listening

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice.

The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to His people?"

It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God.. If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought, stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.

"Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk.

He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home. As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street."

"This is crazy" he thought and drove on pass the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, remember I...."  He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either.

The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.

Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street." The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.

"Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."

He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem to happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?"

The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you."  The man took the milk and rushed down a hall way speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk."

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I asked him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?" The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back towards his car and the tears were streaming down his face.

He knew that God still answers prayers and that God still speaks to His people.

share

A young man saw an elderly couple sitting down to lunch at McDonald's.  He noticed that they had ordered one meal, and an extra drink cup.  As he watched, the gentleman carefully divided the hamburger in half, then counted out the fries, one for him, one for her, until each had half of them.

Then he poured half of the soft drink into the extra cup and set that in front of his wife.  The old man then began to eat, and his wife sat watching, with her hands folded in her lap.

The young man decided to ask if they would allow him to purchase another meal for them so that they didn't have to split theirs.

The old gentleman said, "Oh no. We've been married 50 years, and everything has always been and will always be shared, 50/50."

The young man then asked the wife if she was going to eat, and she replied, "In a moment.  It's his turn with the teeth."

Those are two people who have truly learned what it means to share with one another!  And that's a lesson that we've all been taught from the time we were little children -- "you need to share."  Of course, as children, we were much more anxious for others around us to learn how to share!

 A willingness to share what we have with others should be a mark of Christianity:

"Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.  Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (I Timothy 6:17-19)

When we share with others, it helps to break the chains of materialism that enslave us.  And don’t doubt for a moment that we are slaves to what we own.  We think we own our possessions, but all too often they own us.  As long as I still have something in my possession, I believe I own it.  But when I give it away, I recognize God as the owner, myself as the steward, and others as the intended beneficiaries of what God has entrusted to me.

Know someone in need?  Why not demonstrate a willingness to share today.

-alan smith

share

A young man saw an elderly couple sitting down to lunch at McDonald's.  He noticed that they had ordered one meal, and an extra drink cup.  As he watched, the gentleman carefully divided the hamburger in half, then counted out the fries, one for him, one for her, until each had half of them.

Then he poured half of the soft drink into the extra cup and set that in front of his wife.  The old man then began to eat, and his wife sat watching, with her hands folded in her lap.

The young man decided to ask if they would allow him to purchase another meal for them so that they didn't have to split theirs.

The old gentleman said, "Oh no. We've been married 50 years, and everything has always been and will always be shared, 50/50."

The young man then asked the wife if she was going to eat, and she replied, "In a moment.  It's his turn with the teeth."

Those are two people who have truly learned what it means to share with one another!  And that's a lesson that we've all been taught from the time we were little children -- "you need to share."  Of course, as children, we were much more anxious for others around us to learn how to share!

 A willingness to share what we have with others should be a mark of Christianity:

     "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.  Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (I Timothy 6:17-19)

When we share with others, it helps to break the chains of materialism that enslave us.  And don’t doubt for a moment that we are slaves to what we own.  We think we own our possessions, but all too often they own us.  As long as I still have something in my possession, I believe I own it.  But when I give it away, I recognize God as the owner, myself as the steward, and others as the intended beneficiaries of what God has entrusted to me.

Know someone in need?  Why not demonstrate a willingness to share today.

-alan smith

joy

Joy is more than a feeling; it is a deep peace, blended together with a solid hope that God has not left us. Joy is a delight in knowing there will be a better day. Can we have joy as our companion even when the road gets bumpy? Absolutely.

Joy is a choice. 

It’s a matter of attitude that stems from one’s confidence in God—that He is at work, that He is in full control, that He is in the midst of whatever has happened, is happening and will happen. Either we fix our minds on that and determine to laugh again, or we wail and whine our way through life. We determine which way we will go.

-chuck swindoll

don't

A young and foolish pilot wanted to sound cool and show who was boss on the aviation frequencies.  It was his first time approaching a field during the night time.  Instead of making any official requests to the tower, he said: "Guess who?"

The controller switched the field lights off and replied:  "Guess where!"

It important for a pilot to be able to see the place where he is landing! There is a true story about a pilot who was flying a fighter jet in bad weather and was about to make his instrument approach to an airport. The air traffic controller called and asked how much fuel he had. -- “Plenty,” he said.

