Don't Quit Just at the Finish Line-Waiting Wheat_Prt2

The Waiting Wheat

It is my understanding that God is bringing many to the threshing floor. Winnowing and sifting follows. If you are in either of the stages spiritually now, go through the process because when all processing is complete, only the best of the wheat is brought forth. After the threshing and sifting, there is a waiting period.

Wheat can be used immediately after it goes through the necessary processes. However, there are times that wheat must go through a waiting period, and if the good Lord had given wheat a mind to think, just like us, it would not understand why it had to wait at all.

If God, the Creator of all things, had distinct intentions for certain wheat at a set time in history, then why would or should there be any need to wait? Think of the wheat that is stored in silos today by farmers for future use. Some store years ahead, in case of a drought, flood or other cataclysmic event, or even in case of a financial distress or ruin. 

How about the wheat that was grown in the seven years of plenty in Egypt, in the time of Joseph, son of Jacob?  The wheat stored at the beginning stayed in the storehouses for seven years, waiting to be distributed.

Grain yielded from following harvests were stored (waited) six years, five years and so forth, right down to the time of the drought; seven full years passed by. All the wheat, no matter how long it had been stored (on hold, waiting), fulfilled its purpose in due season.

In 2007, a team under the direction of Professor Nadine Moeller, from the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, set out for an expedition at Tell Edfu, Egypt. The expedition was headed by Zahi Hawass, an Egyptologist (Egyptian archaeologist) from the Supreme Council for Antiquities in Egypt, who officially announced the discovery of the ancient ruins.

                           

Egypt - where Joseph stored grain during famine
for Pharaoh

Seven silos found in Egypt - 2007-08

Archaeologists discovered SEVEN (emphasis mine) mud-brick silos. Each measured between 5.5 to 6.6 meters (18-22 feet) in diameter, thus being the largest grain bins discovered within a town center to date (according to the date of the news article 2007-08). U of Chicago news reported: “Work late last year (2007) revealed details of seven silos, the largest grain bins found in ancient Egypt, as well as an older columned hall that was an administration center.”

It is not only interesting that a discovery of seven grain bins were uncovered, but also that Egyptologist, Professor Nadine Moeller stated: “It is exactly at this period (approx. 3500 years ago) when Edfu seems to have been very prosperous, which can now be confirmed further by archaeological discoveries such as this silo-court, a symbol for the wealth of the town.”

In close proximity to the silos, and equally compelling was the unearthing of the large, older columned hall, noted as an administration center. These were found at the heart of the ancient city, Tell Edfu, and proved that the urban center was prosperous. Science Daily reported: “The building layout indicates that it may have been part of the governor’s palace…”

The discovery certainly validates the written Word of God:

And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number. [Gen 41:47-49] (Emphasis mine)

Threshing and Sifting

To be brought to the threshing floor is not something to fear, as some think. On the threshing floor, the sheaves are crushed in order to separate the wheat from the chaff. I have heard some people accuse others of being chaff, but I beg to differ.

I reckon that from one viewpoint, yes, some may be considered “chaff”, whilst others are the “wheat”. But I like to look at it from a different perspective. To me chaff can be compared to the dross that is separated from the silver in the process of refining.

Do we ever say, they are “dross” and we are the “silver”? No, we do not. Chaff, as dross, is considered useless and must be separated from the wheat, and dross is considered impurities in the silver and must be brought to the surface and skimmed off, removed.

Threshing is considered a violent process where the wheat is beaten, crushed and cut. 

Rani Espanioly – Nazareth Village Expert and Guide:

The Nazareth Jesus Knew – Wheat and Tares - stated that it is very difficult to tell the difference between wheat and tares; only an expert can tell the difference.  Wheat and tares look alike throughout most of their growth. In fact, it is apparently nearly impossible to tell the two apart until it is almost harvest time.

In the harvest season, it is easy to distinguish the two apart. The tare is straight and light; stands erect, tall (proud). It has tiny black seeds that are extremely bitter, which will cause dizziness and nausea if eaten. 

The wheat stock itself is full of grains (the fruit itself). The head is bountiful in fruit. Wheat is bent over (humble); fruit abundant.

Without going into detail about the various ways of threshing, I will mention certain details that are part of threshing that were common in Biblical times. Threshing floors were often placed or located in fields high on hilltops or small mountains, so that they were exposed when the wind arose, which was necessary when winnowing in order to blow away the chaff.

