Unsure Of The Next Move

We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 2 Chronicles 20:12 (ESV)

This week I was away at a conference and the speaker was talking about a challenging time in his life. He came head first into a situation that took him way outside his comfort zone. He felt God leading him on this path but he really didn’t have the first idea how to handle it. He didn’t know what step to take next.

Then he said something that made my mind race. He said, “I didn’t know what to do but I did know how to pray.”

I had to ask myself. How many times am I faced with a problem that I don’t know how to handle? How many times do I stop and give up because I am not sure what step to take next? Probably more often than I want to admit. And why?

Sure, I may not know what to do next but God does. And, I do know how to pray! Even if my praying is faulty, the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit is actively taking our prayers and presenting them perfectly to God.

Jesus, I often don’t know what to do but my eyes are fixed on you because you have the answer! Please remind me that the prayer tool in my toolbox is the perfect tool for any situation. Amen!

A Minute In It - A Time For Everything

A minute in Gods' word will change your life.  Read the passage below and answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

1 For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
    A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
    A time for war and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NLT)

What season are you in?
Are you dreading it or celebrating it?
Are you leaving the timing to God?
What would God want you to do with it?

Don't Discount God

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” Luke 1:18 (NLT)

The angel came and told Zechariah that God has heard his prayers and his wife was going to have a son. Zechariah’s first response was basically to say “Look, we are old. How do I know what you said will happen will actually happen?”

Later in Luke 1, an angel appeared to Mary. He told her that she would become pregnant even though she was not married. Mary, like Zechariah, was also confused. Her question though was a little different. Mary pointed out that she was a virgin and asked how she could be pregnant.

So why was Zechariah left unable to speak until his son was born and Mary was encouraged?

The questions of both were a little different. Zechariah questioned God and what he said would come to pass. Mary’s question was more sorting through in her mind what was necessary to become pregnant knowing she had not participated in that.

God doesn’t mind our questions. He says that we should come to him, reason with him and he will share with us. What I think he minded with Zechariah is that Zechariah doubted what he could do. Zechariah was questioning God’s ability to make Elizabeth get pregnant even in her old age. He was allowing humanness to trump God’s ability. I guess, in a way it was a lack of faith.

I wish I could sit here and say that I follow more in Mary’s footsteps than Zechariah’s but I am not sure I think that is true. God promises a lot of things in his Word and still I doubt. I want to be more like Mary and respond with “I am your servant. May everything you said come true” and trust in those promises.

Zechariah was unable to speak for a time as a reminder of who God was. And Praise The Lord! God didn’t give up on Zechariah and he won’t give up on us either!

I Believe!

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.  Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)

What would you think of a conversation with God that went like this?

God: I have a plan.
Us: What is it?
God: Plans for you! Plans for good and not disaster.
Us: I can’t see it.
God: Seriously, I have a plan for you. Just work with me.
Us: I can’t. I don’t know what you are doing and that is scary.
God: Well, let’s talk. When you pray, I listen. Keep searching for me and you’ll begin to see….
Us: Look, I know your plans are more wonderful than I can imagine and I know that you are in control of everything but I am not you. I can’t do what you think I can so if you don’t mind, I’ll just stay right where I am.
God: But I am promising this to you.
Us: I know. But I still can’t.

Do you ever have this kind of a conversation with God?
What do you need to do to believe him?

Involved With Each Other

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:24 (NLT)

Last night my husband and I met with some friends for dinner. I’ve known this couple for many, many years. As we reminisced a little about some of the people we’d known in the past, they recounted a story about something that happened in our church quite a few years ago.

Their family was going through a really difficult time. Things were heading in a downward trend. His wife called a friend from the church and said that she was ready to give up. Not too long from when they hung up the phone, a group from the church was standing on their door step. They were there to sort through it with them, lend support and encourage them.

That act of brotherly love changed the course for their family.

We talked about why we don’t do this more often. The Bible is clear (in today’s verse and others) that we are to help each other. Of course, that doesn’t mean going around interjecting your opinion and trying to force people to do what you think; but truly encouraging and supporting each other through difficult times.

These acts of love are to start with prayer - lots of prayer. Through prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit we can move forward and support. It is not our job to convince someone to do something, it is the Holy Spirit’s job. Our job is to be Jesus with skin on and to encourage each other with Godly wisdom and support.

Maybe, just maybe, if we took this more seriously and loved each other selflessly, our world would have less families in crisis and more stories of healing. What do you think?

A Minute In It - Where Is Everybody?

A minute in Gods' word will change your life.  Read the passage below and answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.” Luke 17:11-17 (NLT)

Why did the the 10 lepers cry out to Jesus?
What did they want from him?
What did they have to do before Jesus healed them?
How many returned to thank him and praise him?
Why didn’t they all come back to thank him?
When you ask Jesus for something, do you follow his instructions?
What do you really want from Jesus?
When was the last time you thanked him for hearing and answering your prayers?

Giving Thanks No Matter What

I have this friend and I love her to pieces. When I am complaining about my life, sometimes she looks at me and says “Elaine, those are first world problems.” And she’s right. Some of the things I whine about are definitely not problems.

But, there are problems that are not first world. There are days when the news is overwhelming and you can’t see how you are going to get through.

Whether you are dealing with pesky problems or life altering news, giving thanks is important. Maybe we aren’t going to give thanks for the horrible news we just received but we can give thanks for things around it. We can give thanks for people that help us on the journey. We can give thanks for God’s voice in the middle of the mess. We can give thanks that nothing we are walking through ever surprised God. He is in it with us.

In America today, we are celebrating Thanksgiving. Maybe we shouldn’t just give thanks for our bounty but also for the trials that draw us closer to our Creator.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 107:1 (NLT)

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Colossians 4:2

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:15

Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30

What Does Your Heart Worship?

But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left. If anything should happen to him on your journey, you would send this grieving, white-haired man to his grave. Genesis 42:38 (NLT)

Many years before, Jacob lost his son Joseph. He believed he was dead. His heart never healed and he grieved his entire life for the loss. I have not lost a child but I know this is a very real scenario.

Jacob did something else though. He put Benjamin on the throne of his heart. Benjamin was Joseph’s brother. Jacob protected him at all costs and refused to let him out of his sight. It literally took an act of God to get Jacob to relinquish this control.

What about you? What sits on the throne of your heart in place of God? To what would you say “absolutely not” if you were asked to give it up? You see, it doesn’t matter how it got there or what it is, there is room for only One on the thrones of our hearts. God does not share the throne.

As we take a look around us this Thanksgiving and contemplate all that we are thankful for, take note. Is there something on your list that needs to be put in its proper place so God can reign where he belongs? Is there something you are holding so tightly that it would take an act of God to pry it from your hands? If there is, let go of your grip.

God wants to be your number One. He wants you to depend on and trust him. He wants to be in relationship with you. That is always his first and last goal. Stop saying “I can’t” and help him make it so.