Hasn’t He Brought You Out?

I was spending my alone time with God, when a few things stood out to me. As I finished praying, I scrolled down my Facebook feed, and I saw a post from Steve Harvey. It was a picture that had words across it that read,

“name one thing God has not brought you out of”

Then he said, if there is one He hasn’t brought you out of yet, it’s because He’s pulling you through it now! I don’t know about you, but that truly blessed me! It was the most powerful statement I had heard in a while.

Can you name one thing God has not brought you out of? 

I sure can’t! I have gone through 4 battles of cancer with my husband, and we’re on our last two treatments, but God has not failed us during one obstacle of this battle. Our income has been cut in half, but EVERY bill is paid, we have a full refrigerator, our children have on new clothes and sport fresh hair cuts, we’re not homeless, we have NO DEBT outside of student loans, and we continue to prosper despite the devil’s attempts to destroy our hope.

My testimony doesn’t stop there. I have been sick in my body for months at a time with no help from the doctor’s, but I am alive today. I have lost jobs, and still paid off my car. I have started a nonprofit from nothing, but still managed to assist 23 single parents and 37 children with no nonprofit experience and while receiving no salary, unemployed. Every other organization told me we wouldn’t make it, but H.O.P.E, Inc. is thriving today.

God brought me through it all! 

The Bible tells us to remember God (Deuteronomy 8:18)! When life is painful and you find yourself losing hope, remember the question Steve asked, and name one time God has not brought you out. I bet you will find there is not one thing that He hasn’t delivered you from because you are still here!

People wonder how I can write such encouraging words in the hardest season of my life, my response is, I have to. There have been times when my husband felt I was losing hope and a hadn’t met a morning without tears in my eyes, but I thank God that His Word says He is faithful, His love is undying, and we can draw joy from salvation (Isaiah 12:3). In your darkest hour, you’re going to have to remember God and remember His Word.

His love will heal your hurt and disappointments.

Out of all of my pain came two books. My second book, Pearls for Pigs, VII, Everyday verses until the rain comes is being released this month, and it contains 200 pages of inspiration when you’re losing hope, waiting on God, and praying for the latter rain of abundant blessings.

I am still receiving testimonies about the first volume, Pearls for Pigs, Taking you through what God brought you through, which was written three years ago and people are still reading it. If you, or someone you know, is going through a really hard season, consider this one-minute devotional for them to enjoy; or, maybe you just want to be encouraged with God’s Word everyday, this is the book for you!

So, I write all of this to say this…God has not forgotten about you! He loves you so very much, and He will pull you through. You can count on Him, you always have, and he is more than faithful.

Trust that God has to have a plan for you, and He will cause everything that is purposed in that plan to come to pass (Jeremiah 29:11).

No More Delay!

Hey Readers!

Have you ever felt like God wasn’t listening to your prayers? Well, so did Job! In Job 21, he talked with some of his very insightful, but completely off based friends, about the incredible storm he was in, and he says to them his problem is not with man, but with God!

Woe! What a thing to profess. In fact, he said in verse 5-6 that it even stunned and scared him to say such a thing. His complaint was that the wicked seemed to prosper, while he suffered enormously.

In preparing for my first sermon in a few weeks, I heard the Holy Spirit saying that many people’s hearts felt the exact same way. You wondered where was God at in your situation? Why has he not answered my prayers, while everyone who has no reference for Him seems to prosper?

God indeed has an answer! It has always been his answer. Are you ready for it? “Those who accept my commands and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and REVEAL myself to each of them.”(John 14:21, NLT)

Regardless of what you may be going through, if you have a relationship with God, He will reveal Himself to you and you are not alone!

You may be saying, that you are loosing heart because you have been waiting so long. My answer to that is, prayer is hard work for those who are broken. When the answer seems delayed, it hurts and we can lose confidence; which can cause us to question the power of our prayers.

However, prayer is powerful, and the enemies strategy is to cause you to doubt what God said is true. There is a story in the Bible that exemplifies what we must do in situations like this. BE PERSISTENT!

Parable of the Persistent Widow:

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:1-8, KJV)

If an unjust judge can render a just decision, than cant our caring and loving Father react to our persistent faith? God will reveal himself to those who love Him, and Yes! He WILL show up for you!

