Have you ever noticed that when God directs us to do his will, our first reaction is often one of fear, doubt, or both?  The reason we react this way is because what he asks us to do is usually greater than what we think we are capable of doing.

Gideon was sent by God to rescue Israel from the Midianites, but he didn’t think he had the right qualifications to do the job.   His family was one of the poorest in the area, and he was also the youngest or perhaps the least important member of his family.   None of which qualified him for this  place of leadership — or so he thought!

The world’s value system is far removed from the godly values of our Heavenly Father.  Things we consider to be “real worth” mean absolutely nothing to him.   He works through ordinary people like you and me, and uses the simple things of this world to confound the wise.

Gideon thought he was unfit but God called him a ‘valiant warrior’.  He didn’t realize that the ‘strength’ he had, was actually God’s presence with him, and that he already had everything he needed to be victorious.

The psalmist said it this way, “It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure”. Psalm 18:32 NIV

The same is true for us.   When God sends us to do his will, He doesn’t send us off with a wave and expect us to fend for ourselves.   We go in HIS strength, and we have his promise to be with us every step of the way because he knows that we are weak.  “For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust”.  Psalm 103:14 NLT

God may be calling you to step out of your comfort zone and do something you never thought you could do.  But the enemy, like the liar that he is, fills your heart with fear and doubt.  Don’t let him hold you captive with his lies.

Remember this piece of advice the Apostle Paul gave to Timothy,  “ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind”.  2 Tim 1:7 NKJV

Go in confidence — your God is with you!

In the most generous economy of God, we are privileged to receive one blessing after another, one gracious gift after another.  Blessings he gives to his children here in this world, and for the world to come. 

God bestows his blessing on us in a number of ways.  He has given us spiritual blessings in heavenly places which consist of our salvation, forgiveness and redemption, our adoption into the family of God, our inheritance as co-heirs with Christ, eternal life and so much more.  

In addition, we also receive blessings in the form of gifts to do the work that God has called us to do.  In the early church, the disciples received the gift of apostleship to preach the Gospel.  Likewise, in our time, we are blessed according to our ability.  Some of us are blessed in the area of administration or organization.  Some as teachers, cooks, engineers, or carpenters.  Whatever the area of expertise, God has blessed you according to the measure of the gift that Christ has given you.       

God also blesses us in our day-to-day lives.  These blessings have the most impact on us.  They are the ones we identify with the most because they touch our lives in such a personal way.   These can be blessings of a family, a wife or husband, or a job — that’s a big one in this economy.  Personal blessings come in all shapes and sizes, designed specifically for each believer.

You would think with all of these blessings God has so graciously given us, that he would stop there. No! Not at all!  His storehouses are unlimited when it comes to his children!    I know from personal experience, that there are times when God gives a blessing, followed by another, and yet another–right after that.  One blessing after another!   The bible says in  1 Corinthians 2:9 NIV “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”.

Blessings come with responsibility. You see, God doesn’t just bless us for our own benefit.  He blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others.  Philippians 2:3-4 NIV says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others”.    

One translation puts it this way, “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too”.  What that means is, we shouldn’t be so self-absorbed that we ignore the needs of others.  But rather, we are to seek the welfare of others in a spiritual sense. Whether it’s contributing financially, assisting in other ways, or leading them to the good news of Jesus Christ. 

As Pastor Matt said in his message on Sunday, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”.   As we move into what is traditionally our greatest season of giving, let us also be mindful of the words that the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”.  Ephesians 2:10 NIV    

Ask the Lord to show you how you can be a blessing to someone today! 

Be Blessed!

“Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me”.  Psalm 50:15

When I was in distress, I called on the LORD; I cried out to my God for help.  He heard my voice from his temple, my cry reached his ears, and he answered me from his holy hill.

From the depths of my soul I cried.  You heard my request and gave me the desires of my heart.  You rode on one of the angels, and soared on the wings of the wind to rescue me because you were pleased with me; Hephzibah, in whom you delight.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress, my Savior, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the strength of my salvation; my stronghold.   Your way is perfect!  You are a shield to all those who take refuge in you.

That is why I will give thanks to you, O LORD.  I will praise you forever for what you have
done.  You are the God who works wonders. You are my portion.  I will worship you with all of my heart.

You are mighty to save.   Great is your mercy to me!

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing”.  Zephaniah 3:17

I’m a creature of habit.  I tend to gravitate to things that are consistent and dependable. Don’t get me wrong, change is good, but there are some things in life that need to be constant.

 In a world that is always changing, isn’t it comforting to know that our Heavenly Father is always the same?   He does not change.  He is the same every day.  The bible says that God, by his very nature, cannot lie or change his mind.  

