The Sick Forest

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“This forest feels sick, as if a disease lies upon it.  Is there no way around?” J.R.R. Tolkien

This line struck a cord in my soul.

I have always had a special place for trees.  I grew up in a place where enormous evergreen and maple trees grow and stand.  I enjoyed playing in them and amongst them.  I have great memories of the trees that filled the greenbelts and woods of my childhood home. 

Today I like growing trees in pots on my back porch.  Some have grown from seed and acorn, others I have discovered while tending to my yard and garden.  Little presents from God. White crape myrtles and boxwood elders seem to be my favorite.  

Trees are beautiful things but that wasn’t the main reason why Tolkien’s sentence echoed in the chambers of my soul.    

It was the correlation that my soul drew upon.  It was the illustration that God Himself often makes in His word…  How trees symbolically represent people.

“They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”  Referenced from Isaiah 61. 
 

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“But as my people watched, I destroyed the Amorites, though they were as tall as cedars and as strong as oaks.  I destroyed the fruit of their branches and dug out their roots” Amos 2:9     

“Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing." Ezekiel 47:12

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD. "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit." Jeremiah 17:8

Even our LORD Jesus Christ is referred to as a tree or branch in scripture.

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. Isaiah 11:1

Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the Lord;” Zechariah 6:12

How differently I think of the cedars of Lebanon that Solomon used to construct the temple of the Lord. For this event was to illustrate what was to come. It was to show us how the Lord and King, Jesus Christ, would use God’s forests (so to speak) to construct the living temple where he would dwell.

  “Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16

A temple that the red dragon, Satan, would love to destroy in as many ways as possible.

 ^“And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.” Revelation 12:17

Tolkien’s speaks of a sick forest, a forest that has been put under an evil spell, a poison that has allowed evil to undermine and weaken the forest of Mirkwood.   It has caused the trees, under closer examination, to become bare and fruitless and pale.   Evil has been allowed to weave its webs there and those assigned to task of overseeing these forests have been overwhelmed at the decline and condition of these once beautiful woodlands.  

It has reminded of such verses in the bible.

 “You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Revelation 3:17

  

“The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Matthew 3:10

^“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:12-12

Now it’s NOT hard to imagine why Satan, the deceiver, would try to convince many with his skilled poisonous whispers "division from God".  In fact Satan tried to separate God’s chosen creation, made in God’s image, by encouraging Eve and Adam to question God in the Garden of Eden.   Satan still tempts individuals with the temporal pleasures and foolish opinions of fallen men -that God is not all that important.   Satan uses items such as money and the securities and comforts of the world that never satisfy in hopes to keep many away from God.   Blinded by the dragon's sickness these people become disenchanted, selfish and close-minded about life.   

For how many... have you known, who inadvertently took their eyes off God and found themselves in a dark predicament?   

Have you ever thought everything is meaningless and pointless because you have failed to seek, surrender your perspective and been appreciative to God for the things He has given you?

Satan tries his hardest to get people’s eyes off of God, who is the sustainer and light of men. (Why do you think Satan works so hard to get God’s name out of “this” and out of “that”?)  For God is the LIFE giving Spirit and without Him we would be doomed to become like the Forest of Mirkwood or the still trees of Narnia. 

“And the trees, they retreated so deep into themselves that they haven’t been heard from since.”…. Narnia movie quote.

Ever been in the presence of such a tree or gathering of trees?  Their thoughts continue in same circular pattern that drives them into a dark deep hole.  They lose track of the path in which they were to stay on.  They don’t seem to remember to look up for a way out. 

  

Fortunately by the grace of God, we have been awakened from such dreadful heavy states just as David.

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again--my Savior and my God!” Psalm 43:5

Jesus said,

“God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.” Matthew 5:3

What a mighty verse to stop the dark allure of spreading its blight and causing inner spoil of blackness and rot. 

Here is another...

“³ Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.” Revelation 3:3

We need a good shaking from time to time to knock off the cold heavy snow from our branches that hasn’t allowed us to hear or see clearly.  We need a good wind to stir us to allow our roots to grow down into God's love. 

