Listen: If Your Significance As A Person Or Your Sense Of Security Is Tied To Anything Other Than Your Relationship With God, Worrying About Stuff And Things Will Choke The Life Right Out Of You. So, What's Choking You?

“Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and CHOKE and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.” (Mark 4:19 AMP)

The word “Choke” is defined as “to prevent (someone) from breathing by constricting or obstructing the throat or depriving of air; to have trouble breathing; to hinder movement; to make speechless with strong emotion.”

The word “Suffocate” is defined as “to die or cause to die from lack of air or inability to breathe; to feel or cause to feel trapped or oppressed.” It is Latin Origin “suffocare” literally means “to stifle”, from “fauces” which literally means “the throat”.

In the parable of the sower Jesus said, “Other people are like the seeds sown among the thorn bushes. These are the ones who hear the message, but the worries about this life, the love for riches, and all other kinds of desires crowd in and CHOKE the message, and they don’t bear fruit.” (Mark 4:18-19 GNT).

Notice, the problem is not the sower or the seed, it is the soil.

Can you imagine hearing the Word of God with all its promises, protection, provision, and the like and yet allowing stuff to choke out the message? And what kind of stuff choked it out? Well, do you remember the time when you thought the house you now live in, the career you now enjoy, and the investments you now have, would make all your worries go away? Or so you thought…But no, the more you have, the more you must lose, to protect, to maintain, and to worry about. That is why it is called “the deceitfulness of wealth.” The word “Deceit” is defined as “to deliberately mislead into believing something that is false; to give a mistaken impression of.” It is Old French Origin “Deceivre”, from Latin “Decipere” literally means “To Ensnare or Cheat”. And that is exactly what happens when we, the believers, allows “the deceitfulness of wealth” to cheat us out of the valuable promises of the Word of God!

Listen again: “Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and CHOKE and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.” (Mark 4:19 AMP)

So, what is choking you?

Cares and Anxieties of the World, Distractions of this day and age; Pleasure and Delight and FALSE Glamour; the Deceit of Riches; and the Craving of Things!

This is what’s “Choking” us!

This is what is preventing us from opening our mouth and declaring the promises of God that we have heard! This is what is hindering our movement in walking in the promises of God; these are the worries that are strangling us with such strong emotion that we are speechless and breathless! And one of the most dangerous things you can do is to cut off someone’s breath! No breath? Then how do we declare and decree the Word of the Lord over our life? No breath? Then how do we praise and worship the Lord? No breath? Then how do we speak well over ourselves and our loved ones?

And to take it a step further, this time we cannot even blame the devil for the attack! Remember: You Heard the Word, However, YOU then let the Cares and Anxieties of the World, Distractions of this day and age; Pleasure and Delight and FALSE Glamour; the Deceit of Riches; and the Craving of Things to put your breath/your air/your life in jeopardy! How? Because the Bible is clear? “But he answered and said, it is written, MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDETH OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD” (Matthew 4:4). How do we expect to Live without digesting the Bread of Life? And how can we digest with a constricted throat?

Listen: If Your Significance As A Person Or Your Sense Of Security Is Tied To Anything Other Than Your Relationship With God, Worry About Stuff And Things Will Choke The Life Right Out Of You. Because true happiness lies in trusting God for what you need, knowing if it is right, He will provide it, and if not, He will give you something better. “Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift are from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].” (James 1:17 AMP); “For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows [present] grace and favor and [future] glory (honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss)! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11 AMP); “And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 AMP)

Remember You are a Believer, and as Such, You Believe the Word of the Lord:

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he will attend to us, take pride in us, do his best for us? What I am trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW GOD AND THE WAY HE WORKS FUSS OVER THESE THINGS, BUT YOU KNOW BOTH GOD AND HOW HE WORKS. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. DON’T WORRY ABOUT MISSING OUT. YOU’LL FIND ALL YOUR EVERYDAY HUMAN CONCERNS WILL BE MET.” (Matthew 6:30-33 MSG).

