Can’t see the forest for the fire?

“But the Godly will flourish like Palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Labanon.” (Psalms 92:12, LAP)

Have you ever been at the point where it seemed like the world was on your shoulders? Where your chest is tight from anticipation and your mind is crowded from thoughts? No matter how hard you try to focus and activate your faith you just can’t see the forest from all the fires in front of you.

Well, I reached that point last week. It seemed like all of a sudden I felt the overwhelming pressures of the challenges around me. As the president of H.O.P.E, Inc., not only was it my financial responsibility to provide for my family; but it is now also my responsibility to provide for five other families depending on the financial help of H.O.P.E, Inc. to survive. Then, there is the weight of ministry, were the constant need to be in position was hovering over me like a cloud, and the responsibility of covering others in the mist of my own storm wore heavy upon me like a pile of wet towels.  And I can’t forget my duties as a wife & mother, caring for my husband as he battles cancer, being a rock for him during treatments while feeling neglected myself, and being that nurturer for my sons who look forward to mommy’s affirmation every day when I needed my spirit affirmed in the plans and purpose of God.

It had appeared that everyone around me was prospering, but I was standing still. I could not see the forest for all of the fires around me.   

But I learned something long ago as a child, I learned to pray and take my burdens to Jesus. When I was in sixth grade it was this girl that was a fair weather friend. She would choose which day of the week she wanted to be my friend (for no apparent reason at all), but me being a gullible, kind-hearted little girl wanting to please everyone; I would go home take out my pink children’s bible, that my grandmother gave me, and cry out to God. I would pray every night that she would be my “friend” again until she made up with me. God was teaching me then to P.U.S.H (pray until something happens).

“For just as sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort flows.” (2 Corinthians 1:5, LAP)

I’ve had many things spoken over my life and my purpose, but because of all the obstacles, setbacks, and tribulations my vision has been clouded many days and again…

I could not see the forest for the fire.  

Some of the fires I caused myself for getting in God’s way, and some of the fires God allowed; strengthening me to be who I am today. They were roaring & waging fires that I had to deal with in my life. When I started this blog post, I quoted Psalms 92:12.  Why? Because I read in the Life Application Bible that Palm trees are known for their long life and cedars of Lebanon grew to be 120 feet tall and 30 feet round…meaning they were “upright, strong, and unmoved!”

As believers if we are to “flourish like Palm trees and grow strong like cedars of Labanon,” we have to place our faith strongly in God, for He alone gives strength and vitality! God, Himself, is “robed in majesty and armed with strength.” (Psalms 93:1, LAP)

If God is for you, who can be against you? And if God is with you, who can stand against you! You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus!

So, if you are blinded by disappointment and you can’t seem to see the forest for the fires in your life activate your faith and place your faith in what you know God to be capable of doing! His word says, He will not disappoint you and you will not be put to shame.

See beyond the flames because they who are in Christ Jesus will “flourish in the courts of our God!” (Psalms 92:13, LAP)

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.

Speak to Your Dead Situations!!

THE VALLEY EXPERIENCE:

“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD,
and set me down in the midst of the valley which [was] full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, [there were] very many in the open valley; and, lo, [they were] very dry. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37: 1-4, KJV)

We can all relate to Ezekiel here because it says that The Hand of the Lord was upon Him, and He brought him out in the spirit of the Lord and set him down in the midst of the valley, and it was full of dry bones. Take notice to where Ezekiel was at in the spirit realm. He said The HAND of the Lord was upon Him (he was in the will, under the submission of God, in obedience, receptive, and ready to hear from God), and he was brought out in the Spirit and the Lord set him down in the midst of the valley.

We have all been in situations where we are in Christ Jesus, but God allows a circumstance or an experience to come about that place us in a valley experience and the experience causes us to evaluate some dead and dry situations in our life. And just like Ezekiel He causes us to roam about them and to visit those situations physically, mentally, and emotionally. (And He caused me to pass about around them and there were many, and they were very dry.)

But look at what God tells Ezekiel to do when he notices the dry bones. He doesn’t tell him to ignore them. He gives instruction and causes Him to activate His faith. He says…. “Son of Man can these bones live?” Ezekiel didn’t limit God in His answer…He said Lord, only you know! And God told Him to prophecy to these dry bones and say to them O you dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord!”

What’s dry & dead in your life today?  Do you feel like your career is dead? Your marriage is dead? Your life is dead? Your friendships are dead? Your ministry is dead? Or, are you like Isreal during this time and your hope is dead?

Believe!!

Do what God told Ezekiel to do, examine your faith, and ask yourself “do you think these bones can live?” Because if you don’t have faith that you can have abundant life, a great career, a healthy marriage, great friendships, a vibrant ministry, or hope when all else is gone….then why should others, and most importantly why should God move on your behalf? He said without faith we cannot please Him. You have to believe first.

Speak the Word!!

Second, you have to speak to those situations with the Word of God which brings forth life. The bible says that the Word of God brings healing to the flesh. So, if you know the desire that is in your heart lines up with the will of God then you need to find scripture that supports that and say to those dry/dead situations (in appearance) “O you dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord!”

In Jeremiah 4:3 The Lord told the men of Judah & Jerusalem: “Break up your ground left uncultivated for a season, so that you may not sow among thorns.” Meaning…make new….

You know that God’s Word supports a healthy marriage so speak life over your marriage; you know that God’s word supports work and careers as long as it is subjective to the Holy Spirit not an idol for you- so speak the Word over your career. Call those things that aren’t as though they were. And when you do that… this is what will happen…….

“Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter
into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but [there was] no breath in them.” (Ezekiel 37: 5-8, KJV)

See when you speak the Word over an apparently dead situation to you in the physical, the Word then breathes breath into your circumstance and the spirit of God begins to move, and what appears to be dead becomes alive and relevant to you because it falls under subjection of the Holy Spirit and Romans 8:28 begins to flourish….where all things come together and work together for the good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. That becomes real and true to you because you begin to see just how faithful and true our God is.

Be Positive!!

But God just doesn’t stop there he tells Him to…”Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.” (Ezekiel 37: 9-10, KJV) The Word brings life to the circumstance, but God told Ezekiel to now speak breath and Spirit. In other words…speak life!! Speak your promotion, Speak your healing, speak your prosperity, speak your abundant life, speak “life” over your life. Stop giving the devil glory in your life with all the negative thoughts, words, and connotations. Believe in yourself, and most importantly, believe in Him!

When Jesus healed the woman with the issue of blood while he was on His way to heal the rulers daughter; the ruler’s servant’s met them and told the man his daughter had died, but what did Jesus say? Jesus ignored what they said and told the ruler “don’t be alarm and don’t fear…ONLY BELIEVE!”  He didn’t give the word from the servant’s time to resonate in the ruler’s heart and bring forth doubt and confusion. The same has to occur with you! Speak life and believe in what God has spoken can and will be done! Don’t give the enemy room.

Restoration Is Coming!!!

Because with perseverance comes RESTORATION! In verse 10; God spoke to His restoring power! This Word that you are hearing today is not just another Word you came into contact with. This Word has a season, a purpose, and a mission. God is telling you that I desire to restore some things, circumstances, situations in your life, but you have to one believe, Second, connect with my Word to bring it into completion, and third speak life over it…don’t doubt Him, don’t be negative, and don’t give the enemy room to wreak havoc (He doesn’t have the authority to know your future or your thoughts…you give him access to that with your words).

Don’t spend another day weary, depressed, and tired…..speak the Word over your life, and believe God to move in your apparently “dead situation” today! It ain’t over, until God says it’s over!