Tag: trust

Sifted As Wheat

Matthew 3
12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Psalm 1:4
The wicked are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away.

  • Threshing is a separation process. The chaff and the grain are parts of the same plant, they grow alongside each other, but only the grain holds value, only the grain carries within it the life of the plant and the potential to reproduce. The precious grain must be separated from the rest of the plant through a “winnowing” process. This is a turbulent but effective process for sifting out the undesirable waste.
  • Both the grain and the chaff have to experience the winds of the winnowing fan. The grain, weighty with life, remains but the dry, empty chaff is blown away. Much like the houses of the wise man and the foolish man, both houses are built carefully and they may exist side by side as neighbours for years but it is when the storm comes that the foundations are proved.
  • The storm MUST come. The storms WILL come. They have been ordained to come! It is a necessary and vital process in the individual and collective lives of believers. It is in the storms and trials that the flesh is shown to be dry, hardened and easily swept away but the life of Christ is revealed as precious hope, grounded and fruitful. We are told plainly to expect the storms and trials, that they WILL come, “When” not ‘if”!

Luke 22
31 “Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift [all of] you like grain;

John 16
33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you will have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

James 1
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

1 Peter 1
6 In this you should greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may be distressed by trials and suffer temptations,
7 So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is proven and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to result in your praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

  • So then battles, trials, sickness and suffering are precious and welcome opportunity for God’s children! They endure suffering knowing that the life of Christ is being revealed, the flesh is being dealt with and that Jesus’ testimony is being demonstrated and proven in His people. The Born Again believer rejoices in the Sovereignty of God and seeks occasion, in all things, to submit to The Father’s Will and to glorify Him. Having a spiritual perspective they do not place emphasis on their suffering but on the Name and testimony of Jesus Christ! They rejoice in His presence, His provision and His tender mercies and loving comforts in His Word.
  • The threshing isn’t a pleasant experience. It is turbulence, inconvenience, discomfort, grief. Etc But the life in the grain will fall upon The Lord, the wise man’s house will be seen to stand strong. The grain will rejoice evermore and pray without ceasing, the life of Jesus in a believer will pray with faith, casting (throwing off) all cares onto The Lord. Through the storm HIS LIFE will be revealed in HIS people!
  • So what will we be today? Grain, full of Jesus life and His word, abiding in Him, unmoved by the winnowing winds? Or chaff, without substance, easily blown about and blown away by the cares of this life? In EVERY circumstance let us be careful to abide in Jesus and resist the temptation to act/walk in the flesh.

Song of Solomon 4
16 “Awake, O north wind, And come, south wind; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, [for the one in whom my soul delights], Let its spices flow forth. Let my beloved come into his garden And eat its choicest fruits.”

A Glad Heart Feasts

Proverbs 15
15 All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].

C. Austin Miles
I’m living on the mountain, underneath a cloudless sky,
I’m drinking at the fountain that never shall run dry;
Oh, yes! I’m feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply,
For I am dwelling in Beulah Land.

  • Is my heart glad? Are we sitting at the banqueting table, communing with Our Father in Heaven? Are we feasting on the Spiritual manna from His bountiful supply? Some of these things are easy to sing in church but are we living that reality? Are we daily singing God’s praises and rejoicing in His Salvation regardless of our circumstance?
  • Truly we battle principalities and powers, but most of all we battle our flesh and its constant desire to leave the secret place of the Most High. These past two weeks my situation at work has become very tense and isolating. I have been sitting, writing this during my breaks at work, in a room with three work colleagues who are conspiring against me, looking to find any way to bring me down. This truth has been a beautiful encouragement but also a sharp conviction. In whatever situation I find myself, as a child of God I have access into His presence where I can call upon Him and acquire all that I need to endure. Jesus Christ has given us His gladness. But will I live in it or will I let my flesh determine my actions?
  • The gladness comes before the feast! It is faith that trusts in God’s Word that allows us to enter His banqueting house and allows us to feast at His table of communion. It is by singing praises unto Him that we eat! Paul and Silas had that faith. Despite their circumstance, with beaten and bound bodies, before there was any tremor in the prison walls, their glad hearts were feasting on the goodness of God!