Did you catch that last line? “YOU’LL FIND ALL YOUR EVERYDAY HUMAN CONCERNS WILL BE MET.” And when will ALL your concerns be met? EVERYDAY! In other words, there is not one single day of the 366 you receive (yep, He meets yours needs even in a leap year!) where your God forgets to meet your daily concerns! Unbelievers fret, worry, panic, set-up back up plans, and lose sleep and hair! But as believers our sleep is sweet! Because we have the promise of resting in the Lord, even when we are tired, frustrated, stressed, we still have the promise of Rest! “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. I will show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I will not lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG).

That is Our Promise! How dare us as a Believer Let stuff and things choke that promise out of our life? The Word admonishes us: “That’s why we live with such good cheer. You will not see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here do not get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It is what we trust in but do not yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we’ll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8 MSG) And if you need that Scripture in a nutshell, here it is: “(FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT)” (KJV).

So, the very next time you let the concerns in this world cause you to feel a spiritual “Shortness of Breath”, inhale this: “So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times; the lavish celebration prepared for us. There is far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 MSG).

Listen: I had the unfortunate experience of both choking on food and on a vitamin, and neither was a fun experience! But because of the experience, I learned to be more cautious when I eat my food and when I take a vitamin. I take small bites of my food and chew it well before swallowing. And I make sure a vitamin is small enough. In other words, I have experienced the feeling of losing your breath and I did not like it, so I took precautions. Likewise, many of us have allowed the Cares and Anxieties of the World, Distractions of this day and age; Pleasure and Delight and False Glamour; the Deceit of Riches; and the Craving of Things to choke us. But as the old saying goes, “When you know better, do better.”

With that said, today, take the time to exam your life. Locate the areas of care, fear, fret, worry, anxiety, distractions, deceit and even the desires of unnecessary things and uproot the thorns!

Take today’s devotional as the label you find on children’s toys, “Caution, small pieces may cause choking.” Because the truth is, little by little, day by day, fear and the like will slowly creep into your life and suffocate faith right out of it!

Stop allowing things and stuff to choke out the Word of God you have received! Maintain a lively hope, and a lively faith. God has no desire for you to die, but for you to live!

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10).

“I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:17).

So, what is choking you? Hanging out among the thorns! Which is why today is a good day to do some spiritual gardening. Put your gardening gear on and get to uprooting and killing anything that would choke the life of the Word of God out of your life!

Inhale the Word, Exhale the Worry, and Live the Promise!

“Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.” (Corrie Ten Boom)

“Stop worrying so much. Worrying is using your imagination to create things you don’t want.” (Author Unknown)

“My Mission: To be so busy loving my life that I have no time for hate, regret, worry, fret, or fear.” (Author Unknown)

“Worrying equals a waste of time. Good and bad things will happen in life. You just have to keep living and not stress over what you can’t control.” (Author Unknown)

“Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but doesn’t get you anywhere.” (Author Unknown)

“Be careful with what seeds you allow to take root in the garden of your heart. Not all seeds bear good fruit.” (Author Unknown)

“We have the seed of the Gospel Word. It is up to each of us to set the priorities and to do the things that make our soil good and our harvest plentiful.” (Dallin H. Oaks)

“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” (Mark Twain)

“You can destroy your now by worrying about tomorrow.” (Janis Joplin)

“Worry will never change the outcome.” (Author Unknown)

“Worry is a total waste of time. It does not change anything. All it does is steal your joy and keeps you terribly busy doing nothing.” (Author Unknown)

“Don’t believe every worried thought you have. Worried thoughts are notoriously inaccurate.” (Renee Jain)

“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.” (Babs Hoffman)

“The ego may have taught us that there are hundreds of reasons why we worry, but in truth, there is only one – we lack trust in our God.” (James Blanchard)

Philippians 4:6-9, “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It is wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Summing it all up, friends, I would say you will do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” (MSG)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.org

Jesus Has No Problems Visiting with Us, Sitting With Us, Breaking Bread With Us, So, What Is The Problem? We Are. We Must Extend Him An Invitation. He Wants to Feed The Hunger In Our Soul Where Frustration Eats Away Our Faith! The Struggle Is Real.