Oxen, horses or mules were yoked and used to trample or tread upon the sheaves of grain and to pull the threshing board or sledge back and forth, or in a circular trajectory. The hooves would cut the stalks. The threshing stones separated the grain from the straw and husks.

The threshing sledge consisted of two connected boards, typically studded with sharp stones. A beating out of the sheaves of grain from the chaff occurred against the crushing stones or flint chips. A heavy weight was needed to push down on the harvested wheat.

This would crush and break the stalk into smaller pieces and tear off the husks, whether the weight was that of the driver or by heavy stones placed atop the threshing sledge. The harvested grain was turned over continuously.

Jagged stones were used on the boards to cut the stalks and knock the grain from the head of wheat. Another method involved flails or rods that were used to beat upon the grain, separating the delicate seeds from the chaff (the husk that surrounds the seed).

sifted as wheat

sifting akin to a 'great shaking'

A winnowing fork was used in the next process of threshing in order to separate any remaining loose chaff, weevils, pests and dirt from the grain. The threshed grain would be tossed into the air so that the wind would blow the impurities away, whilst the heavier, pure grains would fall to the ground and was piled up.

When we go through threshing spiritually, we will feel a great weight upon us. We will feel crushed, beaten, cut, torn, broken, tossed and continuously turned over, shaken. The purpose is to separate that which is good in us from that which is useless.

Mountains – Physical and Spiritual

Behold, I will make you a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: you shall thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shall make the hills as chaff. You shall fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and you shall rejoice in the LORD, and shall glory in the Holy One of Israel. [Is 41:15, 16]

From Ellicott's Commentary: A new sharp threshing instrument - The instrument described is a kind of revolving sledge armed with two-edged blades, still used in Syria, and as elsewhere [Micah 4:13], is the symbol of a crushing victory. [vs 15]

From Barne's Notes: Having teeth - or with double edges. The Hebrew word is applied to a sword and means a two-edged sword. [Ps 149:6] The instrument here was serrated, or fashioned so as to cut up the straw and separate the grain from the chaff.

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand [Ps 149:6]

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. [Heb 4:12]

Mountains can be any large thing that stands between you and victory, or that may stop you from overcoming. It can be spiritual (demonic realm, strongman, or addiction), or it can be a “Goliath”, an impossible situation, life-threatening or seemingly far greater/stronger than you (an illness, a torn relationship, lost ones, unemployment, people who have come against you or hurt you in some way; the list goes on)

A mountain or a 'Goliath' stands before
you, pray...

Whether you speak to the mountain or use one
stone to take down Goliath - the battle is the Lord's

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be you removed, and be you cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he says. [Mk 11:23]

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (love), I am nothing. [1Cor 13:2]

Mountains can also represent governments or worldly organizations in power, or even a religious organization that people have put their faith in to protect them or take care of problems. A mountain may be considered a place to “hide”, a place of safety.

Then the kings of the earth, and the great men (high officials), the rich men, and the chief captains (military commanders), and the mighty men (warriors/soldiers), and every bondman (slave, labourer) and every free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And said to the mountains and the rocks; Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: [Rev 6:15, 16]

Also, every island fled, and mountains were not found. [Rev 16:20]

Sifting Wheat

 

sifted, sifted - tossed to and fro, up and down  
- a great shaking

The sifting is the final refining in the process of harvesting wheat. To me, it seemed as if God used that which recently occurred in my life to bring me to a type of threshing floor (albeit not the final one that separates the wheat from the chaff – Mat 3:12]. 

Afterwards, there is a sifting. It is for our good. Remember that even Peter was sifted as wheat. [Lk 22:31-34]

The Lord God brought me to a hard place, where everything seemed to tread upon me and beat upon my very soul. This is not a thing to be feared, although it is a place where we would rather not be, a place where we long to escape, a place of great discomfort.

Although spiritually speaking, the threshing floor is sometimes known as a place of judgment, it is also a place where I believe the heart is tried and that which is good, and that which is useless is separated. 

The profitable and the useless do each other no good together. Some may call it a circumcision, the cutting away of flesh that is not needed. But I say it is a separating, and the trying (testing) of the heart!

