I've felt the need to write for a few days now. Write what, I'm not quite sure. I feel a whirlwind of emotions. My heart hurts, my body is worn out from restless nights and I feel lost in the direction that my life is headed. Not in a bad way, but in a restless way. There's that patience lesson again. Do I have faith, yes. Do I still struggle to believe that all of this is real, also yes. How am I traveling to Brookville to share my testimony? How am I a part of a ministry team that travels the world? How am I a core part of my church? How am I making such a difference? How am I seeing people healed and delivered? How am I as a mother, as a daughter, or as a friend? How have I changed so drastically over the last year, even down to the last few months? How can the Lord use ME?
The truth is, I feel like I’ve spent the last two years running in a marathon. Meetings, sermons, books, teaching, scripture, prayer, fasting, missions, etc. I feel like I’m being conditioned to go into battle.
Thankfully, as always, the answers are found in the Bible. However, we need to understand that the promises of the Bible are conditional. I can go two ways with the word conditional. It could be that there are certain conditional requirements that need to be met in order for the promises found in the Bible to rein true in your individual life. The other is that the conditions outlined in the Bible are actually meant to condition you, to train you in the Spirit. To challenge your mind, will, and emotions to the point that they are conditioned to respond in a Biblical fashion, no matter what circumstances arise.
I'm going to share some examples with you. First lets look at Jeremiah 29:11-14, 11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will let Myself be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’
It clearly says you need to call upon Him and come and Pray to Him, and He will listen. It's not saying ignore me, let your Bible get dusty and pray for money when your bank account gets low. The next verse says to seek and find Him with all of your heart and He will let Himself be found by us. Have you ever played hide and seek? Seeking takes effort, it's searching Him out, it's not giving up because the search becomes difficult. It's looking for Him everywhere you look. It doesn't say go to church Sunday for 20 mins, stick a bumper sticker on your car and yell at your waitress at lunch after church and He will find you there.
Yet so many Christians wonder why things don't work out in their favor. They take the feel good scriptures meant to tickle their ears and they ignore the fact that the conditions to the promises that they are claiming are never met. Does He love us all equally, yes. Does he reward us all equally when we put in the work, also yes. He doesn't pick and choose favorite people to reward. He draws near those who draw near to Him. The question then becomes, are you drawing near to Him?
Here is another common example of the tickle your ears scripture. We can't run around saying "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" without looking at the scriptures before that one. Philippians 4:10-13, 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked an opportunity to act. 11 Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
We are to be content in our circumstances, we are to rejoice in the Lord greatly for the works that He is doing. Even when we don't necessarily understand the what, or the why. That is where we find the strength of the Lord. He is with us, through every adversity, through every downfall, through every wonderful experience. He is there. Are you recognizing Him?
Another great scripture that came up frequently during the quarantine was Psalm 91. It clearly says the promises are for those who dwell in the shelter of the most high. It says because we loved him, He will save us. It says because we knows His name, He will set us securely on high. It says if we call upon Him, that he will answer us.
Psalm 91
Security of One Who Trusts in the Lord.
91 One who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will lodge in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
3 For it is He who rescues you from the net of the trapper
And from the deadly plague.
4 He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may take refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and wall.
5 You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the plague that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that devastates at noon.
7 A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
8 You will only look on with your eyes
And see the retaliation against the wicked.
9 For you have made the Lord, my refuge,
The Most High, your dwelling place.
10 No evil will happen to you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.
11 For He will give His angels orders concerning you,
To protect you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will lift you up,
So that you do not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will walk upon the lion and cobra,
You will trample the young lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he has loved Me, I will save him;
I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
15 He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
16 I will satisfy him with a long life,
And show him My salvation.”
I'm going to end with Proverbs 3 because I think it's almost line by line promises and conditions. Don't pick and choose the promises without putting yourself through the conditioning.
Read the entire Bible! Love the Lord with all your heart, fear Him, respect Him, and stop complaining about the promises of the Bible not being true for your life if you are not willing to put yourself through the conditioning that will bring them to fruition.
Proverbs 3
The Rewards of Wisdom
3 My son, do not forget my teaching,
But have your heart comply with my commandments;
2 For length of days and years of life
And peace they will add to you.
3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and a good reputation
In the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones.
9 Honor the Lord from your wealth,
And from the first of all your produce;
10 Then your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His rebuke,
12 For whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
Just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.
13 Blessed is a person who finds wisdom,
And one who obtains understanding.
14 For her profit is better than the profit of silver,
And her produce better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
And nothing you desire compares with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are those who hold on to her.
19 The Lord founded the earth by wisdom,
He established the heavens by understanding.
20 By His knowledge the ocean depths were burst open,
And the clouds drip with dew.
21 My son, see that they do not escape from your sight;
Comply with sound wisdom and discretion,
22 And they will be life to your soul
And adornment to your neck.
23 Then you will walk in your way securely,
And your foot will not stumble.
24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden danger,
Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
26 For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
When it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back,
And tomorrow I will give it to you,”
When you have it with you.
29 Do not devise harm against your neighbor,
While he lives securely beside you.
30 Do not contend with a person for no reason,
If he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a violent person,
And do not choose any of his ways.
32 For the devious are an abomination to the Lord;
But He is intimate with the upright.
33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
But He blesses the home of the righteous.
34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers,
Yet He gives grace to the needy.
35 The wise will inherit honor,
But fools increase dishonor.
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