.......see

     The story is told about three accountants who doubted their three engineer friends. They were traveling by train to a conference. The accountants bought three tickets, but the engineers only bought one. "How are three people going to travel on only one ticket?" an accountant asked.

     "Watch and you'll see," said an engineer.

     They all boarded the train. The accountants took their seats, but the three engineers crammed into a restroom and closed the door behind them. The train departed the station and soon the conductor came through the car asking for tickets. He knocked on the restroom door and said, "Ticket, please." The door opened a crack and a single arm emerges with a ticket in hand. The conductor took it and moved on.

     The accountants agreed that this is a rather clever idea so after the conference, they decided to duplicate the engineers' feat. They bought only one ticket, but were astonished when the engineers bought no ticket at all!  "How are you going to travel without a ticket?" the accountants asked. "Watch and you'll see," replied the engineers.

     When they boarded the train, the accountants crammed into a restroom with their ticket while the three engineers did the same in a nearby restroom.  After the train departed the station, one of the engineers left the restroom and walked over to the restroom where the accountants were hiding.  He knocked on the door and said, "Ticket, please."

     Watch and you'll see.

     I wonder how many times those words have been spoken by our Lord throughout the centuries.  I imagine there were many questions that were asked by the angels in heaven that received those words as a response.  "God, how are you going to deliver the Israelites from the hands of the powerful Egyptians?"  "Watch and you'll see."  "What is your plan to bring about man's salvation?"  "Watch and you'll see."  "Your Son, Jesus, has been born a helpless baby in a poor, powerless family.  How can he possibly make a difference in this world?"  "Watch and you'll see."

     And I'm sure Jesus must have spoken those words countless times to his apostles.  "Lord, this man has leprosy.  That one is a paralytic.  What can possibly be done to help them?"  "Watch and you'll see."  "Jesus, this woman's son has already died.  Surely there is nothing you can do."  "Watch and you'll see."  "Jesus, if you're crucified, how can you possibly save the world?"  "Watch and you'll see."

     In fact, I suspect those same words have been spoken to you and to me at difficult times in our lives that we questioned God.  "God, how can I go on living without someone I love so dearly by my side?"  "Watch and you'll see."  "How can I cope in the midst of all this physical or emotional pain?"  "Watch and you'll see."  "God, this addiction has a hold on me and I don't see any way that I'll ever have the strength to conquer it."  "Watch and you'll see."

     "He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.  He has put a new song in my mouth -- praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD.  Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust..." (Psalm 42:1-3)

     Watch and you'll see!

-alan smith

think

The last few days I have been reading the book of Second Timothy. This verse caught my mind and my heart,"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." The two words that caught my attention were "sound mind". Actually, there is one compound Greek word that is translated "sound mind". [sos = safe + phren = mind, thus "safe-thinking"]

Oh, how we have a need in our world today for "safe-thinking"!  "Safe-thinking" is found in the Word of God. The Apostle Paul stated it this way, "Finally, my brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8)

What more contemporary words of encouragement for wholesome, "safe-thinking" could be given than these? In a world filled with the antithesis of "safe-thinking" what better guidelines than those found in Philippians 4:8?

I am concerned that, in today's media, we find much that is unwholesome and unsafe. Television is filled with programs and commercials that take us away from "safe-thinking", and move us toward the profane and dark side of mankind.

The descending maelstrom of today's media blitz is weakening the foundation of gospel truth and Christ-centered thinking which set this nation's foundation. Proverbs 23:7 declares, "For as a man thinks in his heart, so he is." Thoughts generate direction, and direction determines destination. We all would do well, in the unwholesome media blitz, to consider what direction our thoughts are encouraging us to go, and what destination we are headed for.

In a world whose airwaves are being filled with "darkness", and are controlled by the prince of the power of the air, I would like to encourage us all to follow the Apostle Paul's exhortation in Romans 12:2 - "Do not be conformed (Don't allow peer pressure and trends to be the model to follow) to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, (by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit) - that you may prove (by testing the truth of Scripture) what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

-ken trevithick

four

When I finally shut up, I can hear God’s voice. When you are out of words,   God speaks.  When I don’t know what to pray for, God steps in and says, “Let me help you.”   Prayer is learning about what God has already done.  Prayer is giving God permission to handle what you can’t.

-- Melinda Clements

The great fault of the children of God is that they do not continue in prayer; they do not go on praying; they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it.

