Waiting on the Lord (Psalm 40:1)

It is important to wait patiently before the Lord. When you do, you are performing three important acts.

When you wait on the Lord, you knowledge him as your sovereign Lord. By that, you recognize that he is in complete control of all events that take place and regardless of how they appear, you believe he will use them for good and his glory.

When you wait on the Lord, you are exercising your faith and when I say exercise, I mean exercise. Each time that you place your faith in the Lord, you are strengthening it and also developing the closeness of your relationship with him. Your relationship with God is what gives your faith strength. This comes from his word (Romans 10:17) and also his joy (Nehemiah 8:10).

When you wait on the Lord, you are relying on his love. God is love and everything that he does for you or allows to happen is motivated by that love. When we cannot understand or see the workings of his love in his actions, it is then that our faith must moves us to wait on the Lord.

Waiting on the Lord will always bring his results. When we fail to wait on him, we act on our own independently of God. These actions are works of the flesh motivated by the emotions that we experienced in the trial.

So instead of allowing your emotions to drive you to disobedience, instead allow God’s working through your faith to lead you to rely on him who on countless times has guided, comforted, carried and loved you. He did not fail you then and he will not fail you now.

The Widow’s Giving (Luke 21:1-4)

The circumstances in your life are not the cause of your behavior. You act the way you do because you choose to. Such is the case for the widow who gave two mites. The context indicates that people had taken advantage of her which brought about her poverty. But what affect did it have on her? Didn’t even have an effect?

It did not affect her faith. Why would a poor person sacrifice and give? This poor widow woman was forced to depend on God. She probably had been depending on him for sometime. She most likely received answers to prayer, provisions of food, gifts of love from the concerned and protection. She lived from day to day depending on God. Giving her last two mites was nothing because her dependence on God led her to depend on God.

It did not affect her outlook. Imagine the larger gifts being tossed into the coffer and then her meager two mites. What a small drop in the big pool of gifts. What did two mites matter among so much? It may not mean much to the natural eye, but it meant much to her. She must have known that God values the gifts that are brought to him. You and I must recognize that when we give to a need, we are really giving to God.

Little did the widow know that her great sacrifice of a mere two mites would be affecting countless lives centuries later.

Remember, whatever you do for God, it is not compared to others. It is measured by your faith in the abilities that God has given you. You may not be the shining star you desired to be, but you can yield yourself to him in faith and obey his leading. Your life then will shine brighter than you ever imagined.

Upholding Others (Psalm 54:4)

Have you ever been so tired that you just couldn’t stand? If there wasn’t a chair available, you did the next best thing: you leaned against something to give you the support you needed. If by some chance you saw somebody in this type of a condition, you probably would have helped them along by holding them up.

Did you ever think of all the people who struggle so much with life that they just can’t stand any longer? All of life‘s hurts, struggles, disappointments—and for some trauma—continue to bear down upon a person‘s heart. Some choose to end their lives as a way of escape. Others successfully find the help and support they need.

Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. (Psalm 54:4)

The support and help these people need are other people. They need the strength that others have to be shared with them and when this happens, their inner being or soul gains strength. Your actions of love—whether they are words spoken or written—bring strength to those who cannot stand alone. Any act of kindness can help those who are crumbling under their life‘s condition. You may not be able to do a thing about their circumstances, but you can be an encourager.

As you go to work, social events and church, look for the people that God brings to you for encouragement and share your strength with them.

Brace Yourself!

Brace yourself! This is the phrase that we use to prepare ourselves for some impending negative event. It may be physically holding on to something in preparation for jolting or even a collision. It could even relate to preparing yourself for news that may move you emotionally.

As bracing yourself may seem to work in the physical world, it does not work in the spiritual. However, what will work is if the Lord braces you.

1 The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;

2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;  (Psalm 20:1-2)

In this time of distress for David, he is looking for the Lord to send him help and strength. The strength he is seeking is comfort and to be held up. Another meaning for the word strength would be to brace. David is not bracing himself for the trial that he faces, but he is asking the Lord to brace him.

When I think of the Lord bracing us for trials, I picture a parent with a child. Imagine a small child in the arms of a father as they face a frightening experience like a thunderstorm. With each flash and bang of the storm, the child buries their head in the father’s chest as the father tightly braces the child. The father’s embrace may not be able to stop the storm, but it does bring security and strength to the child.