There also seemed to be a sifting, where my circumstances as well as everything within me, were tossed to and fro, up and down. Have you felt weighed down, and perhaps even crushed beyond measure? 

Do you fight doubts and wonder if there is any growth, any change within you? Do you wonder what godly purpose you are accomplishing? You are not alone! I have too.

There is as a battle between the flesh and spirit, and depending upon which one is mightier and rules the heart will determine which one wins the battle. There will be many battles in this bloody war. 

But I remind you, who is the LORD of the battle? It is God who ultimately decides what is in our heart. But we have to tell ourselves NOT to give up. We all need encouragement at times.

It is written that every battle of the warrior is with confused noise. Then after that, the prophet speaks of Jesus. [Is 9:5-7] We can do nothing of lasting, eternal consequence without Jesus, and apart from him, nothing means just that...nothing. Oh yes, it is a battle, and yes, we all weary if we have been walking with Jesus for any amount of time. We will be sifted, shaken.

A few years ago, the Lord forewarned that there would be a separating that will take place, and again, I am not speaking of the final judgment. None of us knows the day or hour of the return of Jesus Christ, but He did tell us what signs to watch for (the catching up).

The warning about the separating amongst God’s own people came after reading in the book of Ezekiel, chapter 34:17. And as for you, O my flock, thus says the Lord; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.

We know that we are in the last of the last days, and in this late hour, God is indeed trying our hearts. He warned us that He would be dividing, but also separating sheep from sheep (cattle and cattle). 

We were warned of false teachers, false brethren, false prophets, yes, but also of those who praise Him with their lips, but with a heart that is far from Him (determined by our fruit).

There may even be times that we look at ourselves and say, “Am I one of those who speak of Him and praise Him, but have a heart far away?”

 

I think we all might wonder this at times. It is a good question to ask. When no one is looking, are you reading the Word? Are you praying to Him and crying out to Him, bringing everything to Him, even concerns about your walk with Him and the condition of your heart? Yet, balance it, remember, Satan is called the accuser of the brethren. [Rev 12:9-11]

Do you only go to the Lord in prayer when you are in trouble, or in great pain, either physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually? At first, that is what I did, before I committed.

Do you honor Him and His sovereignty only when you are in great distress? Or is He your constant companion, your first love, the one who consumes your thoughts and your very heart? Only we can answer these questions, not another.

I do believe that it is easier for one to find more time to spend with the Lord when they live alone, as compared to one who has a spouse and children to look after. 

Yet, even still, the world and the enemies of the cross can present a plethora of distractions, all of which demand our attention and our time. Spending quality time with the Lord is a choice, just as it is a choice to spend quality time with our loved ones. It is a choice that also requires disciplining ourselves.

We are in turbulent, chaotic times. It is obvious even to unbelievers. God will have a people that He can depend upon; therefore He must try our heart. It is not that He does not know, but we need to know. And it is not to be cruel, it is necessary. 

Yet listen, and consider carefully. We ALL need the Lord: NONE of us can do this without Jesus. Let us be careful there, thinking we are 'all that' - If we become independent from the Branch or Vine (Jesus), we will wither away (If you try to keep your life, you will lose it; but if you lose it by clinging to the Vine, you keep it.) [Mat 16:24-26]

Will we crumble under pressure and give up? Will we denounce our God in order to live? Will we obey what God asks of us, or will unbelief cause us to stay in disobedience? Yes, my friends, our hearts will indeed be tried. Expect it; prepare for it. It won’t be easy, but God is for us to succeed, not against us to fail. He is more than willing to be our strength when we are weak.

He is our deliverer, our Saviour!

Do all that it takes to keep your heart and your mind in right standing with God. Keep Jesus as your first love, allowing nothing to be more important than Him. We must possess a fear of the Lord, meaning absolute respect, reverence, honour and obedience to a holy and worthy God, King and Redeemer.

In a day and age when few respect or honour authority, we must learn what Sovereignty means, but more importantly, we must learn what pure love is, a love that is steadfast, strong, faithful and true. If we are afraid, we must be 100% convinced of God's love for us and take hold of it because perfect love casts out fear.

There is no fear in love; but perfect loves casts our fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. [1Jn 4:18]

But I Have Been Waiting Years

Fight all temptation and refuse to look at the circumstances, at the outward appearance of things, no matter how overwhelming, no matter how hopeless it seems, no matter how long you have waited, or have to wait. No one is pretending that it is easy because it is not.

