Subscription Lists

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green. Psalm 92 12-14 (NIV)

Ok. Stop and think. Name the last situation you have been in that God did not see you through. Just pause a bit and think about it. Ok now that you have that situation in mind, what was it that made you doubt that he would come through for you (until he did.) Fear? Anxiety? The seriousness of the circumstance? All of these are legitimate feelings that we experience in life, but none can stand up to the Almighty Elohim. He knows all, sees all and is always present with us. When I read verses like Psalm 92:12-14, I think about the trees in my yard. In Texas, we have some pretty serious “severe” weather. Winds can gust up to 70 miles per hour from April until early September. Every once in awhile I’ll hear a tornado siren go off and I’ll look outdoors into my front yard to see my trees rocking and swaying in the wind. The winds of the storm look as if they will break the tree in two, but they never do. I remember when I planted the bald cypress that sits in my front yard. Days after, we had one of those storms that had very strong winds and torrential rains. But all during the storm the tree kept bending over, sometimes so much that the branches looked as if they would touch the ground. But the storm was never able to uproot the tree. I had planted the roots so deeply and securely that no matter what happened on top, the roots below held the tree firm against nature’s elements. Why the long analogy? Jesus spoke a parable about seeds that fell on different types of ground (see Mark 4:3-8). Some were devoured by birds, some fell on thorns, some seeds fell on stony ground and were scorched by the sun, but the rest fell on good ground where the roots took. In that parable, the only seeds that reproduced any worthwhile fruit were the ones that feel on good ground. Realize this child of God. You will face difficult times in this life. If you haven’t, do as my grandmother says and “keep living”. But no matter what circumstance you face in life, God is able to give you the grace to endure these “life” storms. You can be planted just as firm as the cedar trees of Lebanon (see Psalm 92:12) in the midst of bankruptcy, foreclosure, death in the family or terminal disease. God has promised never to leave or forsake his children and when you sink your roots into him you will not be broken by the winds of life. You may sway and bend but you will not break. DO YOU HEAR ME? You will not break! God has invested so much in the seed that he has planted in you to carry on ministry and advance the kingdom he is not going to lose you to a little storm of life! He has big plans for you but you have to hang in and endure the rough times of life. The torrential rains that show up in your life are just there to water the seed that has been planted and make you that much more effective for the kingdom. The storm is only there as a test to give you a testimony. Be strong and courageous man of God. Be encouraged woman of God. Face your storm in the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ. Be Blessed!

"Word from Scotland" from Sandy Shaw

How Does God Refill My Emotionally Drained Empty Tank?