"Rearranged Plans"

"And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt".  Numbers 13:17

When things don't go according to your plans, when appointments are changed, when you are delayed, when a meeting is cancelled, how do you react?  What type of attitude do you get?  Most of us get frustrated, angry, critical, mad, anxious, worried or irritated.  Is this the attitude we should have if we are a born-again Christian?  What should our attitude be?

We say we trust the Lord but do we when our plans seem to be "rearranged".  The Bible says that the Lord directs our steps.  We either believe this or we don't.  If we do, our attitude will be different than the one I described earlier.  If He is directing your steps, then instead of getting angry about a canceled appointment maybe it means that you didn't need to go.  Instead of getting frustrated because traffic delayed you from getting to a meeting on time, maybe it was God's way of protecting you from an accident that morning.  I'll never forget the time several years ago that my husband was to have a certain medical procedure.  We made the early trip out of town to the hospital.  We filled out all the paperwork.  He was prepped for the procedure.  Then the doctor came in and said they weren't going to do it that day we would have to reschedule it.  Honestly, it was frustrating.  Making the trip unnecessarily was an inconvenience.  We felt like the time was wasted, etc., etc.  But later we discovered that the reason things were delayed was because they may have done a procedure on him that was not necessary.  Because when we had the test later, all was fine. 

I am sure you have your own similar story.  Delays that worked for your good.  Interruptions that prevented you from being hurt.  Cancellations that put you at the right place at the right time. These things aren't just happening to us, they are happening for us--- for our good, on our behalf. 

So, the next time you are tempted to get a bad attitude over things not going according to your plan, stop and thank the Lord that your steps are directed by Him and He is leading them down a perfect path whether you can see it as such or not.

Have a great day.  Rearranged plans don't just happen to us, often God is behind them working them together for our good.   

"A Dangerous Intersection"

"For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me".  2 Corinthians 12:8,9

We would all agree that Paul was a man of faith, right?  He had a close intimate relationship with the Lord.  The Lord did miracles through him.  He wrote most of the New Testament.  He suffered for the cause of Christ.  He had spiritual revelation and was even caught up into heaven.   Yet, when he prayed for the thorn in his flesh to be removed, it wasn't.  He even prayed three times and it remained.

Prayer is not some sort of "magic formula" that we say and instantly, automatically our requests are answered and answered exactly the way we want.  When we pray and the outcome is not as we had hoped, when the situation does not change, when God gives us an answer that we weren't expecting, we find ourselves at a "dangerous intersection". 

Do you ever wonder why many people who were once sold out to the Lord have now turned from Him?  One of the reasons is because they came to this "intersection".  The Lord didn't answer in the way they wanted or thought He would so they weren't willing to accept it as His will. Instead they got angry and bitter toward Him.  Which led them to turning from Him. 

When God doesn't answer like we want Him to, or think He should, we have to make a choice-- which direction at this intersection will we take.  Will we accept the will of God and know that His grace is sufficient, His strength will there for us and all things will work together for our good?  Or will we get angry at Him and turn from Him?  Paul chose to accept the will of God and continue on.  As a result, the power of God rested upon him.  Which direction will you choose?

Have a great day.  When you come to the place where God's will is contrary to the answer you wanted to hear, will you continue to walk with Him or turn from Him?
 

"Waiting Is Working"

"And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up".  Exodus 40:36,37

Many of God's people are in a place of waiting.  They are waiting for the Lord to move them into their next assignment, their destiny, the place of ministry or the plan He has for them.  They are waiting on His timing before they can make the next move forward.

It's in these times of "waiting" that we must be careful and guard against getting frustrated, anxious, impatient and the temptation to "move out" and "do something".  That is one of the hardest things for most of us to do-- be still and wait.  We want to be doing something for the Lord.  We want to be working.  We find it hard to sit still and, as we think, "do nothing". 

Let me encourage you this morning that it is just as much an act of obedience to do nothing as it is to do what He tells you to do.  Waiting is as much the will of God as working is.  The children of Israel, when they were in the wilderness, were told to keep their eyes on the cloud-- the Presence of the Lord among them.  They were instructed not to move on in their journey if the cloud remained still.  They were instructed to move and go forward to another place when they saw the cloud move.  They were following the Lord--- even when the Lord wasn't leading them to move.