It takes determination and commitment, as well as faith and trust in Jesus. Yes, the circumstances still are there, staring us in the face; it is no illusion. However, be strong and courageous and not dismayed. Choose to look to Jesus and wait upon God.

Yes, I too must still wait upon the Lord. It is not yet over. However, in that waiting, I set my face as a flint (even when fighting the thoughts of my flesh and the fiery darts of Satan), with my eyes fixed upon Jesus. 

Yes, it can be a battle, but the Lord gives strength to the weak. He is our strength, our rock, our shield and our strong tower. Rest in Him.

Have I fought and lost a battle? Did I go ahead of the Lord without asking? Yes, I have to admit that at times I have, but I go to God now and confess all to him. He instructs us; he forgives; he strengthens us. There will be many battles, but God is with us through it all.

Not only do I wait upon Him to intervene in the above-mentioned situation, but I also wait upon Him for the fruition of a promise He made to me long ago, years I have waited. There is no doubt in my heart that it is from Him because numerous times I prayed that I would not be deceived. God does not play with our mind or our heart. The Lord God is good!

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. [Ps 34:8]

You are good, and do good; teach me your statutes. [Ps 119:68]

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures forever.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. [Ps 107:1, 8]

I have now laid everything upon the altar before my God (spiritually), and have no intention of taking it back up. Admittedly, in the past, I did take things back from that spiritual altar, but now there is a new determination. Praise be to God! We learn, we grow, we keep pressing on.

All is His, always has been and always will be. He is trustworthy. Never will He allow His people to be deceived when they earnestly and sincerely cry out for truth, no matter what the cost is. He is faithful! It is only the adversary who will whisper to us, “…has God said?” Satan deceives.

How I pray that when God answers, and He will, in His way and in His timing, I pray that pride will not enter my heart. Pride can be so subtle. It can appear as false humility. The prayer is that God would guard my heart and if pride dares to take over, may the Holy Spirit convict me and open my eyes to it, so that I may repent and quench pride.

And through it all, may thanksgiving be continuously upon my lips, along with praise, and may God alone be glorified! My desire is that Jesus sits upon the throne of my heart, fully ruling, and that my heart is his and his alone.

Mercy Granted Yet Again

Manaseh, Hezekiah’s son, began to reign after his father’s death, but he did not do what was good in the sight of God. He built altars for Baalim and worshipped idols. His children were sacrificed. He used witchcraft, gladly worked with a familiar spirit and with wizards, used enchantments and observed times (practiced occult rituals at specific times).

Manaseh was captured by the ruling king of Assyria (after Sennacherib) who brought him amongst the thorns in Babylon, and chained him up. Manaseh was greatly humbled and sought God, praying to Him as he acknowledged that he was the one, true God of Israel.

In His mercy, God returned him to Jerusalem where Manaseh took down all the idols and cast them out of the city, as well as all the altars that were used for sacrifices and occult practices. He then offered peace and thanksgiving offerings to the God of Israel until the day he died. 

[2 Chron 33:1-20]

This was a continuation of the story of Hezekiah, when after his death, his son ruled. I included it here to remind the reader that God is merciful. No matter what evil has been done, as long as we have breath in our bodies, there is still a chance to genuinely repent.

That means a change of heart, and doing an about-face, determined to let go of evil ways and willful sin. If God can forgive a man such as Manaseh, who witnessed the goodness of God to his father Hezekiah, and still chose to do evil, then we know that because of Jesus, anyone who repents and turns away from ungodly ways and sins, can be forgiven.

An Attempt to Deceive

It was three weeks ago (August 2, 2018) that the Lord led me to the book of 2 Chronicles, chapter 32, regarding Hezekiah. A few days after that, I had a dream. Now that in itself is remarkable because in one of my recent prayers, I had questioned why I did not have dreams or visions anymore. It had been a long time since I had any of great significance.

In the dream, I found myself in a house that seemed to be familiar, yet judging by the layout of the house, it was not one I had lived in. It was dark outside. Faces of some people were noticed, but I could not see them when I looked a second time. The faces had disappeared, but I somehow sensed their presence.

That was the reason I was going about the house locking the doors in the front and at the side.  When I was approaching the last door, which was at the back of the house, I noticed a huge brown shoe. For some reason, I determined that it was a size twenty-two (22).