-- George Mueller

God allows good and bad into our lives and we can trust Him with both.   Trusting God when the miracle does not come, when the urgent prayer gets no answer, when there is only darkness...  this is the kind of faith God values most of all.

--Nancy Guthrie

It is not necessary to make long prayers, but it is essential to be much alone with God, waiting at His door, heartening for His voice, lingering in the garden of Scripture for the coming of the Lord God in the dawn or cool of the day. No number of meetings, no fellowship with Christian friends, no amount of Christian activity can compensate for the neglect of the still hour.

-- F.B. Meter

celebrity

Everybody's a celebrity in somebody's eyes. The high-profile, obvious ones might be athletes, olympians, singers, or movie stars. It could be a mom or dad to a young child, or perhaps an older sibling. Maybe a student would have a teacher who filled that role, or a ball player, a coach.  

Perhaps someone you don't even know thinks of you as some sort of celebrity. Your smile might light up the day for a weary check-out person at the market, and buoy up his outlook. Or the elderly receptionist handling the front desk in the office may think of you as a celebrity-type, because each day you take an interest and ask how the family's doing. Or maybe you are the only person in months who has thanked the hardworking person who's cleaning the turnpike restroom, and to her you might have celebrity status. 

Whether you're aware of it or not, you're a celebrity in God's eyes. 

He made you.  (Genesis 1:26,28 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image... God blessed them)

He loves you.   (John 16:27  the Father himself loves you)  (Revelation 1:6  To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father-to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen)

He paid a high price to have a relationship with you. (1 Corinthians 7:23)

And, you are always on His mind    (Isaiah 49 15,16  "I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.)

Enjoy your celebrity status today. Walk in it, knowing that in Somebody's eyes, you are just that, a celebrity. 

That's good news.

never

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

In my counseling training I was advised to tell the client, especially in marriage counseling, to avoid the words "always" and "never."   "You always say..."    "You never do..."    Use of those words creates a a no win situation. If you think, say or feel that a person "always" and/or "never" does a certain thing, there is not much room for grace, and not much for for hope.

Although there is significant wisdom in that teaching, I am glad our Lord was above my training.

When I read, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." I find hope.

It gives me hope to know that no matter how afraid, confused, and forgotten I may feel, He is always with me.

When I read, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." I find peace.

It gives me peace to know that no matter how how fragile, foolish, and flippant I may be toward Him, He will never leave me.

When I read, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  I find comfort.

It gives me great comfort knowing that although others will die, depart, and deny me, God will never leave me.

When I read, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." I find joy.

It gives me great joy when I ponder the fact that I do not have to worry how He my respond to me tomorrowbecause He will respond to me tomorrow the same way He responded to me yesterday and today, He did not leave me. He will not leave me.

When I read, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." I find strength.

It gives me are new and a renewed strength when I consider that no matter how fearful I am, no matter how big of a failure I may be, and not matter how fatigued I may become, He will not leave me and he will not forsake me.

When I read, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." I find relief.

Whew! What a relief I have when I accept the reality that not matter what, no matter where, and no matter why He will never leave me and He will never forsake me.

When I read, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  I realize you and I are extremely blessed because we never have to doubt where He is or how He feels about us.  He tells us, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  He made a promise we can trust and a promise He will keep.

He will never leave us; never forsake us. Thank You Father.

-tom norvell

times

Looking at the time in which we are living is very difficult. It truly seems that there is almost no good news to be heard. The economy, millions without jobs, the wars going on worldwide, and the riots we read about in places that are supposed to be stable, food shortages, fuel shortages and then there is death and destruction which we will never understand. The list could grow quite long if we wanted it to, but these are the times in which we live.

Paul Harvey wrote these words about our times: "In times like these, it is helpful to remember that there have always been times like these."

Keeping things in perspective is sometimes hard to do, but I heard about a wise grandmother that could help us all in this area.

It seems that a little boy is telling his Grandma how "everything" is going wrong: School, family problems, health problems, etc. Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he does. "Here, have some cooking oil." "Yuck" says the boy. "How about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Grandma!" "Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" "Grandma, those are all yucky!" To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!" She continued, "God works the same way in our lives."

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 tells us, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time."

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What can we do, how do we react when our world is falling apart and we have been warned that history is going to repeat itself or our world (even our personal world) has no chance to avoid unwanted changes, no matter what we do? I would suggest to you, that we must focus on that which is unchanging, that which gives us hope for the future that will never change.

In Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 King Solomon reminds us: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

Do you want Security? Do you want Stability? Do you want the promise of a life that is not subject to the changes of this world? Then put your faith, your life, and your trust in the hands of our God! In our unstable world there is stability if you know where to look! I love Romans 8:35-39 where Paul writes:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In times like these, where is your trust, your security, your stability?

-russ lawson

hope

"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small coins (mites), worth only a few cents.  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)

Ruele Howe tells about growing up with his parents in the country. When he was 15 years old, the house caught on fire. They escaped with only the clothes on their backs. There were no close neighbors to help so he and his father walked to a distant village to get supplies. As they returned they saw something that stayed with Ruele Howe all those years after. Beside the charred remains of what had been their house, his mother had laid out lunch on a log. 

She had placed a tin can filled with wildflowers on the log. 

It was a symbol of hope in the midst of tragedy.

This is the Christian faith, isn't it? She didn't try to cover up the disaster with flowers, but in the midst of that gloomy scene she had placed a symbol of hope.

These two coins that the widow placed in the temple treasury were her wildflowers. This was her symbol, her way of saying I know God will provide.

-king duncan

testimony

My 9-year-old's last-second request surprised his doctor and taught me a valuable lesson.

Last fall my 9-year-old son, Austin, had his tonsils removed. Before the surgery, Austin's anesthesiologist came to start an IV. He was wearing a cool surgical cap covered in colorful frogs. Austin loved that "frog hat."

The doctor explained that he had two choices. He could either try to start the IV, or he could wait until Austin was up in the operating room. In the OR, the doctor would give Austin some "goofy" gas, and start the IV when he was more relaxed. "So, Austin," he asked, "which do you want?"

Austin replied, "I'll take the gas."    But when the doctor started to leave, Austin called, "Hey, wait." The doctor turned. "Yeah, buddy, what do you need?"

Austin asked, "Do you go to church?" "No," the doctor admitted. "I know I probably should, but I don't." Austin then asked, "Well, are you saved?"

Chuckling nervously, the doctor said, "Nope. But after talking to you, maybe it's something I should consider."

Pleased with his response, Austin answered, "Well, you should, 'cause Jesus is great!"

"I'm sure He is, little guy," the doctor said, and quickly made his exit. After that a nurse took me to the waiting room. Someone would come and get me when Austin's surgery was done.

After about 45 minutes, the anesthesiologist came into the waiting room. He told me the surgery went well and then said, "Mrs. Blessitt, I don't usually come down and talk to the parents after a surgery, but I just had to tell you what your son did."

Oh boy, I thought. What did that little rascal do now? The doctor explained that he'd just put the mask on Austin when my son signaled that he needed to say something. When the doctor removed the mask, Austin blurted, "Wait a minute, we have to pray!"

The doctor told him to go ahead, and Austin prayed, "Dear Lord, please let all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen."

The doctor admitted this touched him. "I was so sure he would pray that his surgery went well," he explained. "He didn't even mention his surgery. He prayed for me! Mrs. Blessitt, I had to come down and let you know what a great little guy you have."

A few minutes later a nurse came to take me to post-op. She had a big smile on her face as we walked to the elevator. "Mrs. Blessitt, I couldn't wait to tell you something exciting that your son did."

With a smile, I told her that the doctor already mentioned Austin 's prayer. "But there's something you don't know," she said. "Some of the other nurses and I have been witnessing to and praying for that doctor for a long time. After your son's surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about Austin's prayer. He said, 'Well girls, you got me. If that little boy could pray for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his Jesus too."

She then recounted how they joined the doctor as he prayed to receive Christ right there in the hospital. Wow! Austin had played a small part in something wonderful. But then, so did the nurses who prayed and witnessed.

I thought about John's words in his Gospel, "One sows and the other reaps" (John 4:37). Austin's experience taught me that, although we never know which role we may be called to play, in the end it doesn't matter. What's important is that we remain faithful in sharing the gospel.

"A little child will lead them." (Isa.11:6)

-tina blessitt

dresser

A woman is dying of AIDS. A minister is summoned. He attempts to share God's love with her, but to no avail.

"I am lost," she said. "I have ruined my life and every life around me. Now I'm going painfully to hell. There is no hope for me."