As we face the storms of life, God wants to brace us for them. He may not choose to remove the storm, but with his tender embrace, he will provide us the comfort and strength that we need.

Thankfully his loving embrace in these times is based on his mercy and grace. Because of this, we can always count on the father to be there for us. As you face storms in life, bury your head into the chest of your heavenly father and experience his strong loving embrace.

When You Just Can’t Go On

Sometime back when I worked in the steel mill, I was a part of a crew of men that worked on changing the motor of a large crane. The work took place over the 200 foot tempering furnace, which created an extremely hard-working environment. The crew worked in 15 minute intervals because of the fatigue caused by the heat and after short periods of rest, we were refreshed, renewed in strength and ready to go again.

Life can have a fatiguing effect on our hearts, just as the heat did on our bodies in the steel mill. The effect is not so much the heat of the day, but the wearing away upon the heart by life‘s struggles. Health, financial, domestic and work issues can bear upon the heart of man causing him to stoop and even fall. But God has promised to be with us, provide comfort to our hearts and the strength that we need.

He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength (Isaiah 40:29)

The power that we need is not in us nor does God couple his power with ours so that the total is enough for us to endure. We must remember that he is our strength. (Psalm 46:1; 81:1)

As long as we continue trying to rise above life and the burdens that it bears upon us, we will continually fall which leads to greater anguish in the soul. But when we rest in him, we gain his strength. Resting in him does not mean a time of leisurely repose for the recovering of strength, but more like how God rested from his work of creation on the seventh day. He was not tired from his labor: his resting was him ceasing from work.

When we rest in Jesus, we cease from our own work—whether physical or soulish— and allow him to do his work in and through us. We give up our strength so that we may gain his strength.

So instead of trying harder to overcome, give up and then look to God so that he may do in you what you are unable to do.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Psalms 46:1)

Sing aloud unto God our strength: (Psalm 81:1)

The Shepherd: He Restores My Soul

I remember my first trip to the mountains of Pennsylvania.  It was a snowy day and I was walking along the top of the mountain.  When suddenly, my foot caught ahold of a root under the snow.  I tripped forward and after a number of staggering steps, I finally caught my balance.  That is when I realized I was in a very bad situation.  Because the wind was blowing hard, the tracks behind me were cleared away.  I was spun around and lost.

From my location, I walked in various directions trying to get to the edge of the mountain, which would lead me back to camp.  I was unsuccessful, cold, lost and darkness was fading in.  I was spin around and I really needed somebody to turn me in the right direction.

Life is much the same way. We live with everything appearing to be just right and then it happens.  Some event knocks us for a loop, spins us around, and we find ourselves farther away from God than we want to be.  How did it happen and how do we get back?

We can find ourselves turned around and away from God for a few reasons. One way we get turned around is by deceit.  We can be deceived by people who teach us things contrary to the Word of God or we could be deceived by our traditions.  Regardless of the source, unbiblical doctrine can cause you to end up far away from the Lord. If you are trying to live up to a standard so that you can be or feel accepted by God, you have been spun around. Instead of walking toward God, you are walking away from him.

Another major cause for believers to get turn about and away from God is by not being prepared .  We are admonished to put on the whole armor of God. When we are not equipped, we get overcome by our past and present failures. Our sin nature has the ability to rise up and take control of our lives and we can easily find ourselves turned around by sin, simply because we were not prepared.  But there is good news.

Remember, when life turns you around, it is only God who can turn you back around. He restoreth my soul... (Psalm 23:3)

It is God who can turn you around and he may use different ways to accomplish it. One thing we know is that he will use his powerful word because it is perfect and it can convert or turn around the soul. (Psalm 19:7) There can be instances where we may resist his working and when that happens, he may use acts of chastening to accomplish what is best for us. Regardless of how he does it, it will always be because of his mercy. (Psalm 85:4-7) Thankfully it is new every day. 

How did I get turned back around on that mountain top? I remembered that in the morning the sun rose from behind the cabin. Through the snow clouded sky, I spotted where the sun was ready to go down. I used the sun as a guide to get me back to safety by keeping my back to the sun and began running. Eventually, I made it to the mountain’s slope edge and to safety.

It is the same for me today. When I get turned around, I look for the son—the Good Shepherd—and he always leads me back.

Praise the Lord! He restoreth my soul.