“Well,” the controller said, "We’ve got a little problem.  There’s a young pilot who is not instrument rated.  He’s lost in the clouds, and we were wondering if you could intercept him and lead him back to the airport."

“Sure,” the pilot responded.  He found the lost plane and pulled up beside it.  He called on the radio and told the pilot to look out to his left. When the pilot of this small plane saw the powerful jet, he burst into tears of relief.  As far as he was concerned, his life was about over. He would soon run out of fuel and crash.

“Don’t worry,” the test pilot said. “Everything’s going to be OK. I’m going to pull in front of you several hundred yards.  Do everything I do.  When I turn, I’ll turn gently.  All you have to do is do exactly what I do.”

So, carefully, the leader and the follower turned toward the airport and slowly descended.  When they finally broke through the clouds at 500 feet, the frightened pilot saw the most beautiful sight.  There in front of him was the runway, and he was perfectly set up to land.  What a blessing that the young pilot had someone nearby that he could look to!

There's a story in the Bible where an ancient king of Judah must have felt that same sense of relief.  Jehoshaphat's kingdom was being threatened by the armies of Ammon, Moab, "and others" (2 Chronicles 20:1).  In fact, those armies were so large and so strong, Judah didn't stand a chance of surviving an assault.  There seemed to be nothing Jehoshaphat could do about it, so he turned to God (which, incidentally, is not such a bad place for us to find ourselves!).  Eventually, God rescued the people of Judah by causing the armies of the enemy to turn on one another.  But it is the prayer of Jehoshaphat that I think is so valuable.  In fact, I think this may become my favorite verse in the Bible:..

"For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (2 Chronicles 20:12)

Is there a problem you're facing in your life that just seems overwhelming? Pray along with Jehoshaphat -- "God, I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on you!"  Do you have a difficult decision to make and you don't know which course to take?  "God, I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on you!"  Are you suffering the attacks of enemies, those who would seek to do you harm?  "God, I don't know what to do, but my eyes are on you!"  Pray it today and pray it often.

-alan smith

reward

 In the Olympic Games today, they always have the marathon at the end of the games, but when the Olympics started, the marathon was often the first event.  The winner of the marathon got a bouquet of flowers and got to stand beside the king for the rest of the games.

A story is told about one of those ancient Greek marathons. Muscular, conditioned runners paced nervously near the starting line for the long-distance race.  The time was near. They "shook out" their muscles, inhaled deeply, and put on their "game faces."

In the midst of it all, a young stranger took his place at the starting line. His physique was awesome. He was bigger, stronger, and more athletic than any of the other runners.  There seemed to be no question among the runners about who would win the prize. It is alleged that the stranger was offered money not to run. Someone else attempted to bribe him with property. Refusing the offers, he toed the mark and awaited the signal to run. When the signal was given, he was the first away. At the finish line, he was the first to cross, well ahead of the rest.

When it was all done, someone asked the young man if he thought the flowers were worth as much as the money and property he had refused. He replied, "I did not enter the race for the flowers. I ran so that I could stand beside my king!"

Those of us who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ are "running the race" (I Cor. 9:24-25).  It is a race that has a prize for those who finish (notice, not those who finish first, but all who finish).  This prize, according to Paul, is an "imperishable crown."  The rewards for those who enter heaven are described in scripture with a lot of terms -- "many mansions", "streets of gold", "tree of life", and the list goes on and on.  All of those things are attractive.

But I would be willing to give up all the streets of gold and settle for a small corner of a shack as long as I can know the reward of being able to stand beside my King.  That's what I look forward to more than anything else.  It is the one thing that will make heaven the wonderful reward that it will be.

      "...The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him." (Rev. 22:3)

Run the race with diligence.  Your King is watching and waits for you at the finish line!
-alan smith

.......................go

John 10:28  ". . . neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."
Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.  In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out of the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went.  He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His father working in the yard saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could.  Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a u-turn to swim to his father.

It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him. From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. An incredible tug-of-war between the two began. The alligator was much stronger than the father but the father was much too passionate to let go, and dug his nails into the little boy's arms.

