HOW TO HANDLE FRUSTRATING CIRCUMSTANCES - Part III

HOW TO HANDLE FRUSTRATING CIRCUMSTANCES - Part III

Wisdom dictates that on this voyage called life, we anticipate and prepare for the unexpected.  In other words, LIFE HAPPENS.  Regardless of how seaworthy or stable your vessel might be, sooner or later some challenging life-circumstances will appear on the horizon to likely rock your boat!  Sailors call them rogue waves.  They can roll through at any time, even in the calmest of seas; and their intensity and magnitude potentially disturbs and damages the best-of-the-best ships in the fleet.

Don’t ever worry about rogue waves.  Since they are completely out of your control, you might as well relax and enjoy the ride.  Right?  Some choose to pass their days with a mindset that is riddled with quiet desperation, high anxiety and paralyzing fear.  True believers choose peace.  The prophet Isaiah surely understood the sovereignty of God and His unending care for His children.  He wrote: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusts in Thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)

In these financially troubled times, we are tempted to fret and worry about our RESOURCES, instead of focusing our attention on THE SOURCE.  Kingdom Principle Number Three in this series is simply this: GOD IS OUR SOURCE!  “The earth is the LORD's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1)  We might lose jobs, cars, homes, or even family and friends, but in a very real sense they are just RESOURCES.  As long as we don’t lose THE SOURCE…we will find shelter and security in the time of our most vehement storm.  “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous run into it, and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10)

It bears repetition: STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOUR RESOURCES!  Don’t you know who you are?  YOU are the “blessed (wo)man” described in Psalm one.  Since you always delight and meditate in the law of the Lord, here is what your Creator says about you.  “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:3)  Let me share a powerful revelation with you…something God showed me years ago.  Those things that you feel you have LOST are not FRUIT, they are just LEAVES.  And leaves were created to serve a temporary function…and then those leaves fall off!

Kingdom Principle Number Four: LEAVES LEAVE!  You need to declare this liberating Rhema aloud, one more time: “LEAVES LEAVE!”  But Jesus said “I HAVE CHOSEN YOU, and ORDAINED YOU, that ye should go and bring forth FRUIT, and that your FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN.” (John 15:16)  Just as long as we are “ROOTED and GROUNDED in LOVE,” and God is love, (Ephesians 3:17) we will never again worry about the leaves.  Just as long as we are abiding in the vine, Jesus Christ declared that we will bring forth “MUCH FRUIT!” (John 12:24)  Always remember this: TREES LOOK DEAD during the winter season.  Typically, fruit does not manifest during winter.  God says a blessed (wo)man, will “bring forth his fruit IN HIS SEASON.” (Psalm 1:3)  Stop fuming, fretting and fussing about what TIME it is…GOD KNOWS YOUR SEASON…and you WILL produce!

Understand this: Your winter season is analogous to your ship being far away from shore.  God is simply saying: ‘Your ship has not come in YET’…but it WILL…if you learn how to WAIT (actively wait) with faith and with diligence!’  The winter season of your natural or spiritual life is similar to the foreboding circumstances in which the twelve disciples found themselves.  They were far out “in the midst of the sea” (Matthew 14:24) and their remote location precluded any help (and any hope) when stormy conditions circumscribed them.  They felt very much alone and completely ‘victimized’ by contrary winds and tossing waves.  Kingdom Principle Number Five: YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM…YOU ARE A VICTOR!  Nevertheless, those disciples FELT seasick and heartsick.  And all of this was going on during “the fourth watch of the night,” when they were enveloped in pitch-black darkness.  They could see…absolutely nothing!  Light was totally unavailable; the sun had long since set and the moon was hiding in the obscurity of ominous and gloomy clouds.  Their sails had been trimmed, and they were rocking, rolling and reeling in the midst of the sea, totally at the mercy of terrifying currents and horrific winds.  Nevertheless…

NEVERTHELESS…at their moment of deepest despair, along comes JESUS CHRIST…the Author and Finisher of their fading and failing faith!  Along came JESUS CHRIST…walking calmly over raging seas and through howling tempests!  Along came JESUS CHRIST…on a life-or-death rescue mission…because (from a distance) He had heard the cries of His children.  Do not be afraid; JESUS CHRIST has already heard YOUR CRY… and help is on the way!

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!  Stay tuned…more to come tomorrow.