The minister saw a framed picture of a pretty girl on the dresser. "Who is this?" he asked. The woman brightened. "She is my daughter, the one beautiful thing in my life."

"And would you help her if she was in trouble, or made a mistake? Would you forgive her? Would you still love her?"

"Of course I would!" cried the woman, "I would do anything for her! Why do you ask such a question?"

"Because I want you to know," said the minister, "that God has a picture of you on His dresser."

-dave langerfield

forcing

Several days had passed since I bought the beautiful large, plump rose. I cut the stem at an angle, under water as the directions suggested. Then I placed it in a special bud vase, and set it on my husband's washstand. He is fond of roses, and although this flower didn't have much fragrance, it was lovely to look at.

The flower just wasn't opening like I thought it should.  

"I'll help it," I thought. So carefully, I pried the blush color petals open.  

Perhaps you have tried to force a flower to open before it is ready. It didn't work for me! Too often I am impatient with how things are going and just 'have to' get involved to try help speed up the process. 

Forcing the bloom of this flower to fully open brought home the message to me that it is wise to be patient. There is a rhythm, and a time, for everything. My impatience helps nothing!

Thank you, Lord, You make everything beautiful, in Your time. That is Good News.

Ecclesiastes 3 

1 There is a time for everything, 

      and a season for every activity under heaven: 

 2 a time to be born and a time to die, 

      a time to plant and a time to uproot, 

 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, 

      a time to tear down and a time to build, 

 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, 

      a time to mourn and a time to dance, 

 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,a time to embrace and a time to refrain, 

 6 a time to search and a time to give up, 

      a time to keep and a time to throw away, 

 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, 

      a time to be silent and a time to speak, 

 8 a time to love and a time to hate, 

       a time for war and a time for peace.

holding

I read about the experience of a man who underwent open-heart surgery. He said, "The day before surgery a nurse came into my room to visit. She took hold of my hand and told me to feel it and hold it."

 

"Now," she said, "during the surgery tomorrow you will be disconnected from your heart and you will be kept alive only by virtue of certain machines. When your heart is finally restored and the operation is over and you are recovering, you will eventually awaken in a special recovery room.

 

You will be immobile for as long as six hours. You may be unable to move, or speak, or even to open your eyes, but you will be perfectly conscious. You will hear and you will know everything that is going on around you.

 

During those six hours, I will be at your side and I will hold your hand, exactly as I am doing now. I will stay with you until you are fully recovered. Although you may feel absolutely helpless, when you feel my hand, you will know that I will not leave you."

 

"It happened exactly as the nurse told me. I awoke and could do nothing. But I could feel the nurse's hand in my hand for hours. And that made all the difference!"

 

Jesus' favorite word for His promised presence in the Holy Spirit is "Paraclete - the One called alongside." Engrave the words of Jesus on your mind until they are such a part of you that even during the hardest times of your life, regardless of how you feel, you will know that He is with you - holding your hand - and he will never leave you or forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)

change

     A young boy was looking through the family album and asked his mother, "Who's this fellow on the beach with you with all the muscles and curly hair?"

     "That's your father."

     "Then who's the old bald-headed man who lives with us now?"

     Let's be honest -- we all change as the years pass, and some of the changes are not for the better!  Physically speaking, few 50- or 60-year-olds have improved physically from what they were like when they were 20 or 30 years old.

     But the more important thing is how we are changing spiritually.  In Ephesians 4, Paul talks about putting off the old man (sinful actions and attitudes) and putting on the new man (Christ-like qualities).  That's not a once-in-a-lifetime activity.  It's an ongoing process.

     If we are going to grow, we must change.  And what is the goal?

     "...so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more." (2 Corinthians3:18)

-alan smith

ebenezer

There's a peculiar line in the classic hymn "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" that many of us probably never even realized was there. It's in the second stanza; and it says, "Here I raise my Ebenezer." Similarly, many of us may not be familiar with the single verse from which that line originated. Robert Robinson apparently not only knew of the verse but also understood its meaning and importance, for it was he who wrote those words into his beautiful and timeless hymn.

In 1 Samuel 7:12 we are told that "Samuel took a stone and set it up... and called its name Ebenezer, saying 'Thus far the Lord has helped us.'" That stone was a reminder to the Israelites of God's faithfulness and might. It was set up so that no matter what situation they were in, they would be able to hark back to their defeat of the Philistines in which God was faithful to deliver them.

