Tuesday, December 20, 2011

God Knows What We Need -- HIS Plan is Always On Time


Image Credit : rakratchada  torsap / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

One day I was deep in prayer wondering where I would get my next meal. But I had faith and I heard (rather FELT) something tugging me to "go this way"

So I started walking. I noticed how strong my shoes were then and Thanked God I had them to get me where I needed to be. As I walked I remember saying out loud several times "where are we going?" , "are we there yet?"

I found myself about 4 miles from home and saw a Blood Bank. AWE I get it... give blood, have a few bucks, buy food. OK Help me through it LORD I'm really afraid of needles.

The lady at the counter said 
"I'm sorry Miss, 
You can not give blood unless you have eaten today"

I was sure GOD wanted me to do this. I even tried to talk her out of a loan for the snack machine so I could eat something. She said "I would but that isn't going to be enough to qualify you... you need to eat a real meal first"

I'm confused by this point but realize I have not listened carefully before so maybe I have missed something?

I started walking home the whole way asking "was I suppose to turn here or there?"

When I got home, within minutes, a knock at the door. It was my friend Mary. "Oh Deb, I am so glad you are here. I made this German stew and there is so much of it I needed to bring some to you. I always make such a big batch. Would you like it? I guess I should have called first."

Wow...
By this time I'm thinking God just wanted me to go for a walk with Him just for the sake of the walk. Boy that stew was the most delicious I have ever had!

Later that night...
I went to a support group meeting (for Alcoholics in Recovery -- which I have been a sober member of for 18 years)

A tall young gentleman (who was barely skin and bones) walked up to me and hugged me and said "I am so grateful you talked to me this morning. Today is my first day sober. I was at the blood bank to get money for booze and they turned me away. After that -- when I was sitting in the waiting area trying to scheme my next drink, you came in and they turned you away.

When you were looking for money to get a snack, I asked you about that odd looking coin in your pocket -- you told me about this meeting. This day had turned out a lot different than it was going to"


I try to remember this story when ever I think I know where my daily bread will come from. Will it be from this client or that one? Will it be from this project or that one? Will so and so pay what they owe, will I get a new client? On and ON

The bottom line is I just need to take those walks and talk with HIM.  

HE will provide just what we need in the way HE has planned.

We just need to do the footwork,

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Make a Decision to REJOICE

The word REJOICE is written in many scriptures.  Many times the message is clearly a directive.  
  • Do THIS.  
Other times it is a sentiment expressing how an experience felt.
  • THIS is so awesome we are going to REJOICE!  
Still other times, it is a statement of faith over circumstance.  In other words... 
  • I may not be really feeling it right now, Dear LORD but, I'm going to REJOICE in YOU, no matter what is going on here in my life.

Here is one of the 'directive verses' telling us 'when' to rejoice.
LEVITICUS 23 :40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall REJOICE before the LORD your God seven days. 
(spoken to Moses"Concerning the feasts of the LORD")
There are at least 194 passages in the BIBLE that say REJOICE (<<---- click on the link to see 194 scriptures) can you find the ones that are:
  • Directive,
  • Experience, 
  • Faith (in spite of experience).
I believe each of us has several of each kind of rejoicing in our lifetimes.  The more challenging one is the 'faith' kind.   

How do we rejoice when circumstances are challenging?

When our circumstances are not what you would normally see as a time to rejoice we must make a decision to do so in spite of our circumstance.  

We might need encouragement from our friends during this time.  We might need to recall when we saw someone expressing faith even in the face of adversity.  Do you know anyone who has ever done this? 

  • We can always speak with God.  Ask for guidance.  
  • Express our challenge and give it to HIM to help us with it.
  • Sometimes we need to recall our previous challenges, how we overcame them and become inspired again.  
Don't let yourself be fooled by thoughts that you have "always" had this challenge.  

You may have had similar situations (and it might seem like you have returned -- which can falsely say you have never had victory).  The truth is: 
  • You HAVE HAD VICTORY and 
  • You will have VICTORY AGAIN.

Sometimes things feel a bit like problems of the past for a couple of reasons:
  1. The 'problem area' is at a new level of resolution (we grow and we are able to fine tune even more over time)
  2. We are on the way back:
  • When we have wandered off the path, while getting back to the path we want to return to, we might walk through some of the dark places we went through getting where we left off.
This process is a bit like traveling from your house to a new town.  If you get off at the wrong intersection.  You might:
  • Go down the road a while.  
  • Hit a few pot holes.  
  • Then when you realize you are on the wrong road you turn around and head back to the highway.  
  • You will go through those pot holes again.  
If you realize they are going to be there, you just go on and get back on track sooner.  

But, if you didn't expect them, you might be falsely informed and believe you are still going the wrong direction.

There are Enemies: Mistaken Beliefs Tops Them ALL!!

2 CHRONICLES 20 :27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to REJOICE over their enemies.

  • Rejoice over their enemies...
This may be another challenge we could use an example of.  There are many examples in the Bible showing us how to choose to rejoice in adversity.  Some of the most powerful examples are TODAY  from people we know from church or work.  People who we have met during challenges in our lives.

I remember being in the hospital while a dear friend and elder of the fellowship was in the process of transitioning into Heaven.  For several days he was surrounded by family and friends.  Each one carrying a challenge in the face of impending loss.  Most were holding tightly to a little faith -- in the 'mustard seed' sense.  They were sharing the wisdom he had taught with each other.  Each story was shared with the friends and as people were saying good bye to him.  Discussing how he had shared his time with each of them helped them to rejoice and to show him how much he had blessed each of them.  

The stories they shared began to reveal how greatly he had touched the fellowship with his time and generous spirit.

The 'little faith' each had, began to become a stronger faith, as each person became closer to each other.  They were Rejoicing in the face of loss.  They were healing with the help of each other, the WORD, and the example of the elder.

We might think 'loss' is our enemy.  We have a choice in this.  When we choose to rejoice we can then find a way to make that decision happen.

It might take time, but, the choice points us in the right direction and then the fellowship, the WORD, and the examples we seek are revealed to us.

So...Today I choose to REJOICE regardless of what circumstances reveal.  I choose to rejoice and I will take the actions to make a 'little faith' stronger in being involved in the WORD, the fellowship, and finding and/or becoming an example. 

How?  PSALM 40 :16 Let all those that seek thee REJOICE and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.

Perhaps the first step is making a decision and the second step is reading the instructions ♥ 
The LORD be magnified,
Deb Bryan


Monday, December 12, 2011

Get out of the way and let God work


I have a tendency to get in God's way.  Not in an All Powerful sense.  But in the HE gave us free will sense.

I am Like the child who runs crying with a broken toy and asks for the Father to fix it.  As he is getting out the tools -- I have already had an "idea" and have grabbed it back to work on it myself.

HE is patient.  He waits for me to return it to HIM.  He isn't judging... He is just waiting.

So today I remind myself to "Get out of the way and let God work"



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