A farmer driving by heard the screams of the child, and after retrieving a rifle from his truck, raced to the water's edge and shot the alligator. Remarkably, after weeks in the hospital, the little boy recovered.

The local newspaper reporter interviewing the boy after the trauma asked if he would show him his scars.  The little boy lifted his pant legs and said, "These are the scars from where the alligator tried to pull me under the water."  Then, he rolled up his shirt sleeves and said, "Now look at my arms.  These are the scars where my father wouldn't let me go."

Each of us is marked.  Yes, there are scars we bear in our lives because of poor choices we have made.  But if we look closely, there are other marks we have incurred, where a loving sovereign God has refused to let us go.  At the time, His grip of grace may seem painful, but it is all for our protection, so that we may be preserved to live, and testify of His tender mercies that He reveals to us with each new day.
-johnie akers

winning

It was a long time coming, but it finally happened! It probably wasn't big news where you live but it made the headlines of the papers here. It was even mentioned on television during the evening news!

What did you miss? What was this milestone event???    My old high school football team finally won a game! For the first time in 35 games, a span covering 4 years, the longest losing streak in NC high school football finally came to an end!

As I read the details the next day in the newspaper, what caught my attention wasn't the final score or the action photo from the game, it was something that the coach had told his players when the contest was over. He told his team, "...we need to be a lot more interested in starting a winning streak than ending a losing streak." What was important to the coach was that his players not worry about the past, but rather focus on today and the future.

I couldn't help but think about how true this is in our lives as well...

Someone once concluded that 92% of the things that people worry about fall into one of three categories:

1. things that have already happened,
2. things that haven't yet and may not happen,
3. things that we have no control over.

Perhaps you can relate to that...

But Jesus gave us a different example. With Jesus, what was important was today with a focus on the future!  As Jesus was dying on the cross, there on either side of him, were criminals who were also being crucified. One of these men acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God, and asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth TODAY, you will be with me in paradise." Luke 23:43 (NIV - emphasis mine)

In that defining moment, what was most important wasn't the man's past - it was his future!  And so it is for each of us!  By the shed blood of Jesus Christ, our past - our sins - have been forgiven! It no longer exists! The Bible describes it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away.  Behold, all things are become new!" 

How about you?  Ending a losing streak or starting a winning streak?  Are you living in the past or looking toward the future? Are you ready to start a winning streak in your life by living for the Lord?  It can happen today!

-adapted

? doubt

 Do you know for certain God is working on your behalf, or do you merely hope He is helping you? Are you walking in the confident conviction the Lord will do as He's promised, or are you worrying about the difficulties you face?

Each day, you and I have a choice to make: Will we live by faith or succumb to doubt? How we answer this question will shape how we view our circumstances and what we are able to accomplish in our lives. Walking in the confident conviction the Lord will do as He's promised will help us triumph over the many challenges we face.

As we see throughout God's Word, responding in faith is essential to our Christian walks (Rom. 1:17). This is especially true when we face times of adversity or feel helpless. Perhaps our medical, relational, or financial situations seem insurmountable. Our hopes and dreams may appear to be dashed forever. It might even feel as if God is refusing to answer our prayers. We must remember the Father uses each of these to test and grow our trust in Him, and it's crucial we respond with a steadfast faith that doesn't waver (James 1:2-6).

I recall a particularly difficult season when I attended the University of Richmond. Everything seemed to be going wrong. I received a 50 on one exam and a 75 on another. I did not have the funds needed to continue my education, and I was desperate to know if it was the Lord's will for me to remain in school. I remember going to my room, weeping, and praying to God: "I've got to be absolutely sure it is Your will for me to be here. Father, please clarify this question in my mind and show me exactly what to do ."

I am sure you can relate to the pressure I was under as a young man. Human logic was telling me, "You're away from your family, failing your exams, and you have no money. Wouldn't the Lord make this easier if He really wanted you to continue? This is not worth the struggle. Go home." But all the things my grandfather taught me kept coming to mind, including the principle that God would move heaven and earth to show me His Will. I also knew the Father did not require me to understand His will. I simply needed to obey it - even if it seemed unreasonable at the time.