Acts 16
25 But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the [other] prisoners were listening to them,

  • Paul and Silas were freed within a few hours but, of course, God’s people can find themselves bound and beaten down for much longer. Consider Joseph serving as a slave or David constantly running from hiding place to Hiding Place. They, along with others, endured terrible circumstances, but by faith, they feasted on The Lord despite what they were going through!
  • David often writes from a painful and broken disposition, with his heart breaking and a desperate cry for deliverance. Times of sorrow and grief come to us all, we will all be led into the valley of death, in the world Jesus tells us that we WILL suffer tribulation. There is no teaching against sorrow, grief or weeping in God’s word… Jesus has come to tenderly bind up and heal the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1) God created us with emotions and we have been designed to feel them. Each of them is designed to lead us to The Lord and, through faith, He has given us the power to discipline, control and overcome them.

2 Corinthians 6
4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,
…
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

  • The key to such gladness of heart is faith! It is a very simple choice to either believe God’s word or not. Regardless of our circumstance will we choose to sing His praises, just because we love Him? Not just in church but will we praise Him through the day when the enemy is coming in like a flood and all seems to be against us? David recognises this battle between flesh and faith. He recognises that his flesh may sorrow but he determines that his heart will praise!
  • This is the day that The Lord has made! (Psalm 118:24) I choose to believe that! He will never leave me nor forsake me! (Hebrews 13:5) I will believe that! I believe His Word! I believe I am HIS! I believe the battle is HIS! I believe He will protect HIS testimony in Me! I will trust in The Lord and cry out for HIS will to be done and trust that He will fulfil it! Happy are those whose God is The Lord! (Psalm 144:15) I believe that!! Oh Hallelujah! I will believe it!!

Psalm 42
11 Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, Who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

  • Sometimes we can feel like Lot, with our souls tortured every day, greatly worn out and distressed; Sorrow and grief may overwhelm us, and sweep the ground from our feet; The enemy make come in like a flood, conspiring, and plotting and it may seem that everything is against us! The Word of God tells us to “weep with those who weep” Romans 12:15 And may we, as God’s body and messengers, be quick to comfort and support the members who need it. I can truly testify and thank The Lord for how His body (loving friends and family) have prayed with and for me and I stand today in the power of Jesus prayers through His body! May we give a shoulder to the weak, strengthen the hands of those who are weary, comfort the sorrowing with tenderness and lead each other to the presence of Jesus where He will minister, for He has come to bind up and heal that broken heart. In Him our hearts can be glad! In Him we can rejoice! In Him we can feast on the bread of life and living water! Whatever our outward circumstance our hearts can be glad in Jesus and feasting on His fullness!

No More Sad

1 Samuel 1
15 …I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I was pouring out my soul before the Lord.
16 Regard not your handmaid as a wicked woman; for out of my great complaint and bitter provocation I have been speaking.
17 Then Eli said, Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.
18 Hannah said, Let your handmaid find grace in your sight. So she went her way and ate, her countenance no longer sad.

•⁠ ⁠There was no sudden and miraculous change in Hannah’s circumstance. When she left the temple that day she had to go back to the same bitter enmity and ridicule that she had been dealing with for so many years. In the flesh there was no immediate comfort, support or remedy to her pain. The storm still raged, the enemy did not draw back…
•⁠ ⁠The only change to be seen that day was in her face, meaning her disposition or her attitude. She was no more sad. She was no more in defeat and shame. She was no more hopeless and sorrowful. She was no more overwhelmed, exasperated, frustrated or weary.
•⁠ ⁠So what did change for Hannah? She lifted her gaze. She was no longer looking at her self through eyes of flesh but seeing, by faith, the loving kindnesses and tender mercies of The Lord. She was no longer looking earthward but Godward, to the promises and testimonies of The Lord. She looked beyond her self and saw The Lord. Hanna cast ALL of her care upon The Lord. She lay all of her burdens down at His feet. She cast herself upon His goodness and mercy and she truly trusted in Him. She cried out and vowed that the fruit/blessing of The Lord would be HIS testimony and for HIS glory and honour. She was no longer lusting for the blessing but found comfort, peace and rest in the one who blesses.
•⁠ ⁠We only know Hannah’s name because of the fruit of this faith. There was nothing royal or powerful about her. She was just a woman longing for a child, longing to be fruitful. But as she cried out to The Lord and poured out her complaint to Him, as she yielded to His will and glory, she became a woman of quiet, confident, assured faith. The testimony of The Lord came from that faith. It was not until Hannah rose up no more sad that fruit and testimony came. A Mighty work, far more than Hannah prayed for or could have imagined!
•⁠ ⁠May we learn to have such faith as Hannah. May we be like Moses, “for he had respect unto the rewarder of the reward… for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible.” Hebrews 11:26-27