Luke 24:13-19, “That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who He was. He asked, “What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?” They just stood there, long faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?” He said, “What has happened?” (MSG)

Now, in Luke 24, beginning with verse 13, two of Jesus’ followers are battle-scarred and going down for the count (ever feel like that?) Well, in this instance, their Savior had been crucified, His body is now missing from the tomb. They’re on the road to Emmaus and here’s how our text reads: “And behold, that very day two of [the disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, [which is] about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things that had occurred. And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. But their eyes were held, so that they did not recognize Him. And He said to them, what is this discussion that you are exchanging (throwing back and forth) between yourselves as you walk along? And they stood still, looking sad and downcast. Then one of them, name Cleopas, answered Him, do you alone dwell as a stranger in Jerusalem and not know the things that have occurred there in these days? And He said to them, What [kind of] things?” (AMPC)

First, can I be real with you? When I read, “And behold, that very day two of [the disciples] …”, I immediately thought, as a disciple of Christ, why should the road be so rough for us? I am being honest now. These two disciples were walking away from a gruesome scene of cruelty, their hopes dashed, and they are walking, talking, and trying to figure out what now and what next? And sometimes I think that is what hurts us as believers, because we are often taught that there is this ‘bed-of-roses-faith’ that occurs once you receive Christ. As if all the bad things in the world that happen, will not happen to you. You are suddenly exempt from it all. It is the ‘bad guys ‘that get the bad stuff, not us. We are believers, children of the Highest God, rescued, ransomed, and redeemed. It is all well with our souls! But truth is, even as disciples we must deal with some rough roads, and some harsh circumstances. Contrary to popular belief, we are not exempt. We blame the devil for more than he needs to receive credit for, because we were warned by our Commander-in-Chief well in advance: John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have TRIBULATION and TRIALS and DISTRESS and FRUSTRATION; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you].” (AMPC)  

Yes, disciples of Christ, we too will have to deal with discouragement, distress, tribulation, trials, and frustration. Again, we are not exempt. But we are to be encouraged because there is absolutely nothing that can overwhelm us that has not already been overcome by Him! So even when we feel something is “not fair”, bear in mind all His soldiers must fight in battle, and many of those wars will leave us with painful, bloody, battle-scars. However, it will not take our lives! So, what must we do? Keep fighting! 2 Timothy 2:3-5, “Take [with me] your share of the HARDSHIPS and SUFFERING [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him. And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).” (AMPC)

We must take our fair share of the fight! Yes, life gets hard and life is hard, but all that means is that we fight harder!

Truth be told, the battles you have been fighting lately are taking their toll on you! Making you feel as if you have been shot at, run down, blown up, I mean there simply hasn’t been much of a break in the action, and you’ve got some serious combat fatigue. You have been battling in marriage, on the job, in finances, in the ministry, in the family, in your health, in school. Every direction you have turned in has been an uphill battle! In fact, maybe it feels like you are losing the battle right now. And if so, you know what you need? You need some personal time with your Commander-in-Chief. Not the President of the United States, because no human leader can hold a candle to your Real Commander-in-Chief! He is, after all, according to the Bible, the King of all kings! He is King Jesus!

These two disciples were discouraged and downcast because of what they just experienced. And so, they are walking and talking on the road to Emmaus with heavy hearts. Jesus appears and asks them, “What has happened?” and they begin to explain: “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and could not find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn’t see Jesus.” (vss. 19-24 MSG)

Can you hear the frustration in their voices? They are DOWNCAST, CONFUSED, FRUSTRATED, their faith is being tested as their hopes began to seep away. Ever walked in those shoes? I know I have, and still do on many days. I had a friend share with me recently of her struggles when her mom was sick. For example, she shared with me that her mom had some extreme health challenges over the last 5 years prior to her passing in 2017, and as her caregiver, it was extremely confusing, discouraging, frustrating, scary, worrisome, and yes, even my faith and hope has had to be resuscitated a time or two (or 200, if we’re really being honest!) You see, she would go for one test, we would get the diagnosis, then as soon as they would put her on medications and start treatment, something else would go haywire! Every time they treated one thing; it would trigger off something else. Every time it seemed as if one thing was finally under control, it caused something else to go out of control! It has been the worse see-saw experience of my life! As soon as our hope would go up, within moments we would watch it come crashing back down with one phone call from the doctor or doctor’s visit. And truth is, that is hard for anyone. As they say, “the struggle is real!” You see I have noticed even caregivers sometimes pass away before the person they are taking care of because their own health takes a toll, sometimes without even knowing it, they get exhausted and worn out, eventually this affects their health.