The shoe seemed to be about a foot wide and two feet long, which would mean that whoever it belonged to was a giant. I seemed unafraid in the dream and proceeded to lock the back door, noting that it had once been repaired, but now appeared solid and safe.

For whatever reason, I decided to recheck the locks. This time when I approached the back door, I noticed that a couch and a tall wardrobe had been shoved in the way. Yet, despite the effort to obstruct my way to the exit, there was still a clear pathway around the furniture on the left. The huge shoe was still there, but it had been moved closer to the door. I awoke perplexed.

Interpretation

The Lord God, in His mercy, has granted the interpretation and the understanding of the dream. Thank You Lord Jesus for all that you do.

The house in the dream seemed familiar, but was not an exact replica of any one home that I had lived in. The word “familiar” stuck out in my mind and disturbed me. Familiar spirits are mentioned in the Bible and are typically associated with sorcerers, wizards and those who delve into necromancy (using witchcraft to speak to the deceased).

The Hebrew word for a familiar spirit is equivalent to the Greek word “python”, which means a spirit of divination, a familiar spirit [1Sam 28:8; Acts 16:16]; a ‘servant’ (famulus), belonging to the family (familiaris), summoned by sorcerers and soothsayers, to do the commands of the one possessing it.

Quick Example

The spirit of divination is quite comfortable in Christian surroundings, counterfeiting the Spirit of the true, living God by speaking words that sound spiritual. An example is the soothsayer, the young woman who followed the apostle Paul around.

Listen to her words. If we heard someone speaking those very words today, we would think that they are indeed a disciple, a follower of Christ Jesus, but it is spirit of divination (python) that speaks.

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying,

These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation. [Acts 16:16, 17]

Not only did the evil spirit acknowledge both the apostles and the true God, but he included the word “us”, to be even more convincing. The demon did not just say it once to convince those who heard her that she was a disciple of Christ Jesus. The woman followed Paul and his group around for “many days”. Finally, Paul commanded the spirit to come out of her, and she was delivered. [vs 18]

Demons that once influenced me and that I was delivered from seek to enter in again. That is why, in the dream, I saw their faces outside the house, and when they seemed to disappear, I sensed their presence. Their faces disappeared because Jesus delivered me from these (familiar) demons in the past. They have no power over me, unless there is an open door, but all doors are locked. There is no open door for them to enter into the house.

Now I continue on with the interpretation of the dream that the Lord granted me.

The house seemed ‘familiar’ because it represents two houses that I have actually lived in; two homes where I experienced trouble and fear. That is why the familiarity troubled me. The fear was so strong that I literally fled from both houses. One house was in Canada; the other was in the United States.

The huge pointed shoe (size 22) was a cunning stratagem to deceive me into believing that a strongman, an unseen giant, was hiding somewhere in the house until he could attack me (a deceptive impression).

Therefore the intention is to control me with a spirit of fear, the obstruction (furniture) being a ploy to convince me that there is no way out, or at least not without having to battle a strongman.

Unbelief always tags along with the spirit of fear; this explains the “people” (tormenting, lying spirits) hiding outside the house in the darkness. Satan wants to bring in a spirit of fear to cause me to walk in unbelief, fearing that there is no way out without doing battle against a giant (Satan) who is stronger I am. This is a lie, a deception.

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he (Jesus) that is in you than he (Satan) that is in the world. [1Jn 4:4]

The illusion is to deceive me into believing that I am already defeated even before the battle begins. The intent is to have me accept unbelief in God’s promises and turn away, rebel, disobey and/or give up.

The Lord is faithful to end all confusion and to bring peace with understanding.

The number 22 has significant meaning - to the POINT. The Lord knew that I would search it out because the Holy Spirit inspired me to do so. The number 22 in one place means a cipher, a key from God. It is also said to be the number of Revelation. (the dream was a "key", a personal "revelation")

The 22^nd Psalm begins with the words spoken by Jesus when He was on the cross. Truly Christ was a man of sorrows, acquainted with our grief as written in the book of Isaiah (53:3). There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and 22 books in the Levitical Old Testament, which is the light of Israel.

The apostle John used the word “light” 22 times and the 22^nd time [Jn 12:46], he quoted Jesus: I have come as a light into the world, that whosoever believes in me should not abide in darkness.

