The Cure Comes Through Discipline

God's LOVE stands out in our pain!

For those whom the Lord LOVES He disciplines, 
and He scourges every son whole He receives. 
Hebrews 12:6

Ouch!  Who loves discipline?  
Have you ever questioned God about His love towards you?  Have you ever prayed, God please show me how much You love me?  Maybe you've gone through or are in an intense trial and are wondering where God is?  

I bet if you are honest with yourself (and God) you probably have like most, answered one of these questions or maybe all of them, yes!  Why is it that we doubt God's love?  Why do we think when something goes wrong in our life or we are having an intense trial, we shake our fist at God?  Well, maybe you haven't done that.....but being totally honest with you, I have! 

Quite a few years ago, the Lord showed me that I was dealing with self-hatred.  I really didn't know what that meant at that time.  I would put myself down, not be able to receive compliments, matter of fact, I would deflect them and walked in false -humility.  I was blind to all this.  Of course, I knew I did it, but I had no true understanding of why.  Little by little the Lord showed me that the "bad" things that happened to me, the poor choices I made as a result of those things and the enemy's plan to destroy me since birth reinforced that I wasn't lovable.  I was never popular in school.  I wasn't a geek or a freak, but I never fit in with anyone really.  I had no real girlfriends and no one I could just be a girl having fun with. 
I was a loner and I craved friendship.  I craved and desired more than anything to be loved.  

As I became an adult, I was performance driven in my work and was successful in my work (not to get the approval of man, but for my own personal validation that I was "good enough".  I was always trying to prove to myself that I was worthy but never measured up.  This spilled over into my "friendships".  I always wanted to make everything perfect when having folks over for a meal or a party.  We used to have a disco in our basement.  Every year I would outdo myself in "themes" and invite more and more people.  I sent out invitations to 500+ people by the last party we had.  I had this mentality, the more I invited, the more friends I would have. NOT!!  God has since graced me with many wonderful friends that I can be real with and they can be real.... Thank YOU JESUS! Oh and now, I still love to cook over the top meals, but for the right reasons. 

Ever since I got saved, I prayed and prayed that God would reveal His love to me.  Instead, I only noticed the bad things, one thing after another.  You know the song Amazing Grace.... "How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed", well, I used to think, did I even get an hour of grace?  I don't mean that irreverent.... I just mean I went into the fiery furnace and the lions' den immediately and I don't think I've come out yet.   I often tell the Lord if this is how You love me, then why would I want to continue to follow You.  I have spent many hours crying wondering why God doesn't love me.  I know what His word says but getting that to sink into my heart is only something God could do! 

I had a prophetic word given to me by someone in leadership shortly after I got saved.  They told me that Satan had an assignment on my life and that he would do nothing short to take me out.  I received that into my spirit, the same spirit that had much self hatred. I believed that was God's plan for my life to eventually just die.  So all the illnesses, all the pain & heartache was from God, so I thought.  I believed that after having us give away a big majority of our assets, leaving us trusting Him completely for provision was all part of the "discipline" we/I deserved.  The downsizing and moving to a poverty stricken town and Ken having to work part time at minimum wage.  Why Lord?   

I was eventually delivered from self-hatred - and how sweet of God to do it just simply through my quiet time.  However, walking it out and believing the TRUTH is very much a journey and therefore the need for "discipline and/or chastening".   These past years, I have had to really fight the enemy, the battle in the mind for my healing.  When things look hopeless and dim, I can fall in the pit of despair pretty easily and succumb to the negative thought patterns that put some seriously deep ruts in my brain OR I can pick myself up and use the Word of God as my sword and battle successfully, the enemy of my soul.  


The other day in my quiet time, I was asking God once again, when would my healing come?  I have been reading through the Book of Proverbs and this header jumped out at me.... I mean jumped off the page and spoke stronger than ever.   "The Cure Comes Through Discipline".  Wow!  I immediately started looking up Scriptures relating to God's love and discipline.  

"Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal." Job 5:17-18 (NIV)

I especially liked this one as my life seems to be similar to Job's. (ha).  But seriously because, this verse ends with.... but his hands also heal.  Amen!  Praise the Lord.  I cannot say that I am excited about the discipline or the chastening, but that God will see me through and I will be healed!  For years, the Lord has been showing me He is going to heal me.  He has sent prophets to me with exact wording that God has spoke to me in my quiet times.  He has confirmed that I have "enough" faith and that there is NOTHING I can do to get my healing (no special pills or diet or prayer, not that those aren't helpful).....but that God would bring it in His timing for His glory.  Amen!  

