February 13, 2016

Prepare Yourself For God

no weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord

-- Isaiah 54:17

There’s a scene in the movie Facing the Giants where a man who earlier was shown walking the halls and praying for the school comes in to talk with the coach. He tells the coach not to worry about losing his job because only God can remove him and God isn’t ready to do that yet.

The coach follows him into the hall and asks if the man really believes God told him to share that with the coach. Then the man tells a story about two men who asked God to send rain. One waited for God to send the rain. The other went out and prepared his fields in preparation for the rain he knew God would send.

Which one had the greater faith? The one who prepared his fields because he knew God would answer his prayer.

What are you waiting for? Are you standing idle while you wait for God to perform some miracle? Are you sitting down lazily waiting for God to prepare your path?

There’s a difference between waiting for God’s directive and remaining idle during the waiting process. God calls us to be worker bees, even when the task is simply preparing for what’s to come.

In the movie the coach devised a plan and changed his coaching philosophy. In so doing, he changed his players. This allowed God to work greatly through all of them -- when the time was right. Had the coach not prepared for God’s movement, nothing ever would have happened.

What is God calling you to do? How can you prepare for where He will lead you? Spend time in prayer and with the Bible. Listen to what He says. And prepare for a great work that He will surely do in your life.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Follow God’s Plan For Your Life

Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

-- Mark 6:1-3

No matter what we dream, there will always be someone there to tell us it either can’t be done or that we can’t do it. No matter what we accomplish there will always be someone there to scoff at it and tell us it really was no big deal after all.

Frequently those who do so are the ones closest to us. It hurts. It causes us to doubt ourselves, our dreams and our accomplishments.

The world tells us that our families and close friends are our greatest cheerleaders. We are told to listen to the advice and wisdom of those who know us best. Look to others, some say, so you can best determine your strengths and your weaknesses, your skills and your gifts.

Actually, the only place you should turn is to God. Oh, sure, listen to what others say but take time to pray about it. Listen to what God has to say and follow Him rather than those around you.

Several years ago I felt God leading me on a different path. I felt a tug toward teaching. At the time, I was coordinating Children’s Church but I felt that my time there was over and I needed to move to an older audience.

The church was desperate for Sunday school teachers. Those on that committee said so publicly. So I offered my services. I didn’t request a specific age. I vowed silently to be open to what they offered.

And they did offer. The three year old class that no one else would take. I was offended, though I doubt they ever knew. And I just said no. I knew with certainty that it wasn’t what God had in mind. I was disappointed too. Because these wonderful folks couldn’t see me as anyone they could ever learn anything from.

God had a different plan. He had a different purpose for my life. Not long after this, He led me to a different church with a different mindset. Today I lead a Sunday school class of adults about my age, give or take 15 years or so. We have lively discussions as folks from different places and different political viewpoints come together to learn and grown in Christ. Each Sunday I ask God for words and wisdom and He gives both in abundance.

During the school year I lead a ladies bible study. Our numbers have grown and we all have grown closer as we bond over shared learning and the love of Jesus in our hearts.

God called me to walk a path some thought I couldn’t travel. I followed God and I’ll be forever grateful that I did.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Follow God’s Plan For Your Life

We work together as partners who belong to God. You are God’s field, God’s building -- not ours.

-- 1 Corinthians 3:9

This certainly puts a different perspective on our own goals and dreams, doesn’t it? We are not our own. We belong to God. We are to spend our lives serving Him.

I can hear the chorus of “buts” loudly about now. I know God wants us to be happy. But, truthfully, aren’t we happiest when we’re doing what God has called us to do? Isn’t there a satisfaction and peace that comes from being exactly where we’re supposed to be?

Sometimes especially when it really isn’t where we ever wanted to be. That’s always been the funny part to me. How we can end up happy we’re doing something when we resisted for so long.

One man has worked in prison ministry for 21 years. He rarely misses a Tuesday night of teaching and praying and guiding men who are incarcerated in the county jail. He didn’t choose to do this. God chose him.

He laughs now when he recalls how he only meant to ask a co-worker how his experience ministering at the jail had gone. Without intending to, he found himself providing spiritual nourishment to the lost. He says he prayed for two years for God to get him out of prison ministry. Then he accepted it, and others have thrived because of it.

The reason? He submitted to God’s will. And he still does. Because some weeks he just doesn’t feel like going. And some weeks he is so stressed in his own life that he doesn’t have anything to give to anyone else. But he shows up anyway, trusting God to give him words and a heart that is open to the hurting around him.

Why do we wait until we “feel like it” to do what God has called us to do? Because we’re never going to feel like it and we’re always going to make excuses. It’s easier that way. We don’t have to leave our comfort zone. We don’t have to do something we’ve never done before. We don’t have to have compassion for others whose life experiences don’t reflect our own.

Oswald Chambers writes that we have no right to judge where we should be put. Nor should we have preconceived notions as to what God is preparing for us. We have skills we don’t realize. We have compassions we’ve yet to uncover. God has prepared us for works we never dreamed of.

We belong to God and He will use us to glorify His name. If we say yes. If we show up. If we trust His will for our lives. He will bless us in ways we can’t even imagine. All because