It Is All in the Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)

What would it take to make you happy? People may give various answers to this question, but what each answer reveals is the longing that people have in their hearts. If you could sum up for all people as to what would make them happy, it would be that their hearts would be full and without want.  For some people, it may be to be out of debt.  For another person, it may be to have a spouse. If you asked a person living in an impoverished situation, their answer may be to have enough food to eat each day.

King David said it wisely, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.” This statement is insightful in that David recognized the shepherd was everything that he needed and that because he had the shepherd, he did not have any needs. This does not mean that he was in possession of everything that he ever would need.  He recognized that it is the shepherd who would supply his needs and that because he had the supplier of his needs, he really had everything he would ever need.

Have you recognized this for your life? You have everything you will ever need in the shepherd: everything for your marriage, child raising, work, ministry and personal happiness. When you are abiding in the shepherd, your heart will be satisfied and lack nothing.  However, if you find your heart becoming barren and longing for something that you just cannot identify, it is because you ceased abiding in the shepherd.  You begin to want because you wandered from the shepherd.

If you want to be like David and in your heart experience the joy of being without want, consider the following.

1. Recognize your need for a shepherd.  

2. Decide to trust the shepherd. For some, it may mean them accepting his payment on the cross for their sin as what they need in order to be saved and accepted by God.  For others, it may mean that they will cease from trying to create their own security in life and will now trust him to provide for them.

3. Follow the leading of the shepherd. Life is not a brightly lit way down a path of lovely flowers. It is filled with darkness, evil and heart ache. When you follow him, he will lead you in the path that is best for you.

4. Feed on what the shepherd provides. Spend time with him in prayer and reading his word. From it, you will gain strength, nourishment and guidance.

5. Sit at the feet of the shepherd.  I am reminded of a German Shepherd that I once had. She would lie down at my feet and look up at me in adoration. I was strong and she loved strength; I am loving and she loved my attention. She would look at me and wait to be noticed. When I would reach out to touch her, she would soak up the attention. Did you know, that God wants that with us. He wants us to sit at his feet and look to him.  He wants to pour out his blessing of fellowship and love and when we experience this, we will recognize that everything we would ever want or need is found in him.

6. Rejoice in what the shepherd has provided to you. When you do, this rejoicing will be revealed in every aspect of your life. The lost and the saved will see it, but best of all, your heart will be drawn even closer to the shepherd.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

Really?

Oh yeah. Really!

Sweetarts in Life (2 Samuel 19:4-6)

Do you remember your childhood favorite candies.  One of mine was Sweetarts.  I remember when they came out.  They were a two inch disk that packed the best of both worlds in candy: sweetness and tartness.  This candy reminds me much about life: it is filled with sweet events and also events that are tart.  Things have changed since then: both my tastes and also the size of the candy, but life is still the same.

For the believer, blessing and sorrow come in the same package,  it is in times of deepest hurt and sorrow when God will be present to strengthen and comfort you.  The problem for many is that because their focus is so much on the hurt and sorrow, they fail to recognize God's presence or working in their lives.  David experienced just such an event.

But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son! And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.  2 Samuel 19:4-6

He sorrowed so greatly over the loss of his son that he failed to see his victory blessing and the goodness of the Lord in the people that supported him.

As you face difficulties in your life such as financial strain, an unwanted diagnosis or any type of loss, remember that the event--as a two sided coin--has more that one aspect to it.  Trials and struggles will come, but the Lord has promised always to be present with you even in the midst of the struggle and he promises to see that all things work together for good. (Romans 8:28)

What you can do as you face trials is to stop and pray to the Lord.  Acknowledge that you know he allowed this event to occur and you believe that he wants to work and manifest his presence in the trial.  Pray for him to guide you and to help you recognize his workings.  Rest assured: although it may take time, he will answer your prayer.

Praise Can Be Difficult (Psalm 34:1)

Some people today have received the heart breaking news that a loved one has passed away.  Others may be under the heavy burden of finances or the obligations of work.  Children may be a blessing from the Lord, but as you raise them, they may make decisions that absolutely devastate your life.  With life as difficult as it is, is it outlandish to think that God wants us to continually praise him?

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. (Psalms 34:1)

In order for praise to continually be in your mouth, you must have a biblical perspective of life.  You must recognize that God wants to use situations in your life to either develop or display your faith.  When you have this perspective on life, trials and blessings are recognized as instruments for God's glory.  Remember, how you see life determines how you respond to it.