In transplanting my trees, I find some become root bound.  I have to cut the roots on the side of the root ball so they will grow properly in the ground.   We too can put ourselves in a pot of our own making and become root bound in our own understanding and stop maturing and becoming fruitful.  BUT God because He loves us took us out of that pot, cut the root bound away and placed us in His fertile soil with no pots!!!  God doesn't set limitations on us but we do.

   

 ^“I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. ¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:16-19

So when you feel the allure to trust in something other then God or when all you seem to see is darkness, the mundane, and the meaningless of the world -submit to God and he will lift you up- James 4:10. 

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Remember Satan wants to undermine and sicken the forest of God.  He wants to destroy the tree that you are in God.  He wants to tear down the temple and it's beauty that God is creating in you.  He wants to contaminate your mind and heart with his dragon sickness just as illustrated with Thorin Oakshield in the Hobbit who exhibited hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, division, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy… these are just some of the symptoms listed in Galatians 5:19-21.  A sickness if not awakened and healed from, leads to no eternal life in heaven.   

Satan does not want you to become what God has planned for you.  He wants you to close and blockade the doors and shut them so no light comes in and darkness can have it's way with you.

Think of it this way, Satan knows…   

Who wants to look at a sick tree? Who wants to go into a sick forest? Would you use rotten trees to build a house?  Of course not! Get the picture?

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:7-8

“I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 3:11-13

To WHOM Do I Belong?

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There is a children’s book about a little bird that cracked open his egg and fell out of the nest and goes looking for his mother who he has never seen.   The little bird asks a cat, a dog, a cow, and even a car and a dirt scoop…. if they are his mother. 

We think this is silly and illogical but isn’t that precisely what people do with… God?

We can plainly see through history and artifacts of people worshipping the creation and not the living true God- the Creator.  The Egyptians worshipped the gods of Ra, Isis, Horus, and many more.  The Israelites made a golden calf to worship instead of worshiping the true living God who miraculously gave them freedom from slavery in Egypt.  We see and hear about ancient Greek and Roman gods like Apollo, Cupid, Hercules, Zeus, Hades, Diana, and Aphrodite.  We see in certain Catholic churches Mary and the saints are worshipped as gods.  We see in the Native American culture that creation is worshipped not the Creator.  In Mexico and sad to say, here in America there are shrines and statues to Satan, the one who seeks to destroy all those created in the image of God. 

People ask… sciences are you my God?

Money are you my God?

Circumstances are you my God?

Job is it my God?

Doctors, professors, clergy, therapist are they my God?

Husband, wife, girl friend, boy friend are you my God?

Me, my feelings, my thoughts are they my God?

How many people do you know who have been cursed/controlled by their lifestyle of tobacco, alcohol and/or drugs which is causing them not only to make bad decisions, but destroying their body and life? These substances have become a god to them. 

How many people do you know who have been cursed by divorce and adulterous relationships?  It’s not just the spouse that pays but the children as well.

How many people do you know who have been cursed by sexual sin? 

How many people do you know who have been cursed by trusting in money?

How many people do you know who have been cursed by hatred?

How many people do you know who trust in only what they see and they are cursed by it?  How many people do you see deeply hurt by the actions of others and they can’t get past those hurtful actions?

How many people do you see cursed and blinded because they don’t trust God?

These are examples of false gods/idols in people’s lives.  They are saying, “These are my gods.  I trust, use, follow, listen to these things more then God.  These things are what I allow to rule over my life… if they fail me I am without hope because I choose to trust in mere idols and circumstances then the true living God.”

Let’s read Romans 1.

“Yes they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks.  And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.  The result was that their minds became dark and confused.  Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.  And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols make to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.  So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.  As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.  Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies.  So they worshipped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.  That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires.  Even women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other.  And men, instead of having normal sexual relationships with women, burned with lust for each other.  Men did shameful things with other men and, as a result, suffered within themselves the penalty they so richly deserved.  When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done.  Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.  They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent proud, and boastful.  They are forever inventing new ways of sinning and are disobedient to their parents.  They refuse to understand, break promises, and are heartless and unforgiving.  They are fully aware of God’s death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway.  And worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.”  Romans 1:21-32

Look at the ROOT issue… The root issue is making other things gods instead of the living true God
be God of their life.

