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 22nd 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
22nd 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]
for His glory alone
Bonita dovesofthevalleys4@gmail.com
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