Discover the One Tool God Uses to Foster Self-Worth, Recognize Purpose, and Regain Confidence When All Else Fails.
"He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” Isaiah 27: 6
"And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well:..." Luke 13:8,9
Many Christians, born in the faith, and people, in general, are going through a rough time because they have de-prioritized the importance of having Christ as number one in their lives. Young people and adults alike are chasing the world with the Devil on their backs choking the life out of them. You observe the broken desperate relationships and toxic behaviors that blind their eyes and stupify the senses. Do you know why? They are running full steam ahead into brick walls all because they want things their way.
Disobedience is often the precursor to deception and deception creates strongholds that chain humans alive as prisoners in mental health coffins. These mental coffins are often created because of the Samson Syndrome..."____ pleaseth me well". Looking at this from the source may give you an idea of some of the things in which we, or our loved ones get wrapped up at our peril:
"Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well." Judges 14:3
...BuT At A Cost
As the hart (deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”
Psalms 42:1
Previously we learned that God's balancing act has three essentials to help us rise above all failures and start over fresh: Faith in Jesus, Time, and Pruning! To be freed from sin, selfishness, and sexual immorality, Samson needed all three to rise from Failure's coffin and fulfill God's purpose for His life. He did, but at a cost.
Though I encourage studying Samson's life to observe the attitudes and behavior that led him into humiliation as well as victory over sin (Judges 13:24-16:31), today our focus will not be on Samson. I want to spend a little time sharing a historical but Biblical experience that will encourage parents with wayward children; spouses who are unequally yoked; children and adults who are struggling with living the Christian experience, "the prodigal sons and daughters", the rebellious, the atheist, and those who are somewhere in between.
In the book of Daniel, the fourth chapter, we find an intriguing life story with many wholistic takeaways. Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty, pagan, Babylonian king who took Babylon to its golden years. He was a man of luxury and a lover of beautiful things. Yet he was a strategic and unscrupulous leader who sought to dominate anything within his path to be the only world power even if it meant eliminating God as Supreme. It sounds pretty similar to America and the other countries today... same story but different era.
This is the result when God is secondary and not a priority in our lives. Friend, where are you today? Are You a Nebuchadnezzar bathing in luxury or selfish pleasures or a Daniel
"thirsting" after God with your entire heart?
When God is Not Personal...
"Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee."
Job 22:21
God in His love through His people in captivity, (for example, Daniel, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael) sent Nebuchadnezzar many signs and warnings in health messages.
(Daniel 1), dreams (Daniel 2), miracles (Daniel 3), and visions ( Daniel 4) to arrest his attention. God approached him in different ways, especially through prophetic insights using Daniel, inviting Nebuchadnezzar to "Acquaint now thyself with Him (God as the only true God), and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee." Job 22: 21.
In Daniel Chapter 4, God tried one last time to get Nebuchadnezzar to know that though he had begun to accept that (God) exists and is also powerful, he (Neb.) had not fully surrendered to being a converted influencer for good. Despite the many warnings that his kingdom would soon be coming to an end, he was focused on the wrong priorities. He could be saved along with many others in his kingdom if he would give his heart completely to God. Yet Nebuchadnezzar was slow to believe.
God said another will conquer your kingdom, but Neb said, I will build a statue of gold in defiance and command even your people to worship me, saying "In your face God, my kingdom will last forever". Yet God's mercy lingered. When Nebuchadnezzar threw Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to the golden image of himself, Christ showed up and Nebuchadnezzar marveled at the scene proclaiming to his counselors in astonishment:
"Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3:24, 25-30
And yet Nebuchdnezzar's heart was still only partially touched... How do we know this? His words are telling:
“Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.”
Nebuchadnezzar still did not say, "God, I believe... now you are my God." He recognized Him as the God of the Hebrews and a powerful God who could perform mighty miracles. He recognized that the plant-based diet was healthy and superior to his diet, but nothing else. Nebuchadnezzar was still on an ambitious pursuit of being Number One. God was not personal to him yet.
Let the Pruning Begin
God looks beyond our facade and sees our needs. He doesn't always treat us as we deserve. Neb was pompous and self-seeking, yet God saw his potential. God saw that in his heart was a seed that was already growing into a strong tree, but needed some pruning, sunlight, and more time to grow personal faith that will bear His glory.
Nebuchadnezzar was given a vision, which he knew only Daniel, through God, could interpret: The Vision of the Watchers, the Holy One, and the Beautiful Tree. (Daniel 4).