In the dream, Jesus wanted me to know that despite the darkness (outside the house), and despite the strongman (Satan) that was trying to have me walk in a spirit of fear by placing a giant shoe in my path, Jesus wanted me to know that He is with me, and He is greater than the owner of that giant shoe.

For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. [2Tim 1:7]

The dream, which followed days after reading the story of Hezekiah, spoke volumes to me when the two are put together. A spirit of fear came upon Hezekiah and God’s people. Sennacherib was like a “strongman” who had to be faced, and darkness surrounded him (spiritually).

Sennacherib’s words not only caused the people to greatly fear, but they were also in danger of unbelief, when the Assyrian told the Israelites that the promises God spoke through Hezekiah were a deception and lies. At that point, Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah prayed to God for help.

The Fight in the Battle

Therefore, no matter how overwhelming your situation is or circumstance are, do not give up. As hard as it is, wait upon the Lord to intervene. Keep your focus on Jesus and He will help you every step of the way.

Remember that we have an adversary who is the father of lies, and one who is masterful at illusion, deception and the manipulation of God’s word, tempting us to walk in a spirit of fear and unbelief, and thusly, not trust God. Satan will do all he can to tempt us to disobey Jesus.

I realize that as I write these words, there are those who are going through excruciating physical pain and/or physical hardships. It must be hard to read such words when the only escape from pain or the frustration of limited physical hardships seems to be death, or to simply give up, thinking that God is not going to help or intervene. 

There are those who have cried out to the Lord for mercy and to take them home because no medication is addressing the pain, no immediate help ends the physical limitation, and they truly do not know if they can bear up much longer.

In such cases, my words may seem almost glib (shallow, insincere), lacking empathy and perhaps even compassion. If my words come across like that, it is not so, and is unintended. When I had pain in my back and right knee for nearly six months, not even Oxycodone (a strong semi-synthetic opioid which is derived from the poppy (Persian)) addressed the pain.

Without going into lengthy details, admittedly, I wrestled back and forth between spirit and flesh. At one point I had asked the Lord what the difference was between pouring out the heart to Him and murmuring and complaining.

I did not want to do the latter, but I found myself asking at times what I had done for such severe and endless pain to come upon me. Other times, I would do my best to overcome the flesh and thank Him for all He has done for me in the past and right up to that day.

There were times where I wanted to be taken home just to end the pain, which is why I do understand that place of desperation. Yet again, at other times, I wanted my faith to rule and would again go back into thanksgiving and praise, only to later ask, “Why the cruelty?”

When I asked that last question, I immediately repented, knowing that Satan is the cruel taskmaster. In a fallen world, flesh has been further corrupted by toxins, chemicals, poor diet, strong medications and much more. Indeed, at times, I questioned my sanity due to the back and forth between flesh and spirit, what I was feeling/experiencing, versus what the Bible instructs us to do in all trials.

The battle between the physical and the spiritual can make a person appear to be schizophrenic. It was when I began to recognize disorientation, forgetfulness, confusion and other side effects that I connected it to the opioid and thereby quit.

It was only after I quit that I learned that the symptoms I experienced were the side effects of the drug, but also that the medication is addictive. The Lord spared me from the latter and I do give Him the glory alone for that; however, it still took awhile for my body to normalize after almost three months of usage of the prescribed drug.

So, if my words seem insensitive when I say don’t give up, focus on Jesus, trust in Him, do not look at the circumstances no matter how overwhelming, hopeless and seemingly unending, be assured that such words do not come from a religious spirit or a holier-than-thou attitude. It comes from the heart of one who has been there and understands.

It is bloody hard to do these things (thanksgiving and praise, trust, wait) in inordinate situations! But from personal experience, I say God does see us through. As hard as the battle is, God IS the Lord of the battle. He will fight for us. He is often fighting behind the scenes, where we cannot see or comprehend.

He is also doing a work in us to mold, prune, purge and cleanse us, preparing us for the dark days ahead spoken of in the Bible, as well as for eternity. He is building an army, but we must be able to persevere, to endure, to not be moved by what we see or hear. We must be dependable, reliable, dedicated and committed.

I cannot even begin to fathom how Christ endured all He did, knowing what He had to go through. He is the gentlest, meekest, yet strongest warrior that ever lived!

