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When God is Silent
"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret -- it leads only to evil" Psalm 37:7-8, NIV.
John (not his real name) realized that his marriage wasn't all that it could be, but he and Mary were in counseling so John was confident that their marriage would survive and be stronger than ever.
Wrong. John was devastated when Mary informed him that she didn't love him and never would. Tragically time proved that she meant it.
John said that he always believed with faith in God, hope, persistence, qualified counseling help, and hard work pretty much any problem could be resolved.
Wrong again. Eventually John and Mary were divorced after which John experienced an intense "silence of God -- dark night of the soul."
So what do you do when you are committed to and trusting God and your world falls apart?
As John put it, "As hurt, baffled and confused as I was, I clung to my faith. I had nothing else to cling to. But today, several years later, I am a much different man. My shattered dreams and God's silence were God's wake-up call for me. I realized that I had many unresolved personal problems from my past that I needed to face and resolve. I also realized that the only person I could ever change was me. I'm still learning and growing but I am healthier today spiritually, emotionally and physically than I was when I was in my 30s.
Through my own personal journey I would agree with John. Who wants to change and grow when everything is going great? Certainly not me because change and growth is often very painful. Facing one's reality can also be a painful experience. But it's only as we face and accept our personal problems and character issues, that we can bring them to God and safe people for healing.
When God seems silent, if we stand still and listen with our heart, in time we will realize that God has been speaking the loudest to us. Strange? Yes, but true.
"Dear God, thank you for the times when I felt you were silent and deserted me, for I now realize that you allowed me to go through pain and disappointment to help me face my personal problems and grow. Thank you that you loved and accepted me as I was but loved me too much to leave me as I was. Gratefully in Jesus' name. Amen."
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It’s All About How You See It
Matthew 7:7 Ask and you shall receive…
I once read about the story of the father of orphans whose faith moved mountains. He laid out a table one morning, with bowls and cups though there was no bread or milk to give the orphans. He prayed to the Lord, and after he prayed, the baker was lead to bring the bread and the milk truck broke down in front of the house and the milkman gave them milk to lighten his load.
I thought of the prayer he must have prayed that morning. "Lord, you started this program, but now there is no food in the house for your little ones. This is not how you promised it would be. People are not helping out and this burden is too hard to carry alone. Why is this entire happening at this time? I see empty plates, and hungry faces and I am desperate. Please do something now..."
Or maybe he prayed like this:
"Lord, You started this program, but now there is no food in the house for your little ones. I know you are a God of provisions and abundance, so I come to you, asking that you provide for them, as you have always done, this morning. I cannot fathom your methods, but I know you provide results, so I wait on you to give us today, our bread and milk for breakfast. Thank you because of your faithfulness..."
Now, neither of these prayers are right or wrong, and in fact we have all prayed both at some time or another. But the difference between the two prayers is that one looks at the Lord through the situation, and the other looks at the situation through the Lord. And what is nearer always seems larger. Always look at life's situations through the Lord.
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Who Am I?
Your best friend or greatest enemy, I am your greatest companion. I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden. I will push you onwards or drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command.
Half the things you do, you might as well turn over to me and I'll do them quickly and correctly. I'm easily managed, but you must be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and, after a few lessons, I'll do it automatically. I'm the servant of all great men and, alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures. I work with the precision of a scientist and the passion of a patriot. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin; it makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will put the world at your feet. But be easy with me and I'll destroy you.
Who am I?
I am Habit!
When You Look At Me
When you look at me . . .
what do you see?
Is it really me
or what I want to be?
Why do I let you
gaze into my eyes,
Where you might glimpse what's deep inside?
I tremble thinking, that If you knew . . . what would you think? If you caught a glimpse of me upon the brink. Hiding, lying, holding back the truth, as fear sets in. What would you think if you but knew where and who I've been
I understand more than you know, as life's waves crash and the winds do blow. That disappointment, hurt, pain and despair . . . are part of living and they lay us bare.