Thankfully, the Lord gave me the courage to continue in college. However, the experience taught me that wavering faith can be dangerous. If I had not sought the Father's will and had given up, the course of my life would have been altered completely. The same is true for you. Regardless of what you are facing, the Father will use it as an opportunity to deepen your faith in Him; and walking in faith can mean all the difference to your future. So how do you make sure that you walk in faith?

1. Whenever you are tempted to fret about your circumstances, ask yourself the following questions:
      Where are these doubts coming from?
      Has God ever failed me in the past?
      Doesn't the Lord promise to meet my needs?
      Don't I have the help of the Holy Spirit?
      Isn't the Father with me at all times?
      Is anything too hard for God?
      Is my focus on the Lord as it should be?
      Could my unbelief in this situation cost me a lifetime of regret?

2. Spend time in the Word of God.
One of the primary ways the Father speaks to you is through His Word. Therefore, study the Bible each day, consider how He is instructing you, then apply His principles to your life. The Lord will move heaven and earth to show you His will, so trust Him to reveal what you should do.

3. Reflect on the times God faithfully answered your prayers.
Remembering how the Father has helped you in the past will keep you from stumbling when troubles arise. Whenever you see the Lord at work in your life, record it in the margin of your Bible. This will become your personal record of His faithfulness to you and will help to encourage you in your walk with Him.

4. Choose to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
There may be times in your life, as there have been in mine, when trusting the Lord is in conflict with your human reason and when you fail to see Him working in your circumstances. But don't give up. Remember "we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor . 5 :7). Claim God's promises in faith, and do exactly as He says. You will always be glad you did.


No matter what your situation is today, I hope you will trust that the Father is working on your behalf. It is my prayer that you will take the time to strengthen your faith each day, spend time in the Word of God, reflect on the Father's answers to your prayers, and faithfully obey Him regardless of the consequences. This will make all the difference in your life. You may not know what the Lord has planned for you, but you can be assured that it is above and beyond all you can ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)

Often, our faith is tried the most when we must wait on God for the desires of our hearts. I pray it will help you persevere in faith, regardless of what trials may come. May God bless you richly as you seek to trust Him more.
　

protected......................

In May 1995, a 34 year old construction worker by the name of Randy Reid, was doing some final welding on top of a nearly completed water tower in one of Chicago's suburbs. At one point, Randy unhooked his safety belt so he could reach for some pipes. But at that same moment, a metal beam slipped off a nearby crane, and bumped the scaffolding Randy was standing on. The scaffolding tipped, and Randy lost his balance. He fell 110 feet to the ground below.

In landing, he just missed a pile of rocks and construction debris on the ground. Instead he landed face down on a pile of dirt. A fellow worker saw the whole accident and immediately called 911.  When paramedics arrived, they couldn't believe their eyes. They found Randy completely conscious, moving, and complaining that he had a sore back.

Even though he went through such a horrendous fall, Randy still maintained his sense of humor. Because as paramedics carried him on a backboard to the ambulance, Randy asked one thing. He said, "Hey guys, be careful, will you? Don't drop me."  When he arrived at the hospital and was examined by the doctors, and they discovered that the only injury he suffered was a bruised lung.

Friends, I think sometimes our faith resembles Randy. God protects us from harm in a 110-foot fall, but we're still nervous about three-foot heights.  By that I mean, we have faith that God will save us from hell and death, but sometimes we're afraid that He won't be able to protect us from the smaller difficulties that we are going to face this coming week.
“In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28 )

“In him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17)

“He upholds the universe by the word of his power”  (Hebrews 1:3)

"But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 
My times are in Your hand." (Psalm 31:14-15)

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths."  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

"Now to You, O Lord, who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we can ask or think according to the power that works in us."  (Ephesians 3:20)

Trust Him with all things.  Big AND small!
-tom rietveld

forced

      An investment counselor was doing well in her business and realized that she needed an in-house counsel, so she began interviewing young lawyers.

     "As I'm sure you can understand," she started off with one of the first applicants, "in a business like this, our personal integrity must be beyond question."  She leaned forward.  "Mr. Peterson, are you an *honest* lawyer?"

     "Honest?" replied the job prospect.  "Let me tell you something about honesty.  Why, I'm so honest that my father lent me fifteen thousand dollars for my education and I paid back every penny the minute I tried my very first case."

     "Impressive..... And what sort of case was that?"