“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Proverbs 25:28

Ever been hurt by someone or a group of people?  Ever been greatly discouraged because of a situation?  What is your tendency to do when hurt or discouraged?  Is it finding a way to get even, quitting, withdrawing, indulging in ways of temporary escape and/or believing in the lies and so on and so forth?  God knows our tendencies so he says in His word….  

“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, and turn their hearts away from the LORD.  They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future.  They will live in the barren wilderness, on the salty flats where no one lives.”

Is this not true or what?  We allow hurt or loss or the betrayal of a situation to become our poison.  We become stunted, feel hopeless and feel justified to throw a little pity part.  We start living in this bleak mindset where it seems no one can help us.  But look at the contrast of these following these verses…

“But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence.  They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water.  Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought.  Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:5-8

So we must ask ourselves what do we allow to be above God in our life?  What is going to be our deep and growing and strengthening resolve in life? Are we going to allow circumstances and situations cause us to turn our hearts away from the LORD? And if we do turn our hearts away from the LORD, what are we saying is our god?  What God/or god is over this situation?” we must ask ourselves. 

Who am I going to turn to, turn the situation over to, and trust? 

Genesis 1:27 says, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God; He created him, male and female he created them.”

Three times in the same sentence it says is “God created”.  If you are created by God, then you belong to that HIM.   Knowing we belong to the LORD will make a big difference in our life.  We can turn our life over to Him our Creator and Savior Jesus Christ.  Instead of destructive ways of living, God will guide us to constructive ways of overcoming.  We will grow to know WHO is our strength and shield and He will bless us because we know we are in need of Him.

“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” Colossians 3:10

Extending Grace & Mercy

Struggling periods in life are hard enough but they are even tougher when people don’t extend you grace and mercy during that trying and painful time.

… It’s always easier to judge then live in the truth and love of Jesus Christ.

It’s easy to be a fruit inspector and see just the bad fruit but is that what God sees in a person who we see as worthless, small, a failure, an outcast and so on?

No!

Jesus is the faithful shepherd. He goes and gets that lost sheep or the sheep that has fallen into the well even on the Sabbath. He isn’t religious but real. He is the one who ministers to the cast sheep that is drowning in the circumstances, perceptions and feelings about life. He is the one who relieves the heaviness of life and gets the sheep back on their feet. Unfortunately the enemy, who sees the compromising and recovering position of the sheep, urges other sheep to knock that sheep back down. These sheep, which feel justified speak and do so in a manner that doesn’t exalt Christ.

You know the reason they feel justified to speak from their flesh? They do this because they have forgotten the mercy and grace that God has given them.

But deeper…. you know why it hurts you? You have based your value on how others look and act towards you. Don’t worry I got that t-shirt as well. In fact it is autographed more then once.

It hurts us because we have forgotten that God didn’t just send anyone to die for us but He sent himself (Jesus Christ) who didn’t just know all your successes but also your failures and troubles as well. And in spite of all these things, he saw you as precious enough to die for. He valued you so much that he died for you.

No one can value you more then God - Jesus Christ.

I am still learning the value of Jesus going to the cross and taking the punishment for me. My value is not in those who value or not value me but what Jesus did for me. God would lay down his life for me! That is where our value should be in. That is where our faith should live and breath and start and finish. That is where our confidence needs to remain.

The Lord is our rock and our salvation. The Lord is our shepherd we shall not want. He leads us to peaceful streams and to rest in green pastures.

I see that extending grace and mercy can be a mighty tool to those who are struggling and not extending grace and mercy can cause more problems. Here God is addressing the issues in this person’s life and you not seeing this make negative comments and use God’s sharp word against them…

Do you want to open your mouth out of some fleshly justification and have to answer to God for causing more havoc in a person’s life. He is helping a cast sheep, which is drowning in the circumstances, perceptions, failures, situations in life and you come along and say whatever you “feel” like. You going to set fires to God’s work and leave only bitter tastes?

God says to love and do good to your brother and sister in Christ. He says to do good even if it means to suffer. (1 Peter 2:21) He says “And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!” (Luke 6:33) He says to love your enemies. (Matthew 5:43-48)

We are to live in the truth, which Jesus Christ, died for you.

If we are not living in this truth we cannot give grace and mercy to those struggling.