Think about it,
and you'll realize
we're not so different,
you and I.
As we face our hours and our days. Fear looks for but a chance to take our hand and lead us into a frantic, endless dance. Fear taunts us telling us we're lost, "Look at what you are!" Then lies and tells us, "There is no love. No bright and shining star."
Not one of us is different.
And when fear has had his fun. We know we cannot make it through without the only One. The only One who knows the hurt. the pain and deep despair. For He lived it so that He could say . . . "Come to me, for I've been there."
And when I tire of being . . . the mistress of disguise. I long to rush into His open arms, and gaze upon forgiving eyes. You see, I cannot fool Him. Not as I have so often done. My heart is open and bleeding at the feet of the precious Son.
I tremble as He looks at me,
into my deepest core.
And yet with everything He sees . . . He says, "I love you more."
It breaks my heart to know
how often I let Him down.
And yet upon His glorious face, you will not find a frown. With His mighty hand, softly He touches my cheek and smiles . . . for, you see, He knows me, yet He loves me, and walks with me each mile.
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Movin’ Miss Daisy
My mother, "Miss Daisy," is in her 92nd year of life. I have just returned from a visit with her, filled with both sadness and joy.
In the past few years, she has moved out of her home of 52 years into an apartment. From the apartment, she moved to an assisted living residence. Then to the hospital for a few weeks, and now to a supervised nursing facility.
Miss Daisy has lived in Anderson, S.C. for 92 years. My brother, in Charlotte, N.C. has carried the burden for her care, since I live in Fairfax, VA, 525 miles away.
My brother and I have always been very close, and we talk daily over the phone about Mother’s condition.
There was such a sadness when we had to move her own furniture from assisted living into storage. In the back of our minds was that the nursing home would be her last home. So the furniture was moved into storage along with the furniture from her old home.
It seems that life is a circle, where you spend many years, building, saving and acquiring possessions and then, as you close the circle, you begin to surrender all you have acquired.
We come into this life with nothing in the way of possessions, and we leave the same way. But my mother, and my late father, always instilled in me the value of owning your own home, of owning property, of saving.
When I walked into the nursing home, I found mother in her wheel chair. She looked up when she saw me and said, "Am I dreaming? Is it really you?" I had not seen her in over a year, since my own heart attack. Mother said to me, "I didn’t know if I would ever see you again!"
But then the sadness passed and she was filled with joy that the Lord had brought us together, at least one more time.
Then her Southern hospitality took over, and she said, "I feel bad that I can’t cook for you." Then she called the nurse to see if they would bring me food. You would have thought she was back in her own home, entertaining guests.
As we talked, she became more and more responsive. We laughed and teased and remembered old times, and the brightness came back into her eyes.
Then a look of sadness came over her, and I knew what she was thinking. I said, "You still miss my Dad, don’t you?" She nodded, "yes." Then she said, "We’ll all be together again, before very long." And I knew she was seeing a vision of the family, reunited once again, up in heaven. I said to her, "Are you thinking about going to heaven?" And she replied, "Yep! Already got my ticket, and it’s all paid for." She was referring to the fact that Jesus, in his work on the Cross, had paid for her "ticket."
But mother never remained sad for very long, her faith was too strong, like a rock, and it had taken her through 92 years of heartache and joy. And she said, "The Lord let us have this time together," and she said it with triumph, as though the Lord Jesus had arranged this trip just for herâ€â€and for me. And the truth is, that is just exactly what happened.
When the visit was over, I walked back to my truck and wept. I cried for me, as well as for her. Then I rode back through town, visiting the old houses I had lived in, and the farm where I was born. I rode by the First Baptist Church, where I was baptized in 1943, and where I had first heard the call to ordained ministry when I was 12.
Memories flooded back. I remember the pastor who baptized me, Dr. F.C. McConnell, who rode around town in a horse and buggy. I don’t remember any sermons, but I remember the people who touched my life, especially the Sunday School teachers. I do remember one preacher, named Homer Rhodeheaver, who played a trombone and used to minister with Billy Sunday.