In this vision, God used a majestic, resourceful, and fruitful tree to represent Nebuchadnezzar. God warned Nebuchadnezzar that his ambitious pursuit to deny God's sovereignty was fast earning him a one-way ticket to a mental breakdown and the loss of his soul. God suggested the ways he needed to change and also the blessings that courted obedience. Conversely, as the law of opposites states, there would be negative consequences if he rejected the suggestions. He will cut down the tree. The choice was his. God gave him a year to accept him as his personal savior.
He wasted it: therefore God said inaudibly, "Let the pruning begin."
What about you? Is there some deep-rooted habits or selfish ambition that you possess that prevents you from being an oasis of blessing: being a believer or a better Christian? God tries to get your attention before you hit rock bottom but you continue to steal from the job, rob stores, use drugs, show up late for work, party throughout school and life, eat the wrong foods, sleep around, drive recklessly... possibly under the influence, being in fraternities and sororities or perhaps you may be higher up the "totem pole"...being a Freemason, Shriner, or Illuminatist? Maybe you continue to practice obeah, necromancy, Sanateria, manifestations, adultery, sexual abuse, being in a relationship with an unbeliever; lying or deception, taking advantage of your congregation, or being a stagnant Christian? How much time has God given you...me... to change?
Which Pruning will You AccepT:The Branch or The Stump?
Have you ever planted a fruit tree or a flowering shrub, for it to evolve into something amazing but it struggles to fruit or flower? Sometimes it is because of the soil, sometimes because of annoying pests, and maybe even the climate. All the plant needs, at times, is some good pruning.
Pruning is God's way of "cutting us down" to prevent us from self-sabotage. Twelve months later Nebuchadnezzar still was not "getting it". He wasted an entire year knowing that He was spurning God's probationary time...and more so His love.
He thought life would go on as usual and that God was a "softy Parent" who loved him so much that He would not discipline him. Yet it was love that allowed God to let him "hit rock bottom"... to experience humiliation. God stepped back from his life and He had a complete mental breakdown that lasted SEVEN YEARS. It took seven years for him to come to his senses.
Do you remember Jesus and the fig tree? The Jews were represented as that fig tree. Jesus, for approximately three years, preached salvation through repentance to His people. He hoped they would have accepted Him and His word, but most of His own people rejected Him and his plan of salvation. In response, "He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser (gardener) of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he (the gardener) answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down." Luke 13:6-9
Sometimes pruning is essential for me in the process of Coming to My Senses.
I suspect that this is true for you too. Most of us are ignorant, stubborn, and rebellious children... dragging our feet in disobedience. Yet God is patient and offers us probation for a time. God sent Jesus to Earth as a gift of grace and mercy to help the Jews as well as the Gentiles to come to their senses. He does the same for us even today. But when God is not personal to us individually... we may admire His power, and crave His blessings, but our hearts are far from Him. We may go to church, sing in the choir, and even respect His principles, but not enough to fully surrender to Him and His mission as our focused priority. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we continue our selfish pursuits to our downfall. And yet there is much hope in the pruning process.
“At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.” Daniel 4: 36
Nebuchadnezzar was converted and was honored by God for his loving obedience. He became the only heathen king whose testimonial was written down and left on record to encourage all of us.
Want to start over fresh, but struggling? Discover the One Tool God Uses to Foster Self-Worth, Recognize Purpose, and Regain Confidence When All Else Fails...Pruning.
Which pruning process will you accept? Pruning your "branches" only or cutting to " your stump?" ( Daniel 4). The latter is necessary for the most stubborn or most ignorant. Therefore if you find yourself within the pruning process, it may feel very painful but have hope. It may be God's last act of mercy in trying to grab your attention so that He may save you too.
“Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose
works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride He is able to abase.”
Daniel 4: 37
Prayer:
Lord, You have promised in your word that You will cause _______ (your name) to take root: _____ (your name) shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.” Isaiah 27: 6. Even though I have messed up so many times, you still have been more than kind. You offered me hope by leaving "my stump" in the ground despite cutting me down. If I were blinded by anger, resentment or shame, I would not have recognized that the "iron and brass band" that you placed around me (Daniel 4:23, 26) was not to imprison but to empower me... not to destroy me, but to protect me. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to "come to my senses." I recognize that your mercy is everlasting, but my probation is not. Thanks for the opportunity to prioritize differently. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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3) Prioritizing Differently
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