     The lawyer squirmed in his seat and admitted, "He sued me for the money."

     Sometimes we do the right thing simply because it's the right thing to do.  But sometimes we do the right thing because we have no choice.  Our motivation may not always be clear to those around us, but it will eventually become evident.

     For example, I see it often with college students and young soldiers.  For years, they attended church with Mom and Dad.  But as soon as they get out on their own, making their own decisions, it becomes evident whether they attended all those years because they thought it was the right thing to do or merely because they were forced to go.

     What is your motivation?  Do you serve God because you feel that you have to, or because you believe it's the right thing to do?  May we all seek to have the attitude of David:

     "I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure....I love Your law.....My soul keeps your testimonies and I love them exceedingly.....Let Your hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts.  I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight."  (Psa. 119:162,163b,167,173-174)

standard

 Conductor to orchestra at the beginning of a rehearsal:

"Please get your pencils out . . . we have some marking to do on this score:

   The first two bars are in 3/4, not 4/4 as written.
   Next, in the 5th bar, change it to 7/8 and this remains to the end.
   Now, in bar 7 we lower the pitch 1/2 step.
   In bar 13, lower the pitch one whole step and this will remain to the end.

Thank you. Now, let us begin."

Soprano soloist:  "Excuse me, Maestro.  What would you like for me to change?"

Conductor:  "Nothing, madam. Just sing it exactly as you did yesterday."

     When we vary from the standard, there are two things we can do.  We can alter our lives to meet the standard, or (as in the story above) we can alter the standard and expect everyone else to meet this new flawed standard.

     The spiritual application should be readily apparent.  What should we do when someone is teaching that which is not according to the Word of God, our spiritual standard?  Do we hold to the standard and require them to comply, or do we attempt to change the standard?

     There can be no choice -- the standard cannot change.  Breaking the scale won't fix our weight problem, breaking the mirror won't change the way we look, and changing (or ignoring) God's Word won't make our sinful behavior acceptable.

     "Sanctify them by your truth.  Your word is truth." (John 17:17)

     "The word of the Lord endures forever." (I Peter 1:25)

-alan smith

still

The presence of God is a wonderful gift which is available to every believer. No longer is His presence confined to a specific location or available to only a few; “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). But the gift of His presence requires discipline in order to receive and maintain. We don’t earn this gift, but we live in such a noisy and hectic world that we simply miss His blessing unless we are willing to actively order our time and priorities – and this takes effort!

 

We are all given the same 24 hours in every day. Yet most of us generally try to put far too much into this precious time. We become frustrated with the constant busyness, but when given the opportunity we add even more to our schedule. Each of our activities may be good, but the result is often a frantic pace void of the true blessings from God. As our activity level increases, it becomes more and more difficult to hear God and nearly impossible to ponder the meaning of His truth. The contentment of walking in His presence is most often missed. For this reason, God gives us a gentle reminder – actually, He gives us a firm command.

Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God.”

There are many things in life which are good – many good people and good activities that require, or at least desire, our time. While God definitely calls us to serve and minister to one another, we must understand that constant busyness hinders our ability to hear God. To maintain effective communication with God and nurture a sense of His peace, we must make time, and put forth the “effort,” to simply stop and rest in His strength.

Perhaps the Psalm writer knew we needed a great assurance and trust in God in order to be still: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (Psalm 46:1-3). God will always be at our side as a source of strength. We need not fear being still!

We must never forget that what our Heavenly Father desires more than anything else is for us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). We must not forget what Jesus says is most important: “…only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

As we see our pace beginning to increase, let’s draw near to God by quietly worshipping Him and giving thanks for the awesome gift of His Son. Let’s protect our schedule such that we have time for God’s very best. Let’s receive and enjoy His true blessings as we make time every day to simply be still and know.

-steve troxel

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 he was 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..." (Ephesians 3:20).  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

................wait

"...but those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint."  (Isaiah 40:31)

We spend many minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years rushing through life only to find ourselves waiting, waiting, and waiting some more.   We wait at the doctor's office; we wait at the grocery store; we wait at the post office; we wait at the pharmacy; we wait for our children to grow up and then anxiously wait for them to come home again. Waiting is hard, exasperating work. The fact that we hate to wait has created a "quick fix" society.