What reminders do you have of God's faithfulness in your life? It may be a picture, a song, a powerful verse that really spoke to your heart during a difficult time. Whatever it is, keep it at hand so that when you are discouraged you can not only use it to recall how God has blessed and helped you, but you can also look forward to His future faithfulness.

Ebenezer - from two Hebrew words pronounced together: "Even Haazer" - "Stone of Help."

-David Jeremiah

! again

Dear Lord,

We're still hoping we'll wake up. We're still hoping we'll open a sleepy eye and think, "What a horrible dream."

But we won't, will we, Father? What we saw was not a dream. Planes did gouge towers. Flames did consume our fortress. People did perish. It was no dream and, dear Father, we are sad.

There is a ballet dancer who will no longer dance and a doctor who will no longer heal. A church has lost her priest, a classroom is minus a teacher. Cora ran a food pantry. Paige was a counselor and Dana, dearest Father, Dana was only three years old. (Who held her in those final moments?)

We are sad, Father. For as the innocent are buried, our innocence is buried as well. We thought we were safe. Perhaps we should have known better. But we didn't.

And so we come to you. We don't ask you for help; we beg you for it. We don't request it; we implore it. We know what you can do. We've read the accounts. We've pondered the stories and now we plead, "Do it again, Lord. Do it again."

Remember Joseph? You rescued him from the pit. You can do the same for us. Do it again, Lord.

Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? You protected their children from the angel of death. We have children, too, Lord. Do it again.

And Sarah? Remember her prayers? You heard them. 

Joshua? Remember his fears? You inspired him. 

The women at the tomb? You resurrected their hope. 

The doubts of Thomas? You took them away. 

Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

You changed Daniel from a captive into a king's counselor. You took Peter the fisherman and made him Peter an apostle. Because of you, David went from leading sheep to leading armies. Do it again, Lord, for we need counselors today, Lord. We need apostles. We need leaders. Do it again, dear Lord.

Most of all, do again what you did at Calvary. What we saw here last Tuesday, you saw there that Friday. Innocence slaughtered. Goodness murdered. Mothers weeping. Evil dancing. Just as the smoke eclipsed our morning, so the darkness fell on your Son. Just as our towers were shattered, the very Tower of Eternity was pierced.

And by dusk, heaven's sweetest song was silent, buried behind a rock. But you did not waver, O Lord. You did not waver. After three days in a dark hole, you rolled the rock and rumbled the earth and turned the darkest Friday into the brightest Sunday. Do it again, Lord. Grant us a September Easter.

We thank you, dear Father, for these hours of unity. 

Christians are praying with Jews. 

Republicans are standing with Democrats. 

Skin colors have been covered by the ash of burning buildings. 

We thank you for these hours of unity.

And we thank you for these hours of prayer. The Enemy sought to bring us to our knees and succeeded. He had no idea, however, that we would kneel before you. And he has no idea what you can do.

Grant to those who lead us wisdom beyond their years and experience. Have mercy upon the souls who have departed and the wounded who remain. Give us grace that we might forgive and faith that we might believe.

And look kindly upon your church. For two thousand years you've used her to heal a hurting world.

Do it again, Lord. Do it again.

Through Christ, Amen.
-Max Lucado

scars

John Gordon was a respected general for the South in the Civil War. After the war, he was running for the United States Senate, but a man who had served under him in the war, angry over some political incident, was determined to see him defeated. Everyone knew this man would fight Gordon's bid to become a senator.

During the convention, he angrily stamped down the aisle with his anti-Gordon vote in hand. As he saw Gordon sitting on the platform, he noticed how his once handsome face was disfigured with the scars of battle -- marks of his willingness to suffer and bleed for a cause he believed in.

The old soldier was stricken with remorse. Overcome with emotion, he exclaimed, "It's no use; I can't do it. Here's my vote for John Gordon." Then, turning to the general, he said, "Forgive me, General. I had forgotten the scars."

What a difference it makes in our lives when we remember the scars! With so many things to distract us, we don't often take time each day to reflect on what Jesus went through on the cross for us. But, when we are tempted to stray, it is a remembrance of Christ's sacrifice that has the power to draw us back to him.

"He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)

May I encourage you this morning to take a moment to pause and "remember the scars"

help

Sign seen in a textile mill, "When your thread becomes tangled, call the foreman." A young woman was new on the job. Her thread became tangled and she thought, "I'll just straighten this out myself." She tried, but the situation only worsened. Finally she called the foreman. "I did the best I could," she said. "No you didn't. To do the best, you should have called me."