To praise is to boast.  True praise boasts on the goodness of God and it has two purposes: to magnify the Lord and to encourage others to do the same.  It is intended to be public so that others will hear.  When you praise the Lord, you not only magnify him, but you solicited others to do the same.

My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.  (Psalms 34:2)

Praise is not an attitude that you can just conjure up.  It results from acts of trust.  Throughout the Psalm, David declares the works that the Lord has done for him.  Occasions of deliverance, hearing of prayers and encouragements all resulted from him trusting the Lord and because of them, praise flowed from his lips.

As you face difficult trials in you life, turn your heart to the Lord.  Yield yourself to whatever he wants to accomplish and as you do, his spirit will guide your heart to the treasures that he has in stored and enable you to praise him.

Loving the God We Cannot See (1 Peter 1:8)

Love: a word used so freely today, but what does it mean?  True love is the desire that a person has to meet the needs of another without expecting to receive anything in return. With that, a great question arises. Can you love someone with whom you have never met face-to-face?

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1 Peter 1:8)

The answer is simple. You can love someone that you have never seen, but only if you have had the opportunity to interact with them.

In the early 20th century, a man in America, named Charles, began to correspond with the young woman, named Minnie, who lived on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Their many letters shared the events of their lives: their likes, dislikes, problems and struggles. The letters also contained hopes, dreams and passions. All the time as the letters were shared something began to happen. Each began to be concerned for the other and desired to be with them so that they may experience life together: to share, help, care and love.  They fell in love and one day, decided to marry. They never met face-to-face until the day that she came off of the ship on America's shore.  To them, it didn't matter what the other person looked like: they knew each other and recognized the beauty that each possessed within. Several decades later, I met them and marveled at their story of love.

We too can love someone that we have never met face-to-face. Through our interactions with the Lord, we can experience him in times of trials and testing. The words that he has recorded for us speak to our hearts and encourage us in the deepest of struggles. When sorrow comes, only his words bring comfort. When others have rejected and cast us out, his words of love and the promise to always be with us draw our hearts close to him. When nobody understands or cares, he does and he tells us to cast our cares on him. (1 Peter 5:7). When we are confused and searching for direction, he sheds light on our path to brighten the way. Each of these interactions bring us into a greater understanding of the person who saved us and through it all we begin to love him.

One day, we will embark off of the ship on eternities shore and will take part in the marriage between Jesus and his church. But until then, our hearts rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory all because we know and love this person that we have never seen.

Fainted and Scattered (Matthew 9:36)

It is not difficult for anyone to see that the lives of so many people today are just a mess.  How did they get this way?  Why don't they just get it together and do whatever needs to be done?

But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.  (Matthew 9:36)

From this passage, it appears that people become weak in life's struggle and instead of continuing to fight on, they relax their resistance and faint.  When this occurs, the person's life then becomes subject to the problems and trials of life.  Their lives get tossed about from side to side being cast about and cast down.  This does not occur as a result of the weakness of the individual, because none of us have the ability to stand against the enemy.   This occurs because of the absence of a shepherd in the person's life.  Sometimes there is not a shepherd because salvation has not yet been experienced, but other times it is because the person becomes estranged from their shepherd savior.  Whether it be by confusion of doctrine, ill treatment from those in the body of Christ, person hurts and losses or sin: the separation occurs.

Today there are countless believers tossed about.  They are away from their shepherd and the way to bring them back into the fold is to love them back.  Bearing their burdens (Galatians 6:2) is the act of you bringing your strength to those who are weak until they can once again gain the strength for living that can only come from their shepherd.

Refuge for the Oppressed (Psalm 9:9-11)

Events in your life can be difficult.  There are times when these events make you feel crushed, injured or afflicted.  Maybe it was the notice you receive in the mail.  The phone call reporting the auto accident or the talk that you had with your doctor.  Each of these challenges that you may face has you crushed in on all sides.  Each thought of the event is as if a whip was afflicting its cruel punishment upon your injured soul.  There appears to be no way out.

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. (Psalm 9:9-10)

But God...think of it.  Where else could a person go?  The Psalmist says that God is our refuge.  He is that cleft high up on the rocky cliff.  Nothing can reach us there because it is too high to scale.  In that cleft of the rock, we are safe.  In the midst of our trials, we take refuge in Christ.  Physically we are in the same place, but God lifts our hearts above the turmoil that is oppressing and afflicting us.  