We microwave our food;
We pump our own gas;
We process our words on a computer;
We write notes of affection on the internet (not paper);
We jet to locations far and near;
We hear news from across the world in fractions of a second;
We eat out because it takes too much time to cook...  and so on.

In our world, waiting is bad. However, in God's world, waiting is good. God has given us many instructions on the necessity of waiting. Let's look at some of these:
 "My soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation." (Psalm 62:1)

"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart" (Psalm 27:14)

"Blessed is he who waits..." (Daniel 12:12)

"We have waited for Him and He will save us." (Isaiah 25:9)

"I will wait for You, O You his Strength; for God is my defense." (Psalm 59:9)

Did you notice the words used by those who wait on God? These are not words of frustration and confusion. These are words of strength, salvation and blessings. Waiting on God, as David, Isaiah and many others learned, means letting go and letting God. It involves study, reflection, prayer, solitude and time apart from the world.

We microwave...
    God works miracles.
We rush...
    God refreshes.
We get angry and impatient...
    God gets busy reorganizing our priorities.

Hurry Up And Wait!
Spend time giving time to God.
Block out a section of your calendar for the Son of Man.
Then sit quietly...
     sh... shhhh... and wait on God.

Have a great day as you rush to the wait

miracles

"O sun, stand still ... " Joshua 10:12
I'm always struck by this passage. Joshua gives a command to the heavenly bodies, and God rearranges the laws of physics so that they obey him. It's one of the greatest miracles in all of scripture. In its scientific magnitude, it is an even greater miracle than the parting of the Red Sea.

But that isn't the main reason I'm so taken by what happened here. I'm struck by the context. Joshua had just blown it. The Gibeonites, posing as distant travelers, deceived Joshua and the other leaders into making a prohibited treaty with them. Joshua was clearly negligent for failing to inquire of the Lord before ratifying the treaty. Now, here in chapter 10, he's dealing with the aftermath of his mistake. The Gibeonites are in trouble; Joshua and all Israel are called upon to save them.

God could have washed His hands of the entire affair. He could have said, "You got yourself into this mess; you get yourself out of it. Don't look to Me to help you defend these wicked Gibeonites."

But He doesn't!!!  God is a God of people who make mistakes, people who blow it, people who mess up.

I don't like making mistakes, but when I do, God gently reminds me that the work of God isn't about me and how perfect I am; rather, it is about the God who shows up despite our failings.
-dwight clough

dresser

 A woman is dying from an STD. 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."

problem

Life is a series of problem-solving opportunities.

 

The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you - depending on how you respond to them. Unfortunately most people fail to see how God wants to use problems for good in their lives. They react foolishly and resent their problems rather than pausing to consider what benefit they might bring.

 

Here are five ways God wants to use the problems in your life:

1. God uses problems to DIRECT you.
Sometimes God must light a fire under you to get you moving. Problems often point us in a new direction and motivate us to change. Is God trying to get your attention?     "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways." Proverbs 20:30

2. God uses problems to INSPECT you.
People are like tea bags... if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God ever tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you?    "When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience." James 1:2-3

3. God uses problems to CORRECT you.
Some lessons we learn only through pain and failure. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned by being burned. Sometimes we only learn the value of something - health, money, a relationship - by losing it.    "... It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws." Psalms 119:71-72

4. God uses problems to PROTECT you.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Last year a friend was fired for refusing to do something unethical that his boss had asked him to do. His unemployment was a problem - but it saved him from being convicted and sent to prison a year later when management's actions were eventually discovered.    "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good..." Genesis 50:20

5. God uses problems to PERFECT you.
Problems, when responded to correctly, are character builders. God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity.    "We can rejoice when we run into problems ...they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady." Romans. 5:3-4

Here's the point:  

God is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it!  But it's much easier when you surrender to his plan for your life!-author unknown (attributed to various authors)

ignore

"But Samuel replied: 'Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'" (1 Samuel 15:22)

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

To ignore God's Word is to put your spiritual life in jeopardy. It won't matter how many verses of the Bible you know by heart, how many powerful experiences you had at the altar, or how intensely you can sing Gospel choruses... you will not find God's peace and rest without obedience to His Word!
-dennis marquardt