Well, what is next is, Jesus allows them to vent (just as He allows us to) and then He speaks: “Then he said to them, “So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don’t you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?” Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him…” (vss. 25-27 MSG)

One of the things I love most about this text is Jesus’ response! First, I just told you I was frustrated and confused, then I explained why. My hopes are dwindling, and my faith is fading fast. I do not know where my Jesus is, who took Him or why. I do not know what these women are talking about. I have no idea what to do next. Cannot trust any of the leaders since they are the ones who killed Him in the first place. And yet, Jesus bypasses all of this and calls them “thick-headed and slow-hearted…” Um, Jesus, that is not very encouraging! LOL! But I love the way He simply addresses them, because He most certainly pulled no punches! Let’s be real, if we went to one of our leaders in the church and shared all of our struggles and all they said to us was “you thick-headed, slow-hearted numbskull”, we would have left that church that Sunday! But Jesus gets to the heart of the matter, in a nutshell, ‘why are you allowing the battle to beat up your belief’?

However, Jesus doesn’t leave off His words there, nope, He goes on to the very beginning of the Books of Moses and all of the Prophets carefully pointing out to them everything that the Scriptures say in reference to Him. Why is that so important? Because can you imagine the time and patience it took for Jesus to do this? He started at the beginning and worked His way all the way through all the prophets just to encourage, empower and inspire their faith. And believe it or not but He loves you enough to do the very same thing. Question is: Have you taken out time to walk and talk with Jesus? What might He share with you to rekindle the flame and fire of your faith, if only you took time to take your frustration to Him (instead of everybody else)? How might He enlighten you; encourage and empower you; inspire and impact you?

Let this be a challenge for you today, do not take your next battle to people take it to Jesus! Tell Him all about it, and do not mince your words. Speak from the heart like the Psalmist often did. Pour it all out to Him in honesty, not eloquence, and have a listening, attentive ear to what he may say that will strengthen your walk of faith as you journey through this life with Jesus.

Well, the story does not stop there. Let us see what’s next: “They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on, but they pressed him: “Stay and have supper with us. It’s nearly evening; the day is done.” So, he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared. Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?” (vss. 28-32 MSG)

How personable is Jesus? Truth is, you can rarely find leaders today who are that personable. Not only had He walked and talked with them, but He sat down to bless and break bread with them. You know, I often hear people say when they are going through that they feel distant from God. But in reading this text it makes me wonder how can that be? Jesus loves spending quality time with us, encouraging our faith, and even sitting at the dinner table. Though they did not recognize Him yet, they invited Him to dinner. We who do recognize Him, do not. How can that make sense? Maybe the next battle you must endure would be better if you invited Jesus into the midst. Note: He did not invite Himself, He was asked. When is the last time you asked Him to come and sit with you? After all, we will sit on the phone for hours, we will sit among our friends and family, we will sit at the altar, but when is the last time you sat with Him? Inviting Him into your personal, and even painful, space.

Revelation 3:20-21, “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I will come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!” (MSG)

James 4:7-10, “So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he will be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” (MSG)

Clearly, Jesus Has No Problems Visiting with Us, Sitting With Us, Breaking Bread With Us, Drawing Near to Us. So, what is the problem? The only problem is us extending to Him an invitation!

He blessed and break bread and gave it to them. In essence, He was feeding them. Makes me wonder if when we feel hungry and empty if it is because we have not invited Jesus to come and sit with us and feed us. Remember:

John 1:1, “In the beginning [before all-time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.” (AMPC)

John 1:14, “And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacle (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) AMONG US; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.” (AMPC)

This Is What We Need to Dine On When We Feel Hungry And Empty…Jesus…The Bread Of Life! John 6:35, “Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst anymore (at any time).” (AMPC)

With this as your option, how can you choose anything else?

Invite Jesus In, He Wants to Feed The Hunger In Your Soul Where Frustration Eats Away At Your Faith!

