The Sovereign Lord Wants You to Remain Flexible

The Sovereign Lord Wants You to Remain Flexible

by rebekahbeene

 

One day this week we had some unusual weather – sun, rain, thunder, winds. And all this within moments. The trees were creaking and the limbs were falling. When I got home I noticed that we had a “widow maker” in our yard. One of our trees is in pretty bad shape and a huge limb had falling, breaking up into smaller pieces as it hit the ground. The trees that are in good shape all made it fine without much more than a leaf or two of new growth flying away. But this old near dead tree didn’t fare so well.

God wants you to know that His desire for you is that you remain healthy and flexible. Your spiritual health is His greatest concern. He knows that as long as you can bend in the weather of life’s circumstances, which are constantly changing, you won’t break. Being flexible is important to Him too, because you can’t see the road ahead. He knows what’s around the next curve in life and He has prepared a way to make it. But if you break under the stress you’ll never get past the present hurts or disasters to see the better way. High winds of adversity, strong storms of trouble, the thundering load of sorrow were never meant to destroy you. The bending of your life is not meant to humiliate you, but humble responses to God’s Sovereignty are needed. Bending your knee to seek His face when things are going wrong will always result in new growth and greater strength.

Oh beloved, you’ve weathered quite a bit haven’t you? It’s tiring to keep up appearances and make sure all around you is neat and tidy. But you’re starting to wonder where God is and you want to just let it all go. Believing is easy when things are going well, but when those winds howl at your extremities and bit at your heart and mind it weakens the best resolve. Now is your time to bend – bend to the Truth of God’s Word. Bend to the Sovereignty of God, bend to the knowledge that God is still God and He has your best interest in mind. He will get you through, you can stay in one piece, you don’t have to lose ground or lose faith. Rejoice in His Truth, hide in His love and watch as you come through more understanding and knowledge of God after all.

God loves you and He’s for you. His desire is that nothing would break your spirit but that leaning and bending towards Him will always result in your good and His glory. Trust Him today, give Him your troubles, let Him shelter you, guide you, watch over you and protect you all the days of your life. When this storm passes, you will be able to share the Truth with another who will need to know just what you’ve learned about God and about the strength you can display as you set your heart toward God.

Psalm 27:7-8 Listen to my pleading, O LORD. Be merciful and answer me! My heart has heard You say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.”

Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, to You I sing praises, for You, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

Isaiah 50:5 The Sovereign LORD has spoken to me, and I have listened. I do not rebel or turn away.

Psalm 69:32 The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help live in joy.

Breathe In Breathe Out and Move on With God!

As we were leaving town yesterday, we drove by the old river area where everyone used to go in to swim at a favorite spot. Some would park and walk. Others would drive in. I was surprised at the amount of posted signs along the parking area. One right after another I would say there were at least 10 POSTED –NO TRESPASSING signs in bright yellow.  People have protested and been very unhappy that you can’t go to the riverside from that spot anymore.  Regardless of how they feel, it’s off limits. People could still stop there and park, but with the signs glaringly reminding them of the situation, they would just be more and more frustrated.

God spoke to my heart as we passed by. There are places and situations where we used to have free entry. We could come and go and were part of the scene. We had fun and the view was great. We were enjoying it all when the posted signs were put up. We can get frustrated. We can get up a petition to change it. We can prove our point that it’s unfair. We can also sit right there and stare at what we once had, but none of that matters. We are no longer welcome. We don’t have the freedom there anymore. We can cry and lament and go on and on, but that open door is closed now.

Regardless of who put the signs up, God ultimately has the say. No man can do anything except God allows it. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s time to move on. But the wonderful thing about it all is that if God has shut one door, He is opening another. You have not been banned from God’s love, God’s mercy or God’s plan. No indeed. It’s time to get closer to the Lord and let Him speak His plans into your heart. It’s time to renew your fellowship with Him so that you can hear clearly for your next place of entry. For although man may bar the way, God is the only King. He is Sovereign and He alone closes and opens doors.  He is Omniscient and He alone is completely informed and aware of the present situation and your future is secure with Him.

