'); a primitive root; to recline: KJV - lean.
In the gospel of John the word in the Greek is:
NT:345 a)nakei=mai anakeimai (an-AK-I-mahee); from NT:303 and NT:2749; to recline (as a corpse or at a meal): KJV - guest, lean, lie, sit (down, at meat), at the table.
NT:2749 kei=mai keimai (ki'-mahee); middle voice of a primary verb; to lie outstretched (literally or figuratively): KJV - be (appointed, laid up, made, set), lay, lie. Compare NT:5087.
After the impression to look up these scriptures, I waited on the LORD for what else He might say…
Then I heard “Oh Lord, HOW LONG ?”
Ps 13:1-2 NKJV 13 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
Ps 82:2-5 NKJV 2 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Defend the poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy; Free them from the hand of the wicked. 5 They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable.
These scriptures seem to me so appropriate for now after looking them up.
“ Oh beloveds, you are not patient as I am patient. Your endurance is not as Mine, for you are but human. Your flesh weighs you down. You are unable to see clearly unless in the Spirit. This is why fellowship with Me in this hour is VITAL to you. There is an army who has been training in the desert, just as natural armies do.
As they come to me, and fellowship with Me, I AM pouring out, even when you don’t “feel” it ! I am pouring into you as you worship ME, as you speak praises with your mouth ! I AM imparting to you more of MY Spirit of grace and love, of power and might. You may feel weak in your flesh for all the battles you have fought, but you are not as weak as you think you are. It is when you come to that place of realizing how small you are, how weak you are, how impossible things seem, that then I can take over within you and I will get all the glory.
The Rapids of My rivers of glory are coming faster. Time is accelerating, and so I must accelerate your growth. For those who have not learned to rest in ME, to lean on ME, they are struggling still to maintain, to strive in their own flesh to do things, it is being countered by ME. You are helpless, and I AM the HELP. I AM your Resource. I AM your Strength and LIFE.
She who is coming out of the wilderness has learned to LEAN on ME. She knows that many things she cannot do in her own strength for she may not have the desire within her, nor the strength in her own self to do them. So she has learned how to lean, how to give the battle to ME when it is too much for her.
Some are still going in circles because they have failed to learn that worship and praise is to be given no matter WHAT the circumstances, because the enemy tries to lure you into hatred of ME, and abandoning ME, in the midst of the circumstances. He is a THIEF, and the Father of LIES, so out of your mouth must come PRAISE to show him, that you will NOT bow down to his allurements to abandon ME or to fame, money, success in the world, to mammon. A reputation is not important among men, though helpful in some situations, it is ME you have to answer to in the end. I was made of NO reputation.
I am BURNING out all selfish ambition and STRIVING to performance, and all pretense. IT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED in My presence because it is not godly character. It is a form of perversion and lying; lying to yourself and to others. I want you to have strong walls, transparent walls, not white washed ones. Nothing in your flesh is to be glorified. YOU CAN DO NOTHING APART FROM MY DOING IT IN YOU !!! If you have talent, I put it there. If you have creativity, I AM the CREATOR Who put it in you. So can you take credit for anything ? Why do you find the need to be something you are not ?
Am I enough for you ? Is the approval of man that important to you? Surely you need to understand that MY LOVE is immeasurable towards you, and never is removed. Even when you go off track and forget my ways, and abandon Me through discouragement and distractions, I DO NOT GIVE UP ON YOU.
Gemstones with color have impediments that color them. You have impediments that color your life and character also. I love you “warts and all” as you say ! I don’t see the warts all the time. I know they are there, but like a good parent, I try to nurture what is good in you, and I love you unconditionally, despite what some, in their limited understanding of Me think.
When your child or teenager goes off on their own and disappoints you in the choices they make, because they are learning to make their own choices. That is how I look at you, just as you look at them, only My patience and endurance, and understanding and perception are much greater than your own. Remember how Sampson’s parents were so disappointed when Sampson chose a Philistine woman ? They didn’t understand the purpose that I had in mind. This is earthly thinking.
My understanding is above your own understanding. The more choices a child is given early on to make choices, the more he learns. Thus I don’t control you. YOU have to make your own choices. But I as Father God, in giving you the freedom to do so, like a good parent will pick you up when you fall down, will comfort you when you are hurt, and help you when you fail, to start over again. I am your most loyal cheerleader in the school of life ! I don’t always just see the failures, but I see the outcome of them, the progress you are making in overcoming, bit by bit. I love you and I will always love you. I want you to understand the depth of that love.
So sometimes you fail, and you think it’s the end, and that I will abandon you, but in that moment, I want so much to hold you, and to comfort you like a good parent would. I want to heal the hurt in your heart, that makes you think that I will abandon you. At the same time, if I only allow good experiences, I would spoil your character, and you would begin to think that anything goes. Just like when parents give in to manipulation in children and give them anything they want. So I only do what is best for the development of the character in you, that will cause you to grow into the role I have for you in the Kingdom.
Like a parent wants to communicate with their child and have a close relationship, so that lines of communication are always open, so I WANT THAT FOR YOU AND I. It is VITALLY important in this hour, for great persecution and horrible things are planned by the enemies of your soul. But I have MY PLANS as I’ve told you before.
I have so many surprises I want to pour out onto you. It’s going to be a precious time for us to move together in the battle of all time. I will always be with you in anything you go through. And I need you to TRUST ME fully, and know that I LOVE YOU IMMENSELY and forever. I will put a laser sharp sword in your mouth, and you will have eyes to see as I see. I will give you discernment to understand good from evil. I will give you the Spirit of UNDERSTANDING and Wisdom, in greater measure. The Spirit of MIGHT will be yours as you need it. You will move stealthfully amidst the sea of peoples, to do My will, and touch whom I want you to touch.
So do not focus on WORLDLY things as much as on HEAVENLY things. You can still enjoy fellowship with one another, and ME, but it will be in stealth, and undercovers in days ahead, and not out in the open as has been. Fear will increase in intensity, thus I MUST pour into you more of MY LOVE ! So stay in the secret place with ME as much as you can. For the mind that is stayed on ME will have perfect PEACE ! “
PSALM 55 NKJV 1 Give ear to my prayer, O God, And do not hide Yourself from my supplication. 2 Attend to me, and hear me; I am restless in my complaint, and moan noisily, 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they bring down trouble upon me, And in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me. 6 So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. 7 Indeed, I would wander far off, And remain in the wilderness. Selah
8 I would hasten my escape From the windy storm and tempest." 9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. 11 Destruction is in its midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets. 12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could hide from him.
13 But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together,And walked to the house of God in the throng. 15 Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. 16 As for me, I will call upon God, And the Lord shall save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me. 19 God will hear, and afflict them, Even He who abides from of old. Selah Because they do not change, Therefore they do not fear God. 20 He has put forth his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has broken his covenant. 21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords. 22 Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. 23 But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; But I will trust in You.