And what happens next? “…At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared. Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us? They did not waste a minute. They were up and, on their way, back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: “It’s really happened! The Master has been raised up – Simon saw him!” Then the two went over everything that had happened on the road and how they recognized Him when He broke the bread.” (vss. 28-35 MSG)

The Bible goes on to say they returned to Jerusalem totally pumped! They started exhausted; they ended excited! They started on empty; they ended on full! What made the difference? The personal presence of their Commander-in-Chief. He is the one who makes all the battles worth it. Experiencing the reality of His presence is what always makes the difference. That is exactly what you need right now, and maybe what you have been missing. You’ve been running all over the place, but it’s too long since you just had a walk with Jesus; a time when you pour out your heart to Him and He pours some of His heart into you. Maybe you forgot Who it is all for – the One who loved you enough to die for you. He is the reason for fighting the battles. He is the joy. He is the reward, you are in essence, suffering from a Jesus-deficit. You might be serving Him with everything you have got, but you are missing Him still. Other things are looking bigger than they really are because you have not been with the One who is bigger than all those battles combined! The bottom line is simple. It is all about Jesus, and you are missing Him during all your battles. But your King, the Commander-in-Chief, has come your way today, and He is asking you to just take a walk with Him; to have a heart-to-heart talk with Him. Not just today, but every new day. There is something very re-energizing about a personal visit with the person that you are fighting for. Believe me, there is nothing to turn the tide in the battle that you are fighting right now like the personal presence of your King of kings.

These two disciples were headed to Emmaus, and after a walk, talk and sit with Jesus they return to Jerusalem re-energized for whatever may come next. They also go back and tell the rest of the disciples what happened. And that is exactly what you need to do with this devotional today. Allow it to encourage you to walk, talk and sit with Jesus during your battles. And once you have been refueled, take the message to the other empty disciples you know and encourage them by what happened to you!

Truth Is, This Journey with Jesus Gets Hard! And when it does, allow His word to soften your heart. Hear Him and Heed Him. Your Commander-in-Chief wants to spend some time with His best soldiers. So, are you going to let your battles keep you from Him, or lead you to Him?

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.org

We Need Not Attempt to Understand God or His Ways or His Timing, or His Supply. We Need Only to Remember That He Is and Will Always Be…UNLIMITED! The Problem Is That When It LOOKS LIKE Nothing Is Happening, We Tend To Say, “I’ve Got To Do Something!”

 Micah 7:7, “But Me, I’m Not Giving Up. I’m Sticking Around To See What God Will Do. I’m Waiting For God To Make Things Right. I’m Counting On God To Listen To Me” (MSG)

You May Be Facing A Need or Situation Right Now Where That Is Literally Your Only Hope – That the Lord Will Provide. Maybe it is a job, a friend, or much needed finances; maybe it is the house, the healing, the breakthrough, or soundness of mind you need. Well, if that’s the case, today you need to be reminded that we have a rock-solid promise in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (NIV). Understand that this Scripture lets us know that God’s supply has nothing to do with what is happening in the economy, in the news, at work, or in what your limited resources can or cannot do! It is all about His Unlimited “Glorious Riches in Christ Jesus” account in Heaven, which transcends every limitation earth can provide!

You Need NOT Attempt to Understand God or His Ways or His Timing, or His Supply. You Need Only to Remember That He Is and Will Always Be…UNLIMITED! Which is why you should never fret over your LITTLE, when you serve such a BIG God! Another quote I love says, “If God were small enough to be understood, He would not be big enough to be worshiped.” (Author Unknown) And the truth of the matter is, you may never understand before you allow your fears to get the best of you.

The Problem Is That When It LOOKS LIKE Nothing Is Happening, We Tend To Say, “I’ve Got To Do Something!” And Most Often, It’s The Wrong Thing To Do.

Philippians 4:19 says He promises to meet all our needs, But He does Not promise WHEN! See, most of us already know that He can do it, and that He’s promised to do it, but if only He’d share WHEN He’s going to do it, we’d be less likely to flip out when the last grain of sand is found in the hourglass! But then that wouldn’t be considered faith, now would it?! Ramona C. Carroll said it best: “Faith is putting all your eggs in God’s basket, then counting your blessings before they hatch.” But unfortunately for many of us, when we get to that last grain of sand, we panic, and come up with desperate and oftentimes ridiculous ways to so-called meet our needs on our own!