“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”.  Numbers 23:19

So what does that mean for us? 

It means we can be certain that God will do what he said he will do.  He stands by his Word and so can we. “Your Word O Lord is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens”.  Psalms 119:89.  

Times change; circumstances change; our friends change; our values change; even our taste buds change, but God never changes! 

Change implies imperfection and we know that God is perfect.  Psalm 18:30 states, “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless”.   

“He never fails”.  He is holy, loving, kind, patient, forgiving, faithful, and he hates sin.   His nature would not allow him to be otherwise.  He will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself”.  

“Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures”.  Psalm 119:90

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and  every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:  I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.  Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Genesis 9:12-15

We are living in a culture that is shaped by an unprecedented set of problems.  Turn on the television, and you hear of record breaking crime and violence, deteriorating economic conditions, environmental concerns, widespread diseases, and overall spiritual decline. 

“When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalms 11:3  

What does a mother do when her teenager leaves home, and she has no idea where to start looking?    How do you cope when the results of the medical tests come back and it’s not  good? 

When the fundamentals of family life crumble around us, what can the righteous do? 

The Holy Spirit points us to the answer in Psalms 11:4. “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne.  He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them.

What it means is that we should “Trust God” because he is the ruler and sustainer of the universe.  He is on his heavenly throne and he sees everything that is taking place here on earth.   When you are afraid, trust him!  When you don’t understand, trust him!

We have a protector in heaven and he knows every detail of our lives.   He knows what we are doing at every moment of the day.   Nothing slips by him.  Nothing can happen to us unless he allows it.  He filters everything through his hands before it touches us.

No one knows why God allows certain things to happen, or why He allows his children to endure suffering.  What we do know is that he loves us, and he will never leave us.

The bible says in Psalms 38:14 that “The Lord is close to those whose hearts are broken and whose spirits are crushed”.  That means he will comfort you, fill you with his peace, and give you the strength to make it through whatever circumstances you face. 

I admit–trusting God is not the easiest thing for the believer to do.  You can be confident one moment, and five minutes later, you’re at the bottom of the pit. It is an ongoing struggle with your mind, but don’t give up.  Call out to your heavenly Father and he will answer.  He is mighty to save. 

As you look around, and hear of one disaster after another, it may seem like things are out of control.   But know this, God is on the throne and he is in control of everything in the universe.  

Encourage one another and stand firm in your faith!

Then, while doing my daily bible reading, God led me to these words found in Zechariah 4:10 “For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel”. 

“The day of small things” I thought, “I don’t remember reading that before”.     

A little background:  Zerubbabel was chosen by God to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem because the original temple was destroyed when the Israelites went into captivity.  

After the foundation was laid, some of the older Israelites who had seen the first temple came to see how the work was progressing.  When they saw it, they were very discouraged and wept with loud voices because it was small and seemed like nothing, compared to the greatness and splendor of the first one.   

This is where the verse picks up.  In essence, God is saying “Those who despised the work because of its humble beginnings, will be glad when they see Zerubbabel with the plumb line in his hands”.  The plumb line was a tool he used to make sure the walls of the temple were upright or straight. It meant the building of the temple was a success.

God didn’t look at the work as being small, he saw the finished product. Then it occurred to me, “That’s how he sees us”.  He doesn’t see us as we are now–a work in progress. He sees what we will be–the finished product.   

Note to self:

• Don’t be so focused on doing “big things” that you miss the small unnoticeable ways God is working in and around you  
• He uses the simple things of this world to confound the wise    
• His Word is a plumb line to keep you upright in all you do and say 

I grew up in an old Victorian house where I shared a room with my sister.  In a corner of our room there was a door which opened to a stairway that was sealed off at the bottom of the stairs.  That stairway became our secret hiding place.  It was hollow and our voices echoed but we loved it, especially when we wanted to get away from our younger siblings.  It was the perfect hiding place.     

There is a place where those who trust in God can find refuge from the storms of life.  The Psalmist referred to it as “the secret place of the Most High”. What that means is, when you’re in the secret place, you’re in the presence of God. The secret place is his presence. It’s where He lives deep down in our heart and soul.  Under the law God lived in the tabernacle or tent, but because of Christ we have a new covenant, and God now lives in the hearts of believers.

There, in God’s presence is where you will find those believers who have a close relationship with him.  They are the ones who trust him, believe in him, and have faith in him.  They cling to him and he shields them with his holy presence.  They are his treasure. He keeps them safe with him and no evil can reach them because his power and love cover them from all harm.  “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock”.  Psalm 27:5.   God will shield all who dwell with him but not all believers are willing to remain in him.  Some run to him when trouble comes but they don’t stay.  Then as soon as the trouble passes they quickly turn away to whatever catches their attention.   

