Today, I cleared out a place in my back yard and planted some rose starts that I had propagated. About a month and a half ago, I had cut these starts from a white rose bush that I have in the front yard. I had looked on the internet and found some instructions on how to do it. So, I followed the instructions and, boy-howdy, it worked. Now, I am following those same instructions with some cuttings from a red rose bush in my front yard. In a month or so, I'll be in the back yard again, clearing out a place for two more rose bushes. All because I followed the instructions.
I know that I am not a rocket scientist. Some of you have done the very same thing with the same results. But, what makes those instructions work? God's design makes it work that way. Those same instructions work on many different plants. And, they work over and over and over again. God designed those particular plants to work that way. We all know that it is an absolute mystery as to how and why it happens the way it does, but we accept the fact as the truth.
It's just like the Word of God. Jesus called the Word of God a seed. He said that if you planted it on good and fertile ground, that it would produce. Anyone who has grown anything from seeds knows that there is a process that a seed goes through before it matures. After I got through preparing the soil, digging the holes and planting the starts, I walked away with this thought in mind. "I am just going to wait and let God's process work." Can I make the plants hurry up? Can I make the white roses grow red?
In a garden spot in my back yard, I planted corn, pole beans, two type of tomatoes and squash. Did I go out the next morning and harvest two bushels of vegetables? Nope. I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PROCESS THAT GOD DESIGNED TO DO EXACTLY WHAT GOD DESIGNED IT TO DO. Guess what? His Word works the same way, whether it's for salvation for a loved one, healing, financial help or whatever. His Word is DESIGNED or EMPOWERED to prosper. Look at Isaiah 55:11--So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.
Don't give up on God just because you don't see your prayers being answered right away. God has a time for His Word to produce fruit. I wish I could hurry it but I can't. BUT, if I will be patient and cling to His promise......just like the seed..........NOTHING CAN STOP WHAT GOD HAS DESIGNED.
Be blessed in this day, my friends.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
The Lord was with Joseph
Let me share something with you that is fresh out of the prayer room.
We all know that Joseph was a slave and then a prisoner in the land of Egypt. We all know that God raised him up to be second in command. But let's look at a couple of passages. According to Genesis the 39th chapter, the Lord was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man (vs 2). In verse 5, we know that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. In verses 21 and 22, we find that when Joseph was thrown in prison, the Lord was with him and gave Joseph favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. The favor of the Lord was with Joseph in both of these adverse circumstances.
Joseph's faith in God brought him all of the favor, even when things took a turn for the worst. When we see things like that, we are tempted to think-----Well, Joseph was just blessed with a faith in God that we just don't have. Or, God in His divine providence kept His special hand on Joseph. No, folks, it is an individual's faith in God and His Word that not only brings a person out of adverse circumstances but that faith will also sustain him through those circumstances. Faith will bring Godly favor into a person's life even when he is walking through the valley of the shadow of death and even when he is surrounded by his enemies. (See previous blogs.)
Joseph got this sustaining faith in God and His Word by remembering the boneheaded things that his father, Jacob, and his great-grandfather, Abraham, did. Both of them thought that they were smarter than God in a couple of situations. They felt that God was either too stupid to work things out for them or too lazy to get the job done RIGHT NOW. I am sure that none of us have ever felt that way, right?
God had made a promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. One day, Sarah had a great idea how they could help God out by Abraham having children by her handmaid, Hagar. Now, just why didn't God think of that? You really want to know why? God had ALREADY formed a plan for Abraham and Sarah that DID NOT include Hagar. All they needed was faith and patience and the work would have been done. But, they figured they were smarter than God and did some things that brought more heartache, confusion and hard feelings than the small amount of joy it brought.
His daddy, Jacob, did the same thing. God had spoken that Jacob would get the blessing. Esau had even sold the birthright blessing to Jacob. However, IT LOOKED LIKE God was not going to keep His promise. So-o-o-o-o-o, Rebekah and Jacob hatched a plan to HELP God out. And, their imperfect plan created heartache, confusion and hard feelings, also.