Romans 15
13 May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

The Lord Has Made Room For Us

Genesis 26
19 Now Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of living [spring] water.
20 And the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, The water is ours. And he named the well Esek [contention] because they quarreled with him.
21 Then [his servants] dug another well, and they quarreled over that also; so he named it Sitnah [enmity].
22 And he moved away from there and dug another well, and for that one they did not quarrel. He named it Rehoboth [room], saying, For now the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

•⁠ ⁠Room (Rest, peace, provision, space) won by fleshly contention will not last. It will soon be contended against again. There will be no peace or safety. It will be a fleshy existence.
•⁠ ⁠Room provided to us by The Lord is unchallenged. It is a space with time to grow, mature and bear fruit. It is joy and peace, praise and worship and a testimony unto The Lord’s glory!
•⁠ ⁠There was no contention for Rehoboth. There was no strife or frustration. The place had been prepared ahead of time by The Lord and Isaac’s rest and trust in His Lord allowed Him to discover Rehoboth. How many times have we fought when we should have moved on? Are we living in frustration or are we living in joyful rest knowing that The Lord has made room for us? “that where I am you may be also” John 14:3
•⁠ ⁠May our faith be at rest in The Lord and ever trusting/looking for His Rehoboths. May we learn not to fight, strive, contend for our own understanding. He, The God of all the earth, has gone before us. He is the Author of our faith and He has written beautiful and wonderful plans for us which He will lead us into as we trust and rest in Him. He has already won every victory and He has already provided every need. Hallelujah! May we be found abiding in Him.

2 Peter 1
3 …His divine power has given to us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue:

Give The Enemy No Credit

Job 1:20
Then Job arose, and tore his coat, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped

Job 2
9 Then said his wife unto him, Do you still hold fast to your integrity? curse God, and die.
10 But he said to her, You speak as one of the impious and foolish women would speak. What? Shall we accept only good at the hand of God and shall we not accept evil? In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

  • Job never mentions the devil. He never gives the enemy any credit and never attributes to him any power or ability. He only sees and only fears His sovereign God who he is intimately acquainted with. Who he has walked with, talked with, trusted and proven!
  • It’s true that Paul talks of being hindered to the Thessalonians but… He DOES NOT say that the work of God was hindered. He DOES NOT say that his faith in or fellowship with Christ was hindered. He DOES NOT say that God’s sovereign plan was hindered! he only mentions it in passing concerning a personal desire to see them.
  • Born Again believers, the Temples of The Holy Ghost, who ought to be abiding in Christ and in the secret place of The Most High (where no evil can be!!), often give the devil far too much attention and give not enough reverence to the sovereignty of Almighty God!! The devil cannot touch God’s children abiding in Him without permission and that… Will always be for His glory to be revealed!
  • The devil has as much power over you as you attribute to him. Yes the devil is a powerful, crafty foe… But He is a defeated enemy before the sons and daughters of God.

Luke 22
31 “Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift [all of] you like grain;
32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith].”

  • Jesus is saying that Satan will indeed sift you!! But the sifting is only to reveal the grain! Let the chaff (flesh) be removed and let the glory of God be revealed as we abide in Him and keep looking unto Jesus who is the beginning and the end, the author and finisher, the Risen, Conquering King!! The one who has all things placed under His feet!! ABIDE IN HIM!!! He is the power and the glory! Yield and submit to His sovereign plan and timing. Trust in His faithfulness and loving ways. The sifting is painful but “When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined gold [pure and luminous].” Job 23:10
  • Follow in Jobs example. Give the devil no credit. Attribute to him no power. When He is given permission to sift… Then may we be found on our faces in worship before The Almighty, Sovereign God! Hallelujah!!