Will the wait be easy? Absolutely not, in fact it is one of the hardest things to do! But remembering that God watches over His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12); remembering that God does not and cannot lie (Numbers 23:19); remembering that God keeps His Word and every promise He makes (Isaiah 55:11), certainly makes the wait a little easier! And yes, I understand that the mortgage is over-due; the tuition seems impossible to pay; the car note is about to turn into a bus pass; the doctors may as well sign your cause of death certificate; the marriage is on life-support; the job is strangling your sanity or the lack of one is strangling your empty bank account. And yet, I still say wait on God and watch Him work, even at the 11^th hour! He has done it before, and He can and will do it again! Do not lose heart, patience, peace, joy, or faith. God sits too high to let His people down! Hold on and hang in there, before the last grain of sand falls, God will step in with a last-minute miracle!

Three of the greatest keys to blocking God’s blessing that’s trying to spring forth in your life is: YOUR EYES (“I Saw”); YOUR MIND (“I Thought”); AND YOUR EMOTIONS (“I Felt”)!

When Your Something Looks Like Nothing the Last Thing You Need to Do Is have BLURRED VISION, IMPURE THOUGHTS AND INTENTIONS AND UNCONTROLLABLE EMOTIONS!

When Your Something looks like Nothing and you are tempted to do Something about it, Beware of the Dangers of YOUR EYES, MIND AND EMOTIONS and bring them under subjection quickly! 

Why? Look at what the Bible admonishes: 

1...CONTROL YOUR EYES: The Bible says, “For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] NOT BY SIGHT OR APPEARANCE” (2 Corinthians 5:7 AMP). “But GOD told Samuel, “LOOKS AREN’T EVERYTHING. DON’T BE IMPRESSED WITH HIS LOOKS and stature. I have already eliminated him. GOD judges’ persons differently than humans do. Men and women LOOK at the face; GOD LOOKS into the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 MSG). Wisdom Nugget: DON’T LET YOUR PHYSICAL SIGHT, DESTROY YOUR SPIRITUAL VISION! 

2...CONTROL YOUR MIND: The Bible says, “But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him]. For out of the heart come EVIL THOUGHTS (reasoning’s and disputing and designs) such as murder, adultery, sexual vice, theft, false witnessing, slander, and irreverent speech. These are what make a man unclean and defile [him]…” (Matthew 15:18-20 AMP). “Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the THOUGHTS OF THE MIND [our cravings dictated by our senses and our DARK IMAGININGS].) AND A RENEWED MIND (Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.") Will Determine Whether You Continue To Reign Or Come To Ruins! Bear In Mind, The Choice Is Yours!

3...Control Your Emotions: The Bible Says, “A Fool Expresses All His Emotions, But A Wise Person Controls Them” (Proverbs 29:11 Gwt). “In the End They Will Be Destroyed. Their Own Emotions Are Their God, And They Take Pride in The Shameful Things They Do…” (Philippians 3:19 Gwt). Wisdom Nugget: Fulfillment Comes Not from Feeling, But from Following! Look at It Like This: The Coat of a Rottweiler Is Soft, But Haphazardly Reaching Out to Feel It, Might Result in Your Going into Your Future With A Few Less Fingers! Likewise, Following Your Feelings Is Just as Dangerous! Do not Let Your Emotions Maim You! “Maim” Means: “To Wound or Injure (Someone) So That Part of The Body Is Permanently Damaged!” In A Nutshell: Temporary Emotions Can Permanently Maim You! 