Oh beloved, reach out to the Lord this morning. Tell Him you’re ready to move on with Him. Your situation seems hopeless, but He is your God of Hope. He’s your Abba Father and He knows best.  Even if the present things do not change, you can go forward with high hopes and great expectations. God says to you this morning Move On.  He’s not saying go back, He’s saying go forward. He’s not saying done with you. He’s saying beloved, we’re done with that. He’s not saying He has no use for you anymore. He’s saying better places of entry and stronger times of spiritual influence are coming your way. As long as you stay focused on the Lord instead of the posted signs you will still see the glory of the Lord as you humble yourself and rely on Him alone. He is worthy to worship and honor and obey.  He is faithful, trustworthy and reliable in every circumstance.

He loves you and He’s for you, so it’s for your best that you let Him lead, give Him your heart, mind and soul and move on with Him.

Joshua 22:5 But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, obey His commands, hold firmly to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.

Romans 11:33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways!

Isaiah 55:8-9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.  “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Psalm 31:3  For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.

Jeremiah 17:7 But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

Psalm 33:11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

Psalm 83:18 Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.

Romans 11:36 For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen.

Psalm 37:23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.

At Some Point You Will Have to Trust God

My dad was a whole lot of fun. But at the same time he was a no nonsense father. When I asked him for something or permission to go somewhere he would give it fair thought. But once he said no that was it. There was no going further with the discussion. No pleading, begging, whining or cajoling would work on him. It only served to get me in trouble. A no was a no. And that was that.

That’s a real tough thing for a kid who always wants to know “why”. I find that I am still one who wants to know why. I even ask my husband “why”? I don’t mind going, doing, following, I don’t mind a change in direction, but I just love to know why.

Recently I was having a conversation with my Heavenly Father. In fact I had been conversing with Him for days about something. I kept asking Him the same question over and over – “Why?” Each and every day I would ask Him the same thing. No answer would come.

Finally, one morning just a few days ago He responded. I heard Him speak to my heart: “Don’t ever ask Me why again.” And then the Scripture came to mind: “In the fullness of time…”  Okay, I heard my Daddy God and that was that.  Either I would listen to Him and move on or I would continue to ask why and stay upset, wondering, trying to figure out the answer.

This morning during my quiet time I realized that as I had quit asking why I also had quit whining about it. I discovered that the more we ask why, the more we will whine. And the more we whine the more we are stuck in that situation, that problem, that turmoil, that feeling. I realized that why is short for whine!

God speaks to our hearts: At some point in time you will have to trust Me. The situation might get bleak, the days might get dark, the hurts will come and the doubts will fly around your head like a whole lot of gnats. You can swat at the problems, beg Me for answers and whine, whine, whine. But you will have to trust Me. Nothing can happen that I am not aware of. Nothing that surprises you surprises Me at all. No condition of your life is impossible, no situation of peril is unfixable, no power on earth nor power of man can move you from My will for your life – as long as you trust Me.  I AM the Lord. There is no other. It is I Who govern lives, countries, rulers and subjects. You are My child and because you are My child you can rest in My promises, relax in My decisions and rejoice in My direction.  Behold precious child, I AM about to take you beyond yourself. I AM about to move in your life in such a direction that the heavenly host is already singing Hallelujah. Stop asking Me why and start asking Me why not? Lock arms in faith with Me and let Me walk you out of the present familiarity and into the unknown future that I have created just for you.

Oh beloved, leave it all at the Father’s feet. Hang a “No whining” sign on your heart. Open the Book of Love, Peace, Prosperity, Thankfulness and Trust and rehearse His Truth!!! You are more than the sum of your “why’s”. As you leave the why’s behind, you will discover even more intimately how much God loves you and how passionately He is for you.  And then you will discover that God is all that really matters as you travel under His direction, His sovereignty and His authority all the days of your life.

Job 40:2 Then the Lord said to Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?”

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

Proverbs 22:19 I am teaching you today--yes, you--so you will trust in the LORD.

Proverbs 8:32 And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow My ways are joyful.

Deuteronomy 13:4 Serve only the Lord your God and fear Him alone. Obey His commands, listen to His voice, and cling to Him.