During the troublesome times, it is difficult to recognize God's presence.  He is there and ever present to help us in times of need, but in order for him to work, we must reach out with our souls and cling to him and him alone for help.  Trusting is difficult: a war takes place in the soul between faith and fear.  Fear will always be present, but we trust God when we exercise our faith over our fear. 

All would agree that the best part of a trial is when it is over.  The money problem is solved. The wayward child returns.  The medical treatment was a success.  The relationship was restored.  But It isn't so great because the event has ended.  It is great because we can use our experience with God to encourage and guide others.

Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. (Psalm 9:11)

Trials in life will come, but God wants to bring you through those trials and when they are over, work his aid to others through you.  

With God, you can do this.

Why are all these things happening to me?

You may ask, Why are all these things happening to me?  Life has its ups and downs.  However there are times in our lives that everything seems to turn upside down.  Imagine a family in an economic struggle. They are forced to relocate and in their pursuit face one devastating trial after another.  In the end, sickness and death take their toll.  Why?  Where was God?  I guess if you want to know, you will need to ask Ruth.

Controversial as it may seem, Elimelech and his family moved to Moab.  I don't believe that any of the family members knew exactly what was happening.  Even Naomi when she later returned to Bethlehem didn't quite understand.  However if you spoke with Ruth, you would hear the story of how God used terrible circumstances for a family to rescue her from idolatry and bring her into a relationship with the one and true God.  This family experienced many trials and for many years and maybe because it took that long to turn Ruth's heart.

And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: (Ruth 1:16)

There are times when people come to Christ after hearing the gospel only a few times, but there are others, who are steeped in false religion, who will need a demonstration of the gospel's power before coming to Christ. So as you experience trials in your life and you have ruled out the chances of sinful consequence or chastisement, your life and its trials may just be a light in a very dark place.  Accept where you are, look for God's grace, and declare to others what he is doing in your life.  You may never find out what God is actually doing or you may discover a Ruth in your midst.

Grace and Peace (Galatians 1:3)

Grace and peace: these are familiar words and this phrase is found several times in scripture.  But why does the Apostle use these words?  Is it merely a kind of formal greeting or are these words intentional?

Grace is God doing a divine work in the heart that manifests itself in the life of a person.  This happens at salvation, but it also takes place in other areas.  The fruit of the Spirit is a work of his grace and these are manifested in every area of the believer's life.  In short, grace is when God does through us what we are unable to do ourselves or God enables us to be something beyond the scope of our ability.  So in actuality, "grace to you" means: May God grant you the ability to do and be what you are unable.

The word peace comes from the word which means "to set at one".  This is much like when a bone is broken and a doctor sets it at one so that healing can take place.  When countries are at odds, a negotiator may meet with the heads of state and bring these countries back into a harmony of agreement.  What he actually does is to set them at one again.

Peace in the believer's life is when God brings either his presence or truth to the believer resulting in faith that the situation is under his control and will some how bring about or work together for good.  No longer is the believer anxious or distressed.  His heart is set at one again.  Peace from God comes by recognizing that God is in control of all the circumstances that are out of your control.

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.  (Galatians 1:3)

From God, you get two fantastic benefits: he will help you do what you cannot do and be what you cannot be and also control all of the circumstances in your life.  He is doing a work on the inside and also on the outside as well.

Therefore, rejoice in him.  Walk today knowing that his strength is promised to be with you and his sovereignty will control all that is around you.

When May the Trial End?

The people of Jerusalem were praising Jesus as he entered the city. They cried hosanna, which means O save.  What were they expecting?  It appears that they were expecting either a king like David to slay the oppressor much like he did the giant or at the least a judge like Gideon or one of the other nobles.

Did you ever stop and think how much faith that would take?  Israel was not facing some small army.  They were up against the world dominant Roman kingdom.  Why possibly did God wait until this time in history to send his son and present his kingdom?  My thought is that Jesus came when the people's faith was strong enough to believe the impossible.

Although the religious Jews rejected Jesus, the common man embraced him and what he had to offer.  For this very reason, the Jews were so responsive to the gospel message at Pentecost and beyond.

Great trials come into our lives and it may be that God will use them and delay deliverance until our faith reaches out for the impossible. How can you get your faith to this point?  Faith results from two sources: hearing God's word (Romans 10:17) and the working of his grace as he gives us faith (Romans 12:3).  What you should do is read God's word and allow your hearts to hear what it says and then ask God to give you faith to believe the impossible.

