My Friend Ann ~ Once Was Lost But Now She's Found

Our life is a tale that is told (Psalm 90:9). Nothing is an accident. Nothing is a coincidence. Almighty God is in complete control. He knows each chapter, each paragraph, each word, each letter of our lives. As we are journeying through our book of life it is often difficult to understand why certain things happen. I often have to remind myself that God is the author of my life, He wrote the book, He knows the ending, and He is going to see me through.

About three months ago it was needful for me to step away from my dream job. I believe with all my heart that God led me to that position. It was a ministry job in a Christian school and it was a pure joy to go everyday and serve the Lord. It was not my decision to step away - but rather it was God's. And while I was completely accepting of it, it was difficult to let go and say goodbye. Many folk in this life are not blessed enough to work at a job that they absolutely love. For me ~ this was that job. I can look back on those few months and see God's hand in my life ~ I can look upon those things accomplished for that institution and though it was only for a season ~ God's will was clearly executed.

Over a month ago, I was contacted to do some summer work for a telemarketing company - not exactly my cup of tea. I'm gonna be honest with you - I did not want to do it. I wanted my old job back. Even with that attitude, I felt a great peace in proceeding forward with this summer job. Last night I had the blessing to lead a fellow worker to the cross. I had been praying and hoping for an opportunity since the day I had met her. She was such a troubled person. It was hard to fathom that so many things could have gone wrong in just one person's life. Oh, how I wanted to tell her the GOOD NEWS but the door was never quite open - it simply wasn't God's timing.

And, then, just when I least expected it God opened the door as if to say, "It is time." The phone system had malfunctioned and no one was taking calls; the first crew of workers had left for the night. I turned to chat with this dear individual and there she sat in tears. God had softened her heart and I had the highest of honors to tell her about my Lord.

If I had to leave my dream job in order to be a part of this miracle ~ I would do it all over again without hesitation. This job will soon be finished and I know I will look back on it as one of the greatest summers ever. Why? Because my friend once was lost and now is found. And someday I will spend an eternity with her. I give all praise to God for this glorious opportunity. Yep, it's been a good summer.

The Treasures of Darkness

In 2004, a van holding five individuals from Crown Bible College was hit head on. "With not even a moment's notice, not even a split second to adjust, a tractor-trailer truck crashed at a high speed into the front of the van on the driver's side. Workers on the scene said it was like a plane crash. The impact was so great, it drove the van back. It tore the trailer loose. The cab came off the truck. The engine came out of the truck and went through the van. At the moment of impact, every person in that van was killed." The gas tanks in the tractor-trailer exploded. It was reported that the impact of the explosion threw the driver down the road like a rocket.

The pastor of Temple Baptist Church took on the grueling job of calling each family to let them know that their child had entered eternity earlier that day. Pastor Sexton was deeply warmed by God's grace through it all. The mothers and fathers of these college students kept thanking the pastor for all that the college and church had done for their children. One parent said, "We sent you everything we had. They were good before they got there, but they were better because they had been there."

At the scene of the accident, investigators worked for six hours trying to understand what had happened. The highway was scorched and burned and the van was reduced to nothing more than a small piece of metal. Reporters and firemen were quoted as saying "they had never seen anything like this in all their years." One emergency worker said, "There is nothing left. The van is just a piece of metal. Everything is gone ~ except for one thing that I cannot explain. There is a music CD that did not burn." Pastor Sexton shared that he didn't know why it didn't burn. It was plastic but it didn't burn. And the title of the CD...... God Makes No Mistakes.

Now I don't know about you but that is a very profound statement by our Lord and God. In a moment, Christ took five wonderful Christians home to be with Him. And on that burned and scorched roadway was found nothing more than a plastic CD bearing God's special message to those who would grieve such a loss ~ that He makes no mistakes.

When troubles and hardships come our way, when we suddenly get bad news, when the raging waters of life threaten to pull us under ~ we feel we can't go on. We can't understand what is happening. Friend, we will never understand all of God's ways, but we can be rest assured that He does not make any mistakes.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements, and His ways past finding out."

Excerpts taken from The Treasures of Darkness

Dad's Brownies - It's Not What You Think!

As I have been revisiting blogs I haven't been to in months, I came across a story entitled "Dad's Brownies." I had wanted to direct you to her blog so you could take a look at it - the story is so profound - but I am having trouble finding it. So I located the same story at another website and have provided that link here (Dad's Brownies). It is well worth the read. I read it to my girls and now when we talk about certain movies or TV shows I just remind them of the brownie story.