Most of all, I remember my mother, who read me Bible stories until I could read for myself. I remember her prayers for me, and she still prays for me, "Mornin’, noon and night." Her prayers showed me the reality of God. She has always said, "He knows me and I know Him. He talks to me and I talk to Him."
This is a faith as simple as a child, and as solid as a rock. It will take you through all the hard times.
In the last minutes of our visit, I told mother that my truck had blown a tire, and I had to buy a new one. She said, "I’ll buy you some new tires. I don’t want you riding on the old ones." I jokingly replied, "That’s ok, mother, I’m rich!" And she said, "You’re only rich in the Lord!" She knows pastors are seldom "rich" in money. Then I joked again, "Yes, but I have an easy job, I only work one day a week (Sunday)," and she laughed.
In those minutes, our hearts touched, and it was old times again. As we laughed and talked, deep, unspoken things passed between us. She drew strength from me, and I drew strength from her.
I read her scripture, gave her Holy Communion, prayed for her, then it was time to go. She said, "Will I see you again?" Then she paused and answered her own question, "No."
I wheeled her back to her room but, by then, she had retreated back into herself, and there was no response.
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TAKE A DEEP BREATH BEFORE READING THIS
There was an atheist couple who had a child. The couple never told their
daughter anything about the Lord. One night when the little girl was 5 years
old, the parents fought with each other and the dad shot the Mom, right in
front of the child. Then, the dad shot ! himself. The little girl watched it
all. She then was sent to a foster home. The foster mother was a Christian
and took the child to church. On the first day of Sunday School, the foster
mother told the teacher that the girl had never heard of Jesus, and to have
patience with her. The teacher ! held up a picture of Jesus and said, "Does
anyone know who this is?" The little girl said, "I do, that's the man who
was holding me the night my parents died."
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Successful Christian Living
We are to grow up in all aspects into Him (Ephesians 4:15). It was for freedom that Christ set us free (Galatians 5:1).
There are two concepts which determine the victory and fruitfulness of a Christian. The first concept is maturity. Paul wrote: "We are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ . . . to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:15, 13). God has given us everything we need to grow to maturity in Christ (2 Peter 1:3). But Satan is opposed to our maturity and will do anything he can to keep us from realizing who we are and what we have in Christ. We must experience victory over the dark side before we can fully mature.
The second concept of the successful Christian life is freedom. Paul declared: "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1). This verse not only assures us that God wants us free, but also warns us that we can lose our freedom by returning to the law.
Before we received Christ, we were slaves to sin. But because of Christ's work on the cross, sin's power over us has been broken. Satan has no right of ownership or authority over us. He is a defeated foe, but he is committed to keeping us from realizing that. He knows he can block your effectiveness as a Christian if he can deceive you into believing that you are nothing but a product of your past, subject to sin, prone to failure, and controlled by your habits. As long as he can confuse you and blind you with his dark lies, you won't be able to see that the chains which once bound you are broken. You are free in Christ, but if the devil can deceive you into believing you're not, you won't experience the freedom which is your inheritance. I don't believe in instant maturity, but I do believe in instant freedom, and I have seen thousands of people set free by the truth. Once a person is free, you would be amazed at how quickly he or she matures!
Lord, I rejoice that it was for my freedom that You came to set me free. Remind me today to walk in Your freedom.
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The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:
1 cross
+ 3 nails
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4 given
That's the whole gospel message simply stated. Take 60 seconds give this a shot! Let's just see if Satan stops this one. All you do is -
1. Simply say a small prayer for the person who sent you this, (Father God bless this person in whatever it is that you know he or she may be needing this day.)
2. Then send it on to five other people. Within hours five people have prayed for you, and you caused a multitude of people to pray to God for other people. Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your life for doing the thing that you know He loves.
God Bless.
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May you have the strength Of eagles' wings,
The faith and courage to Fly to new heights
HAVE A GREAT DAY
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