For with God nothing shall be impossible. (Luke 1:37)

Is My Heart Hard?(Psalm 95:8-9)

What is it to have a harden heart?  Is it a hardened heart that struggles with faith?  Is a hardened heart one that has doubt?  Thankfully, the answer to these questions is, No.

Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. (Psalms 95:8-9)

A hardened heart is not a heart of doubt, because doubt is something that each of us face when we experience a trial.  A trial creates unrest in the believer and the circumstances present a message of doom to their heart.  In contrast, God, through his word and the working of the Holy Spirit, will speak a different message: one of hope and deliverance.  It is then, that the heart struggles to determine which message to believe.  Through faith, the believer trusts the Lord and experiences hope and eventually victory.  The believer's problem was not doubt, because doubt is always present when there is faith.  It is faith that overcomes doubt.  So, a hardened heart is not one that has doubt.

What is a hardened heart?  A hardened heart is one that refuses to believe God. It looks at the circumstances and refuses to allow God to move him.  They aren't doubting God, but rather they are fighting him. It is not that they are afraid, but instead are refusing to trust and are resisting any work that he tries to do.

So as you face a trial, it is okay to be afraid.  However, it is never right to fight and resist God.

Succumb to the Monster? (Psalm 93:4)

When I was a kid, I loved watching the scary black and white horror movies.  What a minute, when I was a kid, all the scary movies were in black and white.  It seemed that every movie had one thing in common. There was always a scene where an unsuspecting person would be walking along and not knowing that all the while they were being stalked by the monster.  The scene would usually end with the monster approaching the individual and them turning in horror to see it.  Their only response was to scream and succumb to the monster's attack.

As we go through our lives, there are times when we face monstrous trials and troubles.  As they seemingly loom over us, we too can feel as if all we can do is scream and succumb to their attacks, but for the believer it should not be so.

The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. (Psalms 93:4)

This passage recognizes the noise of the trials and the fears that it creates in our hearts, but believers know that another sound will resonate in our hearts as well.  It is the voice of the Lord and the Lord is greater than the mighty noise of our trials.

Is it wrong to be afraid?  Of course not, but what we must do as we fear our trials is to look to the Lord, pray for his strength to enable us and seek his presence to encourage us in the midst of the trial.

Ceasing From Fear (Psalm 46:2)

We do not cease from fear as we would from food or drink.  We do not control fear as we would our actions.  We cease from fear when we recognize our safety in the Lord our refuge.

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; (Psalms 46:2)

Think about it for a moment.  You do not fear the weather's storms as they pound upon the earth, because you are safe within the shelter of your home.  You do not fear the gravest of beasts as you walk the corridors of the zoo, because you are safe on your side of the bars.  You don't will to cease from fear, you simply rest in safety.

The storms of life are great and many shall we face in this life, but we can live free from fear.  Seek his refuge and he will shelter you with his presence.  The storms may rage outside, but within will exist a calm peace.  Rest in God! 

Wonderful Works (Psalm 40:5)

God works many wonders in our lives.  However many of the blessings we seem to forget and merely focus on current circumstances.  I decided to list 100 of God's workings in my life.  I know that I probably have missed more blessings than I have counted.  I encourage you to do the same and then share them.

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. (Psalms 40:5)

Many of these are very personal.  I ask that you be quick to read and slow to judge.  God bless.