There are many benefits to being in the secret place of the Most High.  We abide where God abides. We’re in the presence of God, and the closer we are to him the more confident we become.  “If you make the Most High your dwelling, even the Lord, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; Psalm 91:9-11

Dwelling in God’s presence requires faith.  You cannot please God without it.   “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”. Hebrews 11:6.  God cannot be pleased with the person who has no confidence in him, or in his word.   It’s impossible for a wife to please her husband, or a husband to please his wife unless they have confidence in each other.  If there is distrust or jealousy on either part, there will be conflict and unhappiness in the relationship.  The same is true in almost any relationship, and it’s equally true in our relationship with God.  He requires the same expression of faith that we need from each other.

In addition, our heart has to change.  Our attitude has to change.  The way we view our circumstances has to change.  Worry becomes a thing of the past.  You can’t dwell in God’s presence and worry at the same time. We have to be willing to wait for God’s way and His timing.  We are reflections of the Most High therefore when people look at us they should see God in us.      

Today, God is calling you to join him in his secret holy place.  He has given you an open invitation.  You don’t have to settle for the world’s idea of peace.  He will take away your fears and fill you with his peace.   “Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him.  For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:22 NLT

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose” Philippians 2:13 NIV

The Bible says that God works in us to give us the desire to do what pleases Him.  He places a desire or passion in our hearts to do the things He calls us to do and gives us the ability to do the work required to carry it out.  

My sister owns a bakery and café.  Several years ago she discovered that she loved to bake and dreamed of one day owning a bakery.  God worked in her heart to produce that desire according to His plan for her and gave her the ability to do the work required to make her dream a reality. 

“God’s gifts and calling never change”.  Romans 11:29.  He has given each of us the power we need to do the work He calls us to do.   Unfortunately, not everyone who has that power will actually use it.    Many of us start out strong only to give up when opposition or difficulty get in the way.  We have to run the race in order to finish.   

How can we be sure that our desires are from God and not our own thoughts?

• The desires God puts in our hearts are strictly according to His plan and His purpose for us.  God cannot be tempted to do evil and he does not tempt anyone.   “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. James 1:13. NLT    
• Our desires must line up with the Word of God.  The Bible is our guide for living a Christ-centered life.  Everything we say and do must line up with what it says.
• Ask God to show you His will for your life.  He is always ready to give a fresh supply of wisdom to all who ask.   

 Prayer:  “May He equip you with all you need for doing His will.  May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to Him.  All glory to Him forever and ever! Amen.   (Hebrews 13:21 NLT)

                                                   Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?     

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The whole world belongs to Him. He is the Creator of the earth.   By wisdom He laid the earth’s foundations.  By understanding He set the heavens in place.  Prov.3:19.    

The heavens declare the glory of God, the firmament shows his handiwork!  Psalm 19:1

And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:  Genesis 1:26

You, even you, are LORD alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, the earth and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and you preserve them all; and the host of heaven worships you.  Nehemiah 9:6

He gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command.

 By His knowledge the watery depths were divided!  

His hands formed the dry land!

In his hand is the life of every creature!

 How great is God—beyond our understanding!

 The number of His years is past finding out.   You, even you, are LORD alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and you preserve them all.  The host of heaven worships you.   Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.   

God’s plan and His purpose have the last say in His world; nothing and no one can prevent Him from carrying it out.  He created each of us with a calling or gift and He has a plan for every minute of every day of our lives.  He longs to reveal His plans to us but we’re usually too busy to hear His voice. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jer. 29:11 NIV)

Several years ago I struggled with a period of extreme discouragement. I had a series of setbacks and disappointments because everything I attempted failed in one way or another.  I began to second guess myself about where I thought the Lord was leading me, and as the years went by, so did my hopes and expectations.

I knew that God had a plan for me but it never occurred to me that His plan would differ from mine. As far as I was concerned my plan was His plan.   It was all about what I wanted.  Isn’t it just like us to bring God down to our level then run ahead of Him with our short-sighted plans and expect Him to agree to them?       

God is omniscient which means He is all-knowing.  He never makes mistakes so we can be confident that His plan for us is the best possible plan.  It may not be what we would choose for ourselves, but if we are faithful and submit to Him the result would be more than we could ask or imagine.

Of course you’re probably wondering “why should anyone bother planning when God has the final say anyway”.  Well the Bible doesn’t say we shouldn’t plan, on the contrary, we are encouraged to make plans but we must do so within certain guidelines.  The book of Proverbs gives guidance for making plans and just about any other issue we come across in our walk with God.       

The key is to surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to accomplish His will for us.  Candidly, I find that I have to surrender my will to Him on a daily basis because each day comes with a new set of challenges.