How often does our pride and our "self-sufficiency" lead us to try to fix things ourselves when God wants us to come to him first. 

"Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."  (Matthew 6:33) 

prayer

Elohim,
I KNOW You can create something out of nothing, please create something out of any nothing areas - the impossible situations in my life.

El Elyon,
I KNOW You are in control, sovereign, and I give You my circumstances today.

Adonai,
I KNOW You are my Lord and Master, I choose to follow You instead of the ways of the world.

El Shaddai,
I KNOW You are God Almighty, and I trust that You are sufficient for my deepest needs today.

Jehovah Jireh,
I KNOW You are my provider, and will supply everything I need today.

El Roi,
I KNOW You are the God who sees me, and that I am never alone, and nothing in my life goes unnoticed, for You know it all and see it all.

Yahweh,
I KNOW You are the one and only, self-existent, eternal, covenant-keeping God and that You will always love me.

Jehovah Rapha,
I KNOW You are my healer and I come to You now with every area of my life that needs healing today.

Jehovah Nissi,
I KNOW You are my banner, and the victory in every situation that threatens me today.

Jehovah Mekoddishkem,
I KNOW You are my sanctifier, making me holy, doing for me what I can never do for myself.

Jehovah Shalom,
I KNOW You are my peace, and bring calm in every storm I face in life.

Jehovah Sabaoth,
I KNOW You are the LORD of Hosts, and bring deliverance as You defeat my enemies.

Yahweh Ro'i,
I KNOW You are my shepherd, and intimately care for me even if no one else does.

Abba, Father,
I KNOW You are my Father and that I can run to You and rest in the security of your everlasting arms.

prints

Whatever our hands touch...
We leave fingerprints!
On walls, on furniture
On doorknobs, dishes, books.
There's no escape.
As we touch we leave our identity.

Oh God, wherever I go today
Help me leave heartprints!

Heartprints of compassion
Of understanding and love.
Heartprints of kindness
And genuine concern.

May my heart touch a lonely neighbor
Or a runaway daughter
Or an anxious mother
Or a frustrated co-worker
Or a hurting friend
Or perhaps an aged grandfather.

Lord, send me out today
To leave heartprints.
And if someone should say,
"I felt your touch,"
May that one sense YOUR LOVE
Touching through ME.

 

"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40)　
-- Author Unknown

provision

During the ministry of Elisha, a widow came to him for financial help. Creditors had threatened to take her two boys as slaves if she didn't pay her debt, but all the woman had left was a little oil. Elisha told her how to miraculously multiply her oil and pay her bills...and in the process bring great glory to God.

"Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side."  (2 Kings 4:3)

The woman gathered empty jars and began to fill them from her one small jar of oil. She continued to fill the jars until each one she collected was full; "Then the oil stopped flowing" (2 Kings 4:6). The woman was able to sell the oil and pay her debt.

Notice that the oil stopped flowing as soon as the last jar was full. If the woman would have collected half as many jars, the oil would have stopped flowing when the collected jars were filled. And if she would have collected twice as many jars, the oil would have continued until every last one was full. God's provision was equal to the number of jars she collected - equal to the number of jars she believed God would fill.

In our limited understanding of God we often place artificial restrictions on what we think He can accomplish, and our prayers become reduced to what we believe is actually possible. In this sense, our low level of faith has limited what God provides. Peter never would have stepped out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus if confined to the realm of his own understanding. Peter left room for God to work beyond what he could understand.

Please do not read this message as a formula for worldly prosperity! God's Word never teaches that we are all to be rich with material wealth (this is an ugly distortion of His truth). But God desires for each of us to trust Him beyond the bounds of our best analysis, and to draw closer than what we believe is ever possible. Peter didn't need to understand how the atomic structure of water might be altered to provide stability, he simply needed to know with certainty that Jesus was calling; "Lord, if it's You, tell me to come to You on the water" (Matthew 14:28).

We serve an Awesome God - more awesome than we will ever comprehend; "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts"  (Isaiah 55:9). We must never believe there's a problem too big for God to handle; "He is able to do immeasurably more..."  (Ephesians3:20). Let's pray with a faith that truly believes our Father is the Creator of the Universe, and let's refuse to place limits on God's provision.

-steve troxel