Financial hardships, unemployment, disease, illness, troubled relationships, divorce, death, lost loved ones, those in bondage to addiction, infidelity, ah, the list is endless in which all of these things can present as hopeless and desperate situations.

Waiting on God’s Timing

Keeping our eyes off the outward appearance, the reality in the physical of these hardships, trials and tribulations seems surreal. That is why many of us understand Peter when he stepped out of the boat in faith and onto the deep waters.

When he looked at the outward appearance with his eyes and his logic kicked in, a spirit of fear came upon Peter. He doubted that he could walk on water to his master, even with Jesus right there with him, and as a result of his doubt, fear and unbelief came upon him and he began to sink.

Waiting on and trusting in the Lord can be incredibly challenging, but all of it is both pivotal and mandatory. We learn how dependent we are upon the Lord, and in return, the Lord places within our heart an expectation, no matter how murky or foggy the outcome looks.

Waiting draws us closer to God, as the urge to seek Him becomes a holy desperation. Our waiting patiently and trusting in God to move is a testimony of our submission to the will of God, not our will. Jesus is glorified as others witness our patience and trust.

Faith requires action. Praise and thanksgiving are only two of the countless actions in which we can exercise the right heart attitude and glorify our Lord. Over and over, the Holy Spirit urges us to be strong, to be courageous, and not to be dismayed or afraid.

He instructs us to cling to Jesus/Yeshua, and to keep Him as our first love, and to offer up the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, serving God by patiently waiting and trusting Him.

They that wait upon the Lord shall rise up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. [Is 40:31]

Our Creator upholds us! Psalm 121:1, it is written: I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence comes my help.

The Lord God (Yhvh) is faithful and has impressive and original ways of getting His message to us. He most often speaks through His written Word, through dreams and visions, through people, through the Holy Spirit, and every expected and unexpected way there is.

We can trust Him. Faith opposes unbelief, and trust opposes fear. It is essential that we walk in faith and trust. If we will wait upon the Lord and trust in Him, we will not be ashamed. The Lord promises us that. We all learn these things. It is a process, but we must be willing both to learn and to progress forward. We cannot give up. We must not give up.

For the scripture says, Whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed. [Rom 10:11]

Yea, let none that wait on You be ashamed: let them be ashamed who transgress without cause. [Ps 25:3]

Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. [Jer 17:7]

I do believe that astounding and unique miracles (salvation, healing, deliverance, restoration, reversals, re-creations, even new creations) are coming, answers to prayer, the fruition of dreams and visions. 

But not for all...

How soon? Only God knows, to which some would consider a safe answer. Yes, I have been saying this for a few years now, and I have been waiting years for some things to come to pass as well.

Be that as it may, it is truth. None of us knows the Lord’s timing on things unless He reveals it to us. All of us know or come to learn that His timing is not our timing, but it is always the right time!

Eyes of Understanding

Oh that the Lord would give us eyes of understanding to see that His timing is always perfect! Even if we have learned that in the past, whenever a new battle, another tribulation or different trial presents itself, we tend to forget and wonder if He is truly knows the urgency or if He is even paying attention.

Yes, it is true that only God knows the timing of all things, but this I will say. For the past few months, and increasingly so in the past month, the words “appointed time” keep coming before my eyes, as does “restoration”.

I have been coming across the words often when reading the Holy Scriptures, or in a “random” article or book. Even in movies, God has mysteriously confirmed His word. Confirmation may come from the mouth of a friend or stranger, whether young or old, yet it seems that the words keep showing up, unplanned, without any effort on my part.

Therefore, I trust the Sovereign God, who is ever faithful and consistent, who speaks once, twice yet man perceives it not [Job 33:14]. Clearly, He is reassuring us to stand fast, strong and patiently. The appointed time is upon us... but when that time begins, I do not know.

Keep in mind, and this is a tough one for all of us when it comes to God's "time": But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. [2Pet 3:8]

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. [Is55:8, 9]

You have come this far with God through Jesus, and by the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit, I both exhort and admonish you brethren, do not give up just before the finish line.

For You have been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. [Is 25:4]

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep (guard) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. [Phil 4:7] 

Don’t Quit – Part THREE (3)  Truth and Deception

for His glory alone

Bonita                             dovesofthevalleys4@gmail.com