The same is true for the struggling. If they are not living in the truth, they cannot extend grace and mercy to those who judge and have prejudices against them but a win-win situation only comes and exalts Christ when grace and mercy are extended.

Extended grace and mercy builds instead of tears down which produces conduct that is worthy of the Gospel of Christ. It unites instead of separates.

Jesus says “Stop judging others and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged.” Matthew 7

To the struggling and emotional compromised…. Don’t give yourself, your value, your outlook on life, your faith, your prospective, your confidence, your trust – that are pearls which God has paid for to people who can easily attack you, turn on you, and make you feel like all the things you are not.

To the people who want to speak out of some fleshly justification, you treat someone as if they have no value, they will act as if they have no value.

God says, “I want you to be merciful. I don’t want your sacrifices. I want you to know God; that’s more important then burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6

Jesus says “God blesses those who are merciful. For they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7

Accepting God’s value and meditating on this truth in your mind and heart will empower you and God will allow you to give mercy and grace when the human nature demands vengeance.

And though we understand a person reaps what he/she sows, it is not our duty to judge. No one really knows what a person is going through. Who can give an accurate conclusion by only our own human observation and calculation? For who knows the good work of Christ being completed in a person who is struggling? Certainty it is not us- for who carries out the good work in you?

“Each heart knows its own bitterness and no one can fully share its joy.” Proverbs 14:10

Success is done only in the Spirit not the flesh.

The flesh only causes obstacles; envy, rivalry and trouble- the ways of the flesh don’t work for the living Gospel but working against it.

Don’t be biased but give the same consideration Christ has and is continuing to give to you.

You take things into your own hands instead of praying and allowing God to work- you are causing more trouble. You are not being an instrument of God. You are being a stumbling block.

God is removing the speck from your brother or sister’s eye and because you have decided what is going on and what is best – you have “not only” inserted a log in your own eye but hurt the relationship you could have built-up in Christ.

Extend grace and mercy and you will reap mercy and blessing.

To those struggling and hurting may God show you the reason for this pain that maybe purposeful to teach you something deeper to strength your faith or so you can exalt Christ. Remember Jesus loves you enough to die for you…. That is how much he values you.

Pick up your Mat and Walk

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Ever been oppressed? Oppressed to the point you feel disabled and handicapped spiritually? Ever feel this burdening presence that closes in on you? You sense its weight. You sense its tension on your body as if you are wrestling something invisible as you try to do what needs to be done throughout the day. It is a presence that just does not leave you alone.

Most often we wrestle this presence with our physical and mental strength and it doesn’t go so well because we are up against something spiritual. We need to use spiritual weapons when we are up against spiritual weaponry and foes.

You are saved by Jesus Christ and because you are saved by Jesus Christ you have the authority in Him. You have spiritual authority in Him. You have been set free from the law of sin, which so easily influences the physical and mental sides of us. The physical and mental sides are often manipulated causing us to lose peace and rest- we move into areas of unbelief (sometimes unknowingly) which is a sin.

This unbelief in sin causes us to become captives to our oppressors. We sit handicapped spiritually on our mat and feel sorry for ourselves because "everyone is able to get into the pool of Bethesda before we do when the waters are stirred up."

We grumble and complain serving the law of sin not realizing we are falling into the same trap as the Israelites who had left Egypt. Though they had been set free – their hearts sank back into their old ways and desires. And we know what happened to them….

However those with Joshua had a promise. Joshua had the promise from God and we also have the same promises through Jesus.

Do these sound familiar? “ I will be with you. I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and courageous. Do not turn away from God and you will be successful in everything you do. Meditate on the word day and night and obey it- only then will you succeed. I command you- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:5-9)

Jesus told the man at the pool of Bethesda after he asked him, “Would you like to get well.”

The man complained but Jesus ignored the complaint at first and simply ordered, “Stand up, pick up your sleeping mat and walk!”

Instantly the man was healed. He rolled the mat and began walking. When Jesus found the man in the temple again… Jesus then addressed the man’s complaint with this. “Now you are well, so stop sinning or something even worse may happen to you. (John 5)

We are to strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress- we do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. Hebrews 12. Hebrews 4:14-16

Through the things we suffer we learn to be more obedient and dependent upon God- seeing our need for Him everyday of our lives.