Example: In 1 Samuel 13, beginning with verse 7, we receive a sobering example of how much we must lose when we cannot WAIT for God to do it His way! You see, Saul, Israel’s first king, has been told by God’s man Samuel, to go down ahead of him to Gilgal. Samuel assures him that he will surely come down to him to sacrifice burnt offerings…BUT Saul must WAIT seven days UNTIL Samuel comes to him and tells him what he must do. HOWEVER, with the Philistine forces massing against them, the Bible says this, “…Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter.” (vss. 7-8 NIV). SAUL PANICKED, AND HE DID WHAT NO KING WAS ALLOWED BY GOD TO DO: HE OFFERED THE BURNT OFFERING HIMSELF AND HE CROSSED A SACRED LINE! The Bible says, “Just as he finished making the offering…”, (hear this), “…Samuel arrived…” (vs. 10). And Samuel asks, “What have you done?” (vs. 11). 

Saul answers by talking about what “…I SAW” …” I THOUGHT” …” I FELT…” (vss. 11-12 NIV).

Here is the text in full: “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I SAW that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash,  I THOUGHT, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So, I FELT compelled to offer the burnt offering.” (NIV)

Saul messed up with what he SAW, THOUGHT AND FELT, therefore, Samuel informs him, “You have done a foolish thing…You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure…because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” (vss. 13-14 NIV). Saul Forfeits The Major Legacy Of His Life Because Of Disobedience That Disqualified Him; A Disobedience That Came Because He Couldn’t Wait For God To Do It His Way! 

Instead, He Obeyed His Eyes And Missed Out On Seeing His Kingdom Endure! 

He Obeyed His Thoughts Instead Of Respecting The Fact That God’s Thoughts Are Not Ours. Isaiah 55:9, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Oftentimes your real sacrifice is in waiting the full seven days, and even when nothing seems to happen, even on the appointed day, Waiting, Trusting And Knowing That God Does Not Fail And Does Not Lie, He Will Perform It And I’m Going To Continue To Sit Until He Does, Is The Best Thing You Could Ever Do!  

Lastly, He Obeyed His Feelings And Forfeited A Promised Future! 

However, Before You Point Your Fingers At Him, Know That You And I Are Prone To Making That Same Kind Of Mistake! Nothing seems to be happening, things are starting to fall apart, and it LOOKS LIKE we are at the point of no return! So, we take matters into our own hands and, in so doing, WE RUIN WHAT GOD WAS GOING TO DO! God is so often the God of the eleventh hour! He waits until the moment when everyone will know IT HAD TO BE HIM! He waits so our faith can stretch farther than its’ ever stretched before so He can do greater things for us than He has ever done before!  God is working in ways we cannot see, but ultimately something beautiful will be born for all to see! 

In the words of the Psalmist: “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and HE WILL DO THIS…be still before the Lord and WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM” (Psalm 37:5, 7). Let God Do It His Way and In His Timing! And no matter how long you have to wait, remember: “God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19 AMP). Yes, He Will!

Regardless to what you See, Think or Feel, Your Nothing Has Something…You Just Have to Wait for It! SO, WAIT! The Bible Admonishes Us: “WAIT and HOPE for and EXPECT the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, WAIT for and HOPE for and EXPECT the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14 AMP).

Some of the most exciting moments in sports are the touchdown or field goal that wins the game, especially, when there is no time left on the clock! That game-winning basket as the final buzzer sounds is unforgettable! The game-winning home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning is remarkable! I have come to find out that whatever the sport, there is nothing like a sudden victory when victory seemed out of reach! It makes the fans go ballistic! Which reminds me of a quote I love: “I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people’s accomplishments: the front page has nothing but man’s failures.” (Earl Warren). Truth be told, it can be nerve-wracking when you are behind, and time is running out! But it is an awesome moment when a hero pulls out an unexpected victory…at the last minute! And the longer I walk with this God of ours, the more I’ve come to appreciate Him as the God of the last-second victory, or the God of the eleventh hour, as I’ve called Him so often. The Bible reveals many names by which God wants us to know Him. One that has meant so much to so many for so long is “Jehovah-Jireh”. It means, “The Lord will provide, or the Lord will see to my provision. “

So, remember: “The Fear of God kills all other fears!” God supplies rivers in the desert, but when you are thirsty, knowing that He can, and He will be Enough! 

