You're Connected to the Vine, Not the Report
Growing up, I knew this very successful business man. He owned hundreds and hundreds of orange crops. During this one particular winter, it was predicted to be a hard freeze which was very unusual because it never froze in that part of the country. He knew if that happened, it would destroy all of his crops and cost him thousands and thousands of dollars.
This man was kind of far out, but he believed that God could do anything. So he went out and marched around his orange trees and said, "God, I'm asking You to protect my crops and keep them from freezing." When his friends heard about it, they thought he was so strange and that was so odd.
When the big freeze came in the next morning, it lasted a little over twenty-four hours. His friends, who were also farmers, were so discouraged trying to figure out how they were going to survive knowing that the crops where going to be destroyed. This other man, he just kept thanking God that He was protecting his crops. Several days later, it was the most unusual sight. His property with hundreds and hundreds of acres had the most beautiful, healthy orange trees. But the trees on the properties around him, on all four sides, were just as dead as could be. It looked like somebody had put a big blanket over his property. Those other farmers were amazed. Instead of making fun of him, they said, "Next time do us a favor. Pray over our crops as well."
What happened? He was connected to the vine and not the report. He understood that God is well able to take care of us. He understood that God can prosper us even in the desert if we'll just be bold enough to believe despite of what the report says.
When we abide in Christ, agreeing with what He says we are, it doesn't matter what things look like in the natural. When we believe and agree and put God first, we will bear much fruit.
Scripture says if we will keep God first, we'll be like a tree planted by streams of water, whose leaf will not wither (Psalm 1:3). That means, financial difficulties may come, but we don't have to get all down and go into that survival mode hoping to just make it. When times get tough, don't hunker down and think, "Oh, it's so bad. If I can just hold on and make it through another year." No, dig your heels in and say, "I'm not going to just survive. I'm going to thrive. I'm going to prosper in spite of this difficulty."
We can stay in faith knowing that we are connected to the vine, and believe that God will supernaturally protect us, and that we'll see His unprecedented favor.
You see, it's not that impressive for us to be blessed and promoted when the economy is strong, business is great and everybody around us is being blessed. People can say that's just the benefit of good times or that's just the benefit of a strong economy. They can make excuses for it. But when times are tough and every other news report talks about how bad it is and how we're not supposed to make it; and yet, God shows up and does something unusual and extraordinary, that's a greater testimony to the faithfulness of our God. When God prospers you in the desert, and people see you increasing even though they're stuck, that's when they'll know it makes a difference to serve the Most High God.
The scripture says in Jeremiah that if we'll keep the Lord our trust and confidence, He will prosper us even in the desert. He'll prosper us even in difficult times. That means when others are going under, God says you'll go over. When other people are losing clients and business is slow, God is bringing you new clients. When companies are laying people off, God is opening up supernatural doors for you.
Maybe you're trying to sell your house and no other houses in the neighborhood are really selling. Why don't you be bold like this man and believe for favor? Why don't you be bold and march around your property and say, "God, I know I'm not supposed to survive. I'm supposed to thrive. So I'm asking that Your favor would cause my house to stand out." Maybe business is slow. Other people in your same field are really struggling. Well, you've got to start thanking God that He's bringing you new clients, that He's giving you new ideas, that He's opening up supernatural doors.
That's what it means to have a thriving mentality, knowing that you're connected to the vine. Deep down, we know even when we're in the desert; even when things are slow financially; even when we get a negative report, God is still on the throne. Our job is not our source. The economy is not our source. We know God is our source. And in one sense, it doesn't really matter what the stock market does or doesn't do. It doesn't matter how high the price of gas goes. God always has the final say. If gas goes to ten dollars a gallon that just means God is going to bless us in a greater way. David said in Psalm 37:25, "I've never seen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging for bread."
You may ask, "What about the economy?" Well, let me ask you, "What about our God?" He's still on the throne. The good news is there is not a recession in heaven. God has not had to cut back because of high gas prices. He's not having a shortage of food and supplies. I'm happy to report that all is well. At times, it may be difficult, and you might wonder how it's all going to work out. But just remember this: as God took the five loaves and the two fish and multiplied it to feed thousands of people, God can multiply what you have. He can multiply your time and help you to get more done. He can multiply your wisdom and help you to make better decisions. God can multiply your finances and cause them to go further. This may sound kind of far out, but God can cause your car to get better gas mileage. He can cause you to stay out of those traffic jams. God can help you find the best deals at the stores, find things that are on sale that are usually never on sale. God is in complete control.