Several months back I had the honor of reading a new book by Bob Sorge before it got published.  It's called The Chastening of the Lord, The Forgotten Doctrine.   I am now reading it again with a new lense! A lense of God's LOVE!!! You can buy it here: http://oasishouse.com/products/the-chastening-of-the-lord.   It was definitely a hard read and not something I was ready to accept.  It just fueled the hurt that maybe God would continue to allow deep pain and suffering in my life.  But then this week as that header in the Bible jumped out, a healing over my mind came forth.  I believe God.  I get it.  A light bulb went on.  The Holy Spirit brought forth this revelation and it is now comforting to know that I having to endure for my entire life thus far, much pain and suffering is all for His glory and that He disciplines us so that we can be used mightily for His Kingdom.  God's chastening in my life is bringing the healing, the cure.  It's cleansing away all evil to the inner depths.  I have prayed since the day I got saved, Lord don't ever promote me or use me if I will fall from grace.  I don't want to ever cause hurt to others, to God or anyone.  And hence, probably why such a long fiery trial.  He loves me so much that He is answering my prayer.....just not quite the way I expected.  (excerpt from my book I'm writing, What Not To Pray for.   

 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil, as do stripes the inner depths of the heart Proverbs 20:30 

I pray that as you may be experiencing a fiery furnace or a lions den trial, that you too understand that God has a purpose for it.  He allows these hardships to refine us into pure gold and into a beautiful vessel to be used to bring many into the Kingdom and for His fame and glory!

Praise/Prayer:
Praise - I got a full nights sleep last night - first one in a week.  An article in Charisma sparked a prayer and maybe freedom!!  
Praise - Thursday night group - we have 2 new people coming.  We are going through a book called "Positioned for Miracles".  Foundational truths on how to walk naturally supernatural!  Love it! 
Prayer - Provision for daily needs & for the vision (below).  I can't be sure of course, but I feel like God has shown me that September is going to be a month to remember.... in a good way.....so believing maybe something will happen to launch us further into destiny!!
Prayer - for me - complete healing.  Also that I can get some peace about Canyon, our dog.  I sense God is preparing me for his end of life.  He's almost 15.  Hard!!
Pray for Ken - we are thankful for his hours averaging between 30-35 now (not enough income at min wage) but it's hard labor.  May be preparation for the retreat property.  

Bless YOU.  Thank you for caring for us, praying for us and standing with us!  If there is anything you need prayer for, please let us know.  We are happy to!!!

If you have been blessed by this ministry or feel led to support what God is doing through us - financially, below are a few options.  Your generosity and your prayer support is greatly appreciated and needed as we continue to walk in faith and God's calling. 

Megablessings  - 

Ken & Michele Cole

http://www.wantinsight.com

michele@wantinsight.com, ken@wantinsight.com

Tax deductible & non tax deductible donations can be made: 

1.  Checks made payable to Sonlit Fields, PO Box 371, El Dorado Springs, MO 64744 or if you prefer anonymous giving - you can give through our Donor Fund 

2.  Non tax deductible donations can be made directly to us by:  THIS IS THE FASTEST WAY TO GET MONEY TO US FOR DAILY USE. 

 Paypal - www.paypal.com  (michele@wantinsight.com) 

3. Donor Fund - Contact National Christian Foundation - Ken & Michele Cole - Want InSight Fund - We will be changing the name in the near future.   Tax deductible 

    706 North Lindenwood Drive

    Olathe, KS 66062

    Phone: 913.310.0279

    Fax: 913.227.0254     www.nationalchristian.com 

Vision

God has given us a vision to build a retreat property along with ministry equipping center.  

The retreat portion of our ministry is to provide a safe place for pastors, lay leaders & other ministry folks to come and be refreshed & encouraged through prophetic ministry (if wanted).  We will offer 30-50 private cabins with kitchens & full bathrooms, screened in porches and plenty of places to roam on the property to get quiet with the Lord. 

We will offer other specialty retreats - marriage, healing, prophetic teaching & activating, health and wellness retreats and more.  

The Lord has graced us with the desire to come alongside the Church - to bring healing, deliverance & freedom to new/newer believers.  We are not wanting to replace their church, but more help them be ready to serve in their church. 

In our community building - we will have a 24/7 (eventually)  prayer room, healing & prophetic rooms and a place for community worship services for those on the property.  

Our passion is to minister to a lost & hurting world.   To equip the saints to do the same and to be a blessing to our community and surrounding areas.  Our hopes are that we can pour out God's love in a mighty way to bring more and more into the Kingdom, get them discipled, called into their purpose & destiny and released to do God's business!!!!  We also have a passion to give generously to help those in need and to help others launch into their God given destinies.  

Copyright © 2016, Michele A. Cole  All rights reserved.  Only with expressed written permission will these posts be allowed to be duplicated, copied or transmitted.