Reveal in the Greek is emphazino…. Emphazino= is a verb that means fully manifest. It is future tense, voice is active, and mood is indicative. It occurs 814 times in the New Testament (verb).

Future tense= certain occurrence of an event which has not yet happened (faith).

Active voice= represents the subject as the doer or performer of the action.

Mood indicative= simple statement of fact. If an action really occurs, has occurred, or will occur it will be rendered in that mood.

Jesus is the ultimate means through which God reveals Himself! According to the definitions above, Jesus is certain to show up, He will perform the action you ask for (you just have to give it to Him), and that is just fact!

In other words…Jesus is the conduit through which God will reveal himself and He is THE PROMISE!  We can’t be deceived by what Jesus says, so if He said it, than it is fact (as mentioned above) therefore what Jesus reveals to us is the promise, and the promise is received by faith! (Romans 5:16, NLT)

God hears your cries, and He hurts just like you do. The Bible says “in all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.” (Isaiah 63:9, KJV)

The difference between that judge and our judge is that God is not annoyed by our request, nor is He waiting for someone to get on His nerves before He brings about justice.

“And will not [our just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who cry to Him day and night? Will He [a]defer them and [b]delay help on their behalf?” (Luke 18:7, AMP)

You can receive the promise!

God’s promise is for you, even if you mess up sometimes. “If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless.”(Romans 5:14,NLT)

it is our gift and only obtained by faith. “Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith.” (Romans 3:27, NLT)

Therefore, be encouraged and don’t lose faith in what you are believing God for. Faith brings joy, loosing heart brings despair. There is greater for you, and you WILL have it. Be persistent and watch God reveal His glory in your life!

Blinded by Disappointment?

“But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear and we fly away.” (Psa.90:10, LAP)

Moses wrote this Psalm from a place of disappointment. The Israelites were in the wilderness waiting for God to show His hand again. God had turned them over to their sin, and Moses was praying for God to “Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.” (Psa.90:14, LAP)

There are many disappointments that the prophets and leaders in the bible faced. Let’s look at Jeremiah. He preached the Word to the people for 40 years, but they never turned from sin during his lifetime. He was ignored, he was threatened, he watched his fellow prophets be murdered, and he was persecuted; but he remained faithful to the call on his life!

What are your disappointments?

I could imagine that as believers watching this world get worse and worse would be disappointing for those praying for it; maybe you’re ministry isn’t taking off like you believed it would after several long years; maybe your marriage, your children, your life, your career, or your family is a disappointment.

What do we do about disappointment and how do we overcome disappointment?

Jeremiah was a prophet that endured. Although he never saw the result of his obedience in the physical, he knew that his work was not in vain because God showed him the future resurrection of Jerusalem. I say all of that to say this: whatever you’re going through, whatever your season, whatever your frustration REMAIN FAITHFUL! Endure till the end! God has not forgotten. He is still working on your behalf, and your work is not in vain! (Jeremiah 1)

Too trust God means to lean and rely on Him even in disappointing and frustrating times. Continue to pray that God give you the strength to endure and that He “establish the work of your hands.” (Psa. 90:17, AMP)

The Word of God says that He will complete the good work He started in you, and “No one who runs to him loses out!” (Psalm 34:22, MSG). In fact, God’s Word says that he will meet you more than half way (Psa. 34:4, MSG), and “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11, NIV).

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:16–17, NIV). Therefore, if you give your disappointments to God, “You will live in joy and peace . . . Where once were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up . . .” (Isaiah 55:12–13, NLT). I say in my one minute devotional called Pearls for Pigs, “Whatever you’re going through, God will restore you. He will bring you joy and peace in the very situation you had drought and pain. The very thorn in your back will be a pleasant remembrance of God’s grace and mercy. You overcome by the blood and the Word of your testimony (Revelation 12:11).”

So, encourage yourself. Don’t allow your faith to be blinded by disappointments. God is renewing you day by day, and this too shall pass. Be faithful and endure until the end, His grace is sufficient enough for you.

God Bless you!

For more encouragement in the Word of God visit Cindy Livingstone Ministries and Jon Rouse.