Open Yourself To
His Timing
As spring emerges you can see so many of God’s floral creations appear one by one to enrich the landscape. I could not help but wonder how do you emerge from a long winter season? Do you surface with the newness of the hope that the fresh season offers? Do you emerge a better person for the experience of winter?
Challenge…Growth…Healing
In the winter in the natural all seemingly perishes. On the surface nature wilts and ultimately dies. What was passes away from your immediate vision. Yet underneath the ground as perennial as the grass so much waits to burst forth in the next season. At times it seems the cold, harsh winter will never end. Yet, as long as the earth remains there will be seed, time and harvest. When seed is planted there is much hope. During the time to germinate and come forth it can seem endless. Finally there comes the joyful harvest. Following that the cycle begins again as seed falls to the ground.
The earth protects the seed for the next season. The Lord protects His own during the “time” part of the cycles in your life. Seeds are planted throughout your life. If nurtured and protected during His allotted ‘time,’ a harvest will come forth in His appointed ‘time.’ Often it is during the ‘time’ period that you can become weary.
As His ways are not your ways, so His time is not your time. In this microwave world we live in, instant gratification is the pattern. Just remember God is not in a hurry to do His perfect work in your heart (and it is always a heart issue) and ultimately in your life.
To bring forth the harvest He has prepared submit to Him during the ‘time’ of development.
Lack of Knowledge Can Be Deadly
Right now you may be in a challenging situation physically, financially, emotionally, spiritually. Never accept as permanent what God can change.
However, I see far too many Christians err in not acknowledging where they are in the moment. If God has you here, He will equip you and He will lead you. Realize fully what you are dealing with in the natural, give control completely over to Him and trust Him totally. This is not easy but it is necessary.
Please hear me. I am not saying to speak infirmity, poverty, etc. over your situation. The power of life and death is in your spoken words. I am not saying to claim what you are walking through as permanent. However, I am saying that if you do not address it you may never release it. Knowing your enemy is the most important principle of war.
How can you enter a battle and be victorious if you do not know and name your enemy?
We are in a very intense spiritual season. Many are not versed in the art of warfare. Know your enemy. Go after it suited up in the armor of God, led by His Spirit. I spent far too many years choosing not to acknowledge a physical challenge I was enduring. In choosing now to call it by name God continues to lead me to one tool after another to equip myself. Much mystery unravels. In no way do I accept this as permanent yet I now work with what I have learned to make the journey a bit simpler. What I learn I pass on to help others. I know that I know that I know that my God is far bigger than this or any other problem that presents itself!
Let me be perfectly clear, I firmly believe in healing but I have seen so many hurt and frustrated by out of balance healing teaching. Some healing does take place suddenly. Some healing takes place over ‘time.’ All healing is at the heart level.
Some infirmity is due to open doors. Some is generationally based. Some is simply because we live on planet earth. All healing is for the glory of God.
I pray that you will step back and let God take over completely whether your issue is physical, financial, emotional or spiritual. The same principles apply. Stay in balance. Know your enemy. Pray for direction. Be led by His Spirit. Surrender to Him not to your challenge. It is only when you fully release to Him that you will have the peace that surpasses all understanding. Whatever ‘time’ you are in; let Him germinate His perfect will into your heart and into your situation. Emerge a better person! God bless you and keep you ever under the shadow of His wings.
Quotes to Ponder This Week
“This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” ~Jesus, John 11:4
“He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” ~Psalm 23:3
“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” ~Proverbs 3:6
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” ~2 Corinthians 4:16
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” ~Hebrews 11:6
“There are always three ways of meeting trouble…try to run away…get mad, see red, and fight back blindly…face our problems and reorganize our lives to meet them…The teaching and example of Jesus show how to organize life on the highest level…that out of difficulty I may emerge a better person.” ~Albert W. Palmer, President, Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Ill. Strength for Service to God and Country, April 23.
A Prayer Request
Thank you for your continued faithfulness to pray. Please keep all who serve our country, our servicemen and women and their families in prayer for salvation and safety. They are our front-line on the battlefield, let us be their front-line in the spirit. Also, let us cover all who have come home wounded that they and their families will receive the kindness, help and support they need to go forward in their lives. God bless all our diplomatic and military personnel and their families. May the Lord keep them safe.
Pray for all throughout the world for hedges of protection against radical Islamic extremists and all forms of terrorism. Pray for Christians who face violence and death for their faith. We have long prayed for spiritual victory over radical Islam in Esther’s Warriors Ministry. We now see the reality of this threat come to the forefront in this time in world history. As Iranians and Islamic extremists are shouting ‘Death to America,’ let us speak life, hope and a return to God in America!
Please pray for all in authority over us, for the full truth to come forth concerning Benghazi. May God richly bless the United States of America, bring to light every single crooked place and keep her safe. The lives lost in Benghazi, the continuing targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service, Operation Fast and Furious, the Department of Justice targeting journalists phone records, the National Security Agency overstepping its legal authority are hardly “phony scandals.” We continue to pray for truth to prevail in each of these situations. Pray for the families who have lost loved ones, for those relentlessly targeted and for all of us who are proud to call ourselves American.
May we may arise united once again as One Nation Under God in this auspicious season in our country’s history. These are treacherous times and now more than ever we must maintain our walk with the Lord, saturate this country in prayer and stand for all that is right in America. Fail not in this hour.
Pray for peace in Israel. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Please Join Me In Prayer
Father we thank You for Your faithfulness and Your Son, Jesus Christ. Teach us to walk in Your ways. Help us to release all negative heart issues. As we walk through each challenge while on this earth, lead, direct and guide us to Your perfect will and timing. Infuse us with a balanced understanding of Your healing grace. Equip us to release all to You. Lead us to pray without ceasing for our brothers and sisters who suffer at the hands of Islamic terrorists. Open the eyes of our leaders to arise in this season to defend the very belief in You upon which our Nation is founded. Thank You for keeping Your hand on America. We humbly pray this in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen and Amen.