The safest place on earth is in the will of God.  The will of God is not always about going, working or doing.  The will of God is as much about being-- being still unless He has told you to go.  So, rest in the Lord; don't get frustrated; don't be anxious; don't get condemned and feel as if you are doing nothing for Him; don't have the mentality that says loving the Lord means you have to constantly be doing something for Him.  When He wants you to move, He will let you know just like He did the Israelites.  Trust in the Lord.  Wait upon the Lord.  Be at peace in Him.  Learn what He wants you to learn by waiting.  Be still and just enjoy His presence until HE gives you the orders to move. 

Have a great day.  Our doing nothing but waiting on the Lord's timing to move is as much obedience to the will of God as our always having to do something for Him. 

"Peace Before Or After?"

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee".  Isaiah 26:3

The key to keeping in peace is keeping your mind on the Lord.  When situations arise, you can either keep pondering the situation or ponder the greatness of the Lord.  You can either fear the situation or trust the Lord.  You can either allow the situation to consume you and overwhelm you or you can turn to the Lord.  You can either focus on the problem or focus on the Lord.

When the disciples were in the boat during the storm that threatened to drown them, they focused on the storm.  They forgot the words of Jesus that they were going to reach the other side.  As a result, they became fearful.  The disciples were afraid, but Jesus was in the back of the boat asleep.  When they woke Him, He calmed the storm and peace returned to the sea.

During the storms of life, which would you rather be like--- the disciples who had peace after the storm or Jesus who had peace during the storm?  It is possible to have peace during the storm.  (That is what the Lord wants for us.)  Storms will always come to our lives, they will always threaten to destroy us, they can stir fear in our hearts, they may last longer than a night, but we can still have peace while they are raging.  Jesus did.  If He is living in your life, then know this-- He still has peace today, He is the Prince of Peace.  Allow His peace which passes understanding to give you peace during the storm.  You do this by keeping your heart and mind focused on Him, on His word, on His promises and on His power instead of the storm.

Have a great day.  Would you rather have peace during the storm or after it has passed?

"A Voice In The House"

"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet...". Isaiah 58:1a

A pastor friend of mine called me a while back and was telling me how the Lord protected him and his family during a tornado.  He took his family into the hall of the house and there he prayed for the Lord's protection, quoted scriptures and encouraged his family by reminding them of what God had said in His Word.  Then he made a statement that leaped out at me.  He said-- "he was the voice in the house" during the storm.  He was the one voice for them all that called out to God above the storm, above the fear and above the situation that was taking place around them.   

There has to be a "voice in the house" when we are going through difficulties.  There has to be a voice to remind us of God's goodness, faithfulness and promises.  There has to be a voice to encourage us.  Someone has to proclaim and say what the Lord says.  Someone has to lift up their voice in praise.   Someone has to quote the scriptures to the circumstances.  Someone has to cry out to and call upon the Lord.  We can't be quiet.

Our own nation's history has taught us that there has to be a voice for things to change or to make things happen.  Behind every worthy cause there has been a voice.  The Founding Fathers had a voice against the King of England in order to bring about our independence.  The Civil Rights movement had a voice in its leaders to bring about equality for all men and women.  The Bible records that God sent a voice, Moses, to Pharaoh to let His people go.  God used a voice/shout to bring down the walls of Jericho.  God sent a voice in John the Baptist to prepare the way of the coming Messiah.  In the end of time the Spirit and the bride lift up their voices with an invitation to come and take of the water of life freely. 

We can't keep quiet when the storm is raging, when the enemy is fighting, when sickness is attacking, when the fire is burning, when the lions are roaring, when the situation looks hopeless.  We must BE the voice in the house and call out to God, praise Him, declare His goodness and speak His word. 

But we can't be the same kind of voice as Eve who carried on a conversation with the enemy.  We must follow the example of Jesus who "voiced" to the devil in the wilderness-- "It is written".  Jesus was the voice in the boat-- "Peace Be Still!".  Jesus had a voice at the cross that secured our salvation-- "It is finished!" Be the voice in your home.  Be the voice which speaks to the situation.  Be the voice that speaks life, freedom and victory.  Don't stay quiet.  Speak to those things.  Open your mouth, the word of faith is in it.  Speak to that mountain.  Be not silent.

Have a great day.  Is there a voice in the house?