1. He saved me and all the work that brought it to pass.
2. He removed me from ungodly influences.
3. Gave me my son as a direct answer to prayer.
4. After salvation, he led me away from paganism and settled my feet into Christianity.
5. He gave me my first house.
6. He gave me work in the midst of the extreme recession in the early 80's.
7. He delivered me from a being killed in a steel mill accident involving a locomotive.
8. He relieved the financial burden as the recession increased and everything in my life began to crumble.
9. He provided housing in a very desperate time.
10. He comforted my wounded heart.
11. He empowered me to minister to hurting people.
12. He blessed my ministry involvement.
13. I grew in grace.
14. He brought friends into my life to support and help me.
15. He led me to advance my education.
16. He provided transportation.
17. He provided a car.
18. He answered prayers for food and finances.
19. Unemployment was extended.
20. He blessed with me getting called back to work after 20 months of being laid off.
21. He enabled me to by my truck.
22. He guided me through some legal turmoil and enabled me to escape the attack.
23. I moved to my new apartment in Spring City.
24. God blessed my work, ministry service and life.
25. Anthony memorized Psalm 23 before he turned 4 years old.
26. God continued to comfort my wounded heart.
27. He strengthened me to stand strong and live for God.
28. He helped me pass my Greek classes.
29. Helped me through a terrible sickness.
30. Found a better place to live.
31. He caused a person to fall into the pit that they prepared for me
32. Was able to leave the steel mill and be off work on Sundays.
33. Found a new job.
34. Learned maintenance skills that I would later use in God's work.
35. Received a great promise from God.
36. Graduated from college.
37. Received another great promise from God that would come true seven years later.
38. Married Beth.
39. Signed a lease for an apartment two days before the wedding. (That was close)
40. Lost my job.
41. Found a deer that had recently been hit.
42. Able to sell my truck to pay the rent.
43. Picked up extra electrical side work.
44. Exhaust on car fixed for free.
45. Transmission went, got many rides to work while hitch hiking and had to walk much less.
46. Somebody gave us a station wagon.
47. Found a place to live closer to church
48. Refrigerator broke and someone bought another one.
49. Did not get to adopt my niece and then Beth found out she was expecting just several weeks later.
50. Marybeth Princess was born.
51. Strength as we faced uncertainty with Marybeth’s heart condition.  God gave strength.
52. Somebody gave us a car after the engine seized in the wagon.
53. Anthony enrolled in Christian school
54. Moved to Font.
55. Great ministry days with hundreds of kids attending church
56. Marybeth’s open heart surgery was successful.
57. Injured ankle and out of work for months.  Secured a new job.
58. Promoted at work
59. Went full time into the ministry
60. Able to get away with the wife for a three day vacation
61. Honey bucket of blessings dumped over on us at Christmas
62. Became principal of Landmark Christian school
63. School enrollment increased the next year
64. Bought a house with $1down and 120% financing.  Yep, $1 down and extra cash for renovations.
65. New roof, bathroom, carpet and tons of paint along with residency inspection in 30 days.
66. School enrollment increased by 150% from my first year.
67. Able to buy my first computer
68. Bought a car instead of having one given to us.
69. School increased by another 40%.
70. Moved the school to a larger location and added a library.
71. School maxed out at 257% larger than the first year I became principal.
72. Many learning disabled children helped at LCS.
73. Able to visit the Dominican Republic
74. Able to visit the DR again.
75. Senior class trip to the DR.
76. Able to return to Northeast.
77. Mentored by Dr. Bish…what a guy.
78. Permitted to create the special education curriculum for Northeast
79. Invited to speak on special education issues at Ocean City, MD for the Delmarva Christian school association
80. Big personal setback, but the Lord gave much grace
81. God’s hand of blessing on me
82. Everything began to crumble around me, but God continued to bless my life.
83. Strength to work two full-time jobs
84. Expose to the mental health industry
85. Relief from financial setbacks and back to one job
86. Wisdom, patience and guidance were given
87. Able to go back to school again
88. Leadership to leave Northeast
89. Comfort through disappointment
90. Three meetings on the calendar. No job or money.  God filled up the calendar and met our needs.
91. God blessed to help countless people through speaking engagements as I traveled around the country
92. My wife and daughter were not killed in the auto accident
93. Grace through the painful months
94. Medical insurance obtained
95. Secured work at Devereux
96. Promoted to Treatment Manager (thank you for the financial trouble which exposed me to the mental health industry)
97. Promoted to Learning Specialist
98. Promoted to Learning Manager
99. Promoted to Operations Manager
100. I have great health

To the End That... (Psalm 30:12)

Why did God allow David to face opposition?  Why didn't he, as trouble began to stir against David, stop it in its tracks.  The answer provided may seem simple, but it's understanding is anything but that.  God allowed the difficulty to occur so that he could lift up David and subsequently be praised and glorified.

To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever. (Psalms 30:12)

God does not selfishly do this, for he is praised by angelic creations.  He does not need our praise, he is already praised continually. However in order for us to understand God and his greatness, we must experience him and his mighty works.  When we do, we "know him and the power of his resurrection" and comprehend the splendor of his greatness.  Without the trial or the dark nights, we cannot come closer to fully knowing God.

Each trial is intended to open our understanding and draw us closer to God.  It will only be in the resurrection when we can know him as we are known.  Until then, trials are essential for our growth, faith and the ability to know God better.