Joseph looked at those two examples of impatience and made a Godly decision to wait God out. He faced every adverse circumstance with a love for God that brought God's blessings in the most unlikely way. Potiphar and the jailer were FORCED to admit that Joseph's God was greater than all of the gods of Egypt. The cup bearer to the Pharaoh remembered that Joseph's God was greater when Pharaoh had his dream. The cup bearer only spent a couple of days around Joseph, but it was enough to make him realize that Joseph's relationship with his God was real.
Here's the point. Do people see God in our lives as all? The greatest time for God to show up and be real in a sinner's life is when we as Christians show them a Godly spirit and outlook while going through tough times. God, please teach us all to be patient and wait upon your Word. Help us to be the mirror image of Your Son to the trouble filled lives of those that we deal with on a day-to-day basis. In Jesus Name, Amen. Be blessed today and show someone the love of God, not with just your mouth but with your actions.
Love, Henry
We all know that Joseph was a slave and then a prisoner in the land of Egypt. We all know that God raised him up to be second in command. But let's look at a couple of passages. According to Genesis the 39th chapter, the Lord was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man (vs 2). In verse 5, we know that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house because of Joseph. In verses 21 and 22, we find that when Joseph was thrown in prison, the Lord was with him and gave Joseph favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. The favor of the Lord was with Joseph in both of these adverse circumstances.
Joseph's faith in God brought him all of the favor, even when things took a turn for the worst. When we see things like that, we are tempted to think-----Well, Joseph was just blessed with a faith in God that we just don't have. Or, God in His divine providence kept His special hand on Joseph. No, folks, it is an individual's faith in God and His Word that not only brings a person out of adverse circumstances but that faith will also sustain him through those circumstances. Faith will bring Godly favor into a person's life even when he is walking through the valley of the shadow of death and even when he is surrounded by his enemies. (See previous blogs.)
Joseph got this sustaining faith in God and His Word by remembering the boneheaded things that his father, Jacob, and his great-grandfather, Abraham, did. Both of them thought that they were smarter than God in a couple of situations. They felt that God was either too stupid to work things out for them or too lazy to get the job done RIGHT NOW. I am sure that none of us have ever felt that way, right?
God had made a promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. One day, Sarah had a great idea how they could help God out by Abraham having children by her handmaid, Hagar. Now, just why didn't God think of that? You really want to know why? God had ALREADY formed a plan for Abraham and Sarah that DID NOT include Hagar. All they needed was faith and patience and the work would have been done. But, they figured they were smarter than God and did some things that brought more heartache, confusion and hard feelings than the small amount of joy it brought.
His daddy, Jacob, did the same thing. God had spoken that Jacob would get the blessing. Esau had even sold the birthright blessing to Jacob. However, IT LOOKED LIKE God was not going to keep His promise. So-o-o-o-o-o, Rebekah and Jacob hatched a plan to HELP God out. And, their imperfect plan created heartache, confusion and hard feelings, also.
Joseph looked at those two examples of impatience and made a Godly decision to wait God out. He faced every adverse circumstance with a love for God that brought God's blessings in the most unlikely way. Potiphar and the jailer were FORCED to admit that Joseph's God was greater than all of the gods of Egypt. The cup bearer to the Pharaoh remembered that Joseph's God was greater when Pharaoh had his dream. The cup bearer only spent a couple of days around Joseph, but it was enough to make him realize that Joseph's relationship with his God was real.
Here's the point. Do people see God in our lives as all? The greatest time for God to show up and be real in a sinner's life is when we as Christians show them a Godly spirit and outlook while going through tough times. God, please teach us all to be patient and wait upon your Word. Help us to be the mirror image of Your Son to the trouble filled lives of those that we deal with on a day-to-day basis. In Jesus Name, Amen. Be blessed today and show someone the love of God, not with just your mouth but with your actions.
Love, Henry
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