"Wait Patiently"

I will not be sending out the Coffee Break devotional next week.  I am taking a vacation.  Be blessed.

"Wait Patiently"

"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry." Psalm 40:1

"I waited patiently for the LORD." That is almost unheard of any more: waiting for the Lord, and waiting patiently for Him. We tend to always be in a hurry. We don't want to wait for anything. We want whatever it is at the moment we want it. This attitude runs over into our prayer life and relationship with the Lord. We tend to treat Him the same way. We don't want Him to make us wait for anything- the answer, the blessings, the provision.

Then when we do wait for Him- allowing Him to move in His time, according to the council of His own wisdom and by His sovereignty- we don't do a very good job of waiting patiently. Most of our impatience comes because we feel the "crunch" of deadlines, the pressure of the situation or the demands of others who want an immediate answer. There are mornings I feel the pressure of "time" to get the devotional out. I know I shouldn't wait too late because of the ones who want to read it before they go to work or school, so when I look at the clock and it's getting late I need Him to answer me then.

Let me remind you, and myself, that He knows all about our deadlines, our pressures, our schedules and what time it is. He knows when to give us the answer. We live our lives by a clock- time is always staring us in the face- but He doesn't and isn't moved by the clock. A day to Him is like a thousand years to us, and vice versa. He doesn't even own a clock but His timing is always so perfect.

Stop being so anxious, stop being in such a hurry, stop fretting because it is taking God one minute longer than you want it to take. Learn to wait on the Lord, and learn to wait patiently. Patiently waiting is called "rest", and "rest" is called "trust", and you can trust Him to do anything and everything at just the right time.

Have a great day. Do you wait on the Lord? How do you wait?

"Expect Results"

"And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them." Acts 3:5

God's word is full of conditions and promises. When we meet the conditions, we should expect to receive the promises. When we seek Him first, we should expect Him to meet all our need. (Matt. 6:33) When we acknowledge Him in all our ways, we should expect Him to direct our steps. (Proverbs 3:6) When we give, we should expect to receive. (Luke 6:38)

The reason that we don't receive- in some cases- is because we don't ask. (James 4:2) And often we don't ask because we don't expect God to answer. Then there are times when we might ask but don't receive because we don't expect to receive. It's the attitude that says-- I knew it wouldn't work. Faith and expectation go hand in hand-- and the just live by faith. We should live in a state of expectation based on the faithfulness of God to His word. "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." (Hebrews 10:36)

The beggar at the gate beautiful expected something when he asked. Blind Bartimaeus expected something when he cried the more loudly to Jesus. The centurion expected something when he sent his servant to Jesus. Abraham expected God to provide a sacrifice when he took his son in obedience up the mountain. Jacob expected a blessing when he wrestled with the angel all night. Moses expected to "see" God when he followed God's instructions and went back up the mountain. The woman with the issue of blood expected to be heal when she touched the hem of Jesus' garment.

Are you having a hard time in the area of "expectation"? Do you have unbelief? Are you not sure that you'll receive the promise after having met the condition? Then there is a prayer that you should pray. "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief". (Mark 9:24)

Have a great day. Expect results-- "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Cor. 15:58)

"Attention Required"

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1

Each evening the program that I use to protect my computer will run a scan to see if there is anything that is harmful to my computer's operation hiding somewhere. Once it is finished it will list any possible threats. At times it will let me know that some low risk cookie that has been detected-- it shows up under the heading of "Attention Required". When this happens, I have to take the necessary action to get rid of the risk that could cause a potential problem if left unattended.

I wonder if there are things in our lives that come under the heading of "Attention Required". How many things- wrong attitudes, ill feelings, fears, undisciplined areas, besetting sins, unholy thoughts, etc.- do we have "hiding" in us that are potential "hazards" to our souls. Are there areas that the Lord has shown you that need some attention? Do they seem so small and insignificant- not worth the bother? We are told in the word of God that a little leaven leavens the whole lump and the little foxes spoil the vines. On my computer if these threats are left unattended they can cause problems, or a possible "crash" eventually. In our lives if these things are left unattended they can cause our lights to be hid, our salt to lose its savor, our hearts to become hard, our love to grow cold, or worse, our relationship with the Lord to be hindered.

This morning let the Holy Spirit do a "system scan" on your heart to see if there is anything that is a hinderance to your Christian walk and growth in the Lord. ("Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. Ps. 139:23) If there is don't "hit the ignore button", give it the needed attention required and let the Lord "clean" it up. You will "function" much better-- it's called abundant life.

Have a great day. Is there something in your life that requires attention?

"That's Childish"

"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." John 11:21

The Lord is often accused of "not caring"- not caring about us, what we are going through, what is happening in our lives. Basically, that is what Martha and Mary said to Jesus, "You don't care". They reasoned in their minds that if He really did care about Lazarus, and them, He would have come when they first called Him- four days ago while Lazarus was still alive.

Just because He doesn't "show up" when you want Him to, or think He should, is never an indication that He does not care. On the contrary, He was well aware of what was going on with them. He was more aware than they realized- He knew Lazarus was dead before a messenger was ever sent to Him. As a matter of fact, the Bible doesn't record that they sent word to Jesus telling Him of Lazarus' death. (Perhaps they decided not to send word to Him, after all, if He had cared about them He would have come while Lazarus was still alive and there was "hope", but He didn't so why send for Him now.)

If the Lord doesn't do what we want Him to do or answer our prayers when and in the way we want them answered, we start playing what I call "childish" games with Him- we don't talk to Him, we ignore Him, we make accusations to Him, we don't read His word, we don't pray or praise Him for a while. It's almost like we are "trying to get back" at Him or "get even" with Him.

If this is the attitude that you get when He doesn't "show up" when and how you desire, then you need to repent and stop it. His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are so much higher and wiser than ours. He knows what He is doing. He sees the whole picture. He was aware of what was going on with Lazarus and He was desirous to do a greater work than just healing him. Did He care about Lazarus and his sisters? You answer the question. Does He care about you? Answer that one too.

Have a great day. He does care so don't act "childish" if it looks like He doesn't.

"Long Distance"

"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:" Isaiah 55:6

The Lord wanted me to remind you this morning that He is not a "long distance" God- He is near. He is not a God that is afar off. He hasn't left and gone to the other side of the universe, He hasn't taken a trip to a distant land, He is here. He is as near as your next breath. He is near enough to be aware of what you are going through. He is near enough to see your pain, your hurt, your grief. He is near enough to see the scars from past wounds. He is near enough to have a close look at your heart. He is near enough to hear the thoughts and intent of your heart. He is near enough to see your tears and hear your cries. He is near enough to know even those things that are deep and hidden away in secret in your life.

Because He is near enough to be aware of everything that is going on in your life, He is also near enough to touch you at the point of your need. He is also near enough to wipe away your tears. He is also near enough to embrace and hold you close to Himself. He is also near enough to speak a word to your heart- a word of comfort, strength, peace, healing.

Stop putting Him so far away. He isn't. He is near and will be even nearer to you if you'll let Him.

Have a great day. He is not a long distant (far away) God- He is very near.