Have You Ever Spoken Against God And Made Him Angry?

I have been saved for more than half my life and I don't know that I have ever thought too much about whether I had made God mad or not. I know I have saddened him with poor decisions and choices, but I just don't know that I have pondered on Him being "angry" with ~ much less feeling as if I have spoken against Him at any time. I certainly haven't equated myself with the Children of Israel who couldn't seem to be pleased no matter what God did for them.

As I was reading Psalm 78 this morning, I was reminded of some of those great and mighty things that God had done for the Children of Israel. God showed that mightiness ~ from the many plagues He "bestowed" upon Pharoah and his people ~ to the great miracles He performed again and again to provide and protect His chosen as they wandered aimlessly. Verses 19-22 say Yea, they spoke against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Behold he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed, can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people? Therefore the Lord heard this and was wroth; so a fire was kindled against Jacob and anger also came up against Israel. Because they believed not in God and trusted not in his salvation.

At that moment the Holy Spirit began to work upon my heart. With shame I remembered many wonderful blessings that had occurred over the past few months and still unbelief would say "But can God do this over here? Can God do that over there? I know He has moved in such a mighty way but is He gonna keep doing it? Is He going to take care of me and my girls? Is He going to provide for our needs? Indeed, with shame, I began to ponder how all of this doubting had made my Lord and Savior feel.

When we doubt God ~ for any reason ~ it is wrong and it is sin. I supposed that just made Him sad when I did that. And I do think that it saddens Him but the fact that He becomes angry with our unbelief just makes it all the more profound that we must avoid doubting. We must trust that He has His children's best interests at heart ~ no matter how black the storm clouds are ~ He is watching each step, each move, each moment and that is greater and more wonderful than anything any human can do for us here on earth. He has our back. I don't know about you but I don't want to hurt Him simply because the circumstances of life can ~ at times ~ loom pretty big before my eyes. For greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world.

Oh Mighty and Gracious Heavenly Father,

Forgive me for my unbelief. Forgive me for complaining and doubting that you do have my best interest at heart. Forgive me for not believing that You've had my back the whole time.

Avoid Footholds In Your Life

I love God's Word so much. I am thankful that He left His Words for us so that we could read them again and again and again. I have to admit that some books of the Bible are easier for me to read and understand than others. I Peter is one of my many favorites. Peter was writing to various churches in Asian Minor where Gentiles were experiencing religious persecution. In chapter 2 he writes about our duty in living a holy life.

Often I reiterate to my daughters the importance of living a holy life. We have to be so very careful about what we allow to enter our eyes and our ears as well as what we allow to leave our lips. Verse 11 of this chapter says "Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." I've tried to pound this into my daughter's heads that if they allow even the slightest foothold satan will get into their lives and 'war against their soul.'

A foothold can come by watching something ungodly on TV or the internet. The TV has very few wholesome shows ~ unless you are watching old reruns of something. Sexual sin is woven through out many TV offerings ~ even the commercials. As for the internet, I've come to appreciate its abilities, and my "pat answer" to a question that I don't know the answer to is most often "google it". BUT it has tremendous capabilities of being a very dangerous device. I've seen many a man fall prey to the internet ~ more folk than I even care to think about.

Footholds can also come in what we listen to. Sometimes I hear lyrics to some songs I used to listen to back in the 70's and 80's and I'm embarrassed that I had even listened to them. And yet that doesn't compare to much of the music on the market today. Lyrics are laden with sex, filthy wording, and 'fleshly lusts.' I constantly monitor what my daughters are listening to ~ to make sure that they are not allowing a foothold for satan to get in.

Have you ever watched or listened to something that you knew you shouldn't have? I know I certainly have. At one point in my life I was addicted to soap operas for over 12 years. There are things in my mind that will be there for the rest of my life ~ things which warred against my soul when I was viewing them. I'm not proud of it ~ and I have paid a price for that sin ~ but it serves as a constant reminder to me to protect my "eye gates" and strive daily to only let those things enter that glorify God.

Folk, God calls us to be holy BECAUSE He is holy. We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, A PECULIAR PEOPLE (I Peter 2:9a). We are simply strangers and pilgrims in this land ~ awaiting our Lord's return. Let's strive every moment to be holy ~ not just for our own sakes ~ but for others who are watching us live our lives. You maybe the only Christian someone knows.