Now to be honest, I believe God often waits a while to meet our needs…On Purpose! Let us look at Scripture: “A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany…the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Master, the one you love so very much is sick.” When Jesus got the message, he said, “This sickness is not fatal. It will become an occasion to show God’s glory by glorifying God’s Son.” …Then Jesus became explicit: “Lazarus Died. And I Am Glad For Your Sakes That I Wasn’t There. You’re About To Be Given New Grounds For Believing. Now let us go to him.” (John 11:1-4, 14 MSG). So, before you panic, know that God always has a reason for allowing you to sit in the waiting room! And His reason is always the same: “…it will become an occasion to show God’s glory by glorifying God’s Son…and…You’re about to be given new grounds for believing…”. Your waiting, while wounded, gives God Glory and Increases Your Faith by giving you New Grounds or New Reasons to Trust Him even at the Eleventh Hour! That is why you cannot get discouraged because “…it’s usually the last key in the bunch that opens the lock” (Author Unknown)! So, be patient, a door of opportunity is about to open just for you…all you must do is WAIT!

Again, let us look at Scripture: “Sarai, Abram’s wife, hadn’t yet produced a child. She had an Egyptian maid named Hagar. Sarai said to Abram, “GOD has not seen fit to let me have a child. Sleep with my maid. Maybe I can get a family from her.” Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.’ (Genesis 16:1-2 MSG). And believe it or not, nations are still paying for that ridiculous attempt at “helping God out”! Too often we abandon our trust in God because, He is – if we dare be honest—TAKING TOO LONG! Even the Psalmist knows what this feels like: “Please, God…Treat me nice for a change; I’m so starved for affection. Can’t you see I am black-and-blue, beat up badly in bones and soul? GOD, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR YOU TO LET UP? Break in, GOD, and break up this fight; if you love me at all, get me out of here. I am no good to you dead, am I? I can’t sing in your choir if I’m buried in some tomb!” (6:1-5 MSG). See, you are not the only one who wants to stamp “Federal Express” or “Overnight Delivery” on God! But such actions take us right out of the Will of God and aborts what God was going to birth on our behalf if we would have trusted Him enough to wait the full 9 months!  “But those who WAIT for the Lord [who EXPECT, look for, and HOPE in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.” (Isaiah 40:31 AMP).

Now, it is in Genesis 22, where we find that God is known as Jehovah-Jireh for the very first time. We can learn a lot from how He worked that day for Abraham. See, Abraham had, by faith, obeyed God’s direction to take the son God had once promised to him, climb Mt. Moriah with him, and sacrifice his son there; as God (the Father) would do Himself one day with Jesus (His Son). Believing that God will somehow provide something he cannot imagine, Abraham yet promises his servants that both he and his son Isaac will return from the mountain. Genesis 22:10 says his faith and obedience went so far that “he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” At that very LAST MOMENT, God stopped him and showed Abraham a ram, stuck in a thicket, who would be sacrificed instead of his son. And the Bible says, “So Abraham called that place, ‘The Lord Will Provide.’ “Remember: Jehovah-Jireh – often steps in right on time, which is usually—when there’s no time left! Which reminds me of a quote I love, “Faith isn’t faith until it’s all you’re holding on to.” (Author Unknown)

God loves to come through for us when there is absolutely no place else that answer could come from, and there is no time left on the clock. It is 11:59! The buzzer is about to sound! But that’s when God shows up with His provision, at a time and in a way that will blow you away, give Him all the glory, and show people around you the greatness and faithfulness of your God! Then it is only natural that you will experience a whole new level of faith in Him and worship for Him! God’s last-minute victories are some of the most awesome moments of your life! So, do not lose faith now! “Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.” (Oswald Chambers). Keep in mind: The greater the need, the later the hour, the more amazing God’s work on your behalf! That is why you need to determine to be like your sports heroes and hang in there until the end of the game! And when God steps in and grants you a last-second victory, before the last grain of sand falls in the hourglass, remember, like the sports fans, go ballistic…in praise, worship, and thanksgiving!

“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” (Philippians 4:6-7 MSG).

“All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it is not only around us; it is within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We are also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, do not see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.” (Romans 8:22-25 MSG).

“Be still and rest in the Lord; wait for Him and patiently lean yourself upon Him; fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.” (Psalm 37:7 AMP).

“So, we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times; the lavish celebration prepared for us. There is far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 MSG)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.org