Here's the key: as long as our source is okay, we're going to be okay. If we'll just stay connected to the vine, keeping God first, believing and expecting for His favor; then as His branches, we're not going to just survive. We're going to thrive.
This man was kind of far out, but he believed that God could do anything. So he went out and marched around his orange trees and said, "God, I'm asking You to protect my crops and keep them from freezing." When his friends heard about it, they thought he was so strange and that was so odd.
When the big freeze came in the next morning, it lasted a little over twenty-four hours. His friends, who were also farmers, were so discouraged trying to figure out how they were going to survive knowing that the crops where going to be destroyed. This other man, he just kept thanking God that He was protecting his crops. Several days later, it was the most unusual sight. His property with hundreds and hundreds of acres had the most beautiful, healthy orange trees. But the trees on the properties around him, on all four sides, were just as dead as could be. It looked like somebody had put a big blanket over his property. Those other farmers were amazed. Instead of making fun of him, they said, "Next time do us a favor. Pray over our crops as well."
What happened? He was connected to the vine and not the report. He understood that God is well able to take care of us. He understood that God can prosper us even in the desert if we'll just be bold enough to believe despite of what the report says.
When we abide in Christ, agreeing with what He says we are, it doesn't matter what things look like in the natural. When we believe and agree and put God first, we will bear much fruit.
Scripture says if we will keep God first, we'll be like a tree planted by streams of water, whose leaf will not wither (Psalm 1:3). That means, financial difficulties may come, but we don't have to get all down and go into that survival mode hoping to just make it. When times get tough, don't hunker down and think, "Oh, it's so bad. If I can just hold on and make it through another year." No, dig your heels in and say, "I'm not going to just survive. I'm going to thrive. I'm going to prosper in spite of this difficulty."
We can stay in faith knowing that we are connected to the vine, and believe that God will supernaturally protect us, and that we'll see His unprecedented favor.
You see, it's not that impressive for us to be blessed and promoted when the economy is strong, business is great and everybody around us is being blessed. People can say that's just the benefit of good times or that's just the benefit of a strong economy. They can make excuses for it. But when times are tough and every other news report talks about how bad it is and how we're not supposed to make it; and yet, God shows up and does something unusual and extraordinary, that's a greater testimony to the faithfulness of our God. When God prospers you in the desert, and people see you increasing even though they're stuck, that's when they'll know it makes a difference to serve the Most High God.
The scripture says in Jeremiah that if we'll keep the Lord our trust and confidence, He will prosper us even in the desert. He'll prosper us even in difficult times. That means when others are going under, God says you'll go over. When other people are losing clients and business is slow, God is bringing you new clients. When companies are laying people off, God is opening up supernatural doors for you.
Maybe you're trying to sell your house and no other houses in the neighborhood are really selling. Why don't you be bold like this man and believe for favor? Why don't you be bold and march around your property and say, "God, I know I'm not supposed to survive. I'm supposed to thrive. So I'm asking that Your favor would cause my house to stand out." Maybe business is slow. Other people in your same field are really struggling. Well, you've got to start thanking God that He's bringing you new clients, that He's giving you new ideas, that He's opening up supernatural doors.
That's what it means to have a thriving mentality, knowing that you're connected to the vine. Deep down, we know even when we're in the desert; even when things are slow financially; even when we get a negative report, God is still on the throne. Our job is not our source. The economy is not our source. We know God is our source. And in one sense, it doesn't really matter what the stock market does or doesn't do. It doesn't matter how high the price of gas goes. God always has the final say. If gas goes to ten dollars a gallon that just means God is going to bless us in a greater way. David said in Psalm 37:25, "I've never seen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging for bread."
You may ask, "What about the economy?" Well, let me ask you, "What about our God?" He's still on the throne. The good news is there is not a recession in heaven. God has not had to cut back because of high gas prices. He's not having a shortage of food and supplies. I'm happy to report that all is well. At times, it may be difficult, and you might wonder how it's all going to work out. But just remember this: as God took the five loaves and the two fish and multiplied it to feed thousands of people, God can multiply what you have. He can multiply your time and help you to get more done. He can multiply your wisdom and help you to make better decisions. God can multiply your finances and cause them to go further. This may sound kind of far out, but God can cause your car to get better gas mileage. He can cause you to stay out of those traffic jams. God can help you find the best deals at the stores, find things that are on sale that are usually never on sale. God is in complete control.
Here's the key: as long as our source is okay, we're going to be okay. If we'll just stay connected to the vine, keeping God first, believing and expecting for His favor; then as His branches, we're not going to just survive. We're going to thrive.
No comments:
Post a Comment