Answered Prayer

By Marilyn Travis

Quite often I don’t realize God is at work answering my prayers until time has passed and I look back in retrospect. That wasn’t the case this past week.

For three years I have enjoyed my part time job passing out samples at Costco. I worked a six- hour shift two days a week, never on Sunday. A few of my co-workers were Christians, and we prayed for each other and our families. I felt God wanted me there.

This past year, however, several things changed. Covid 19 shut us down for several months and most of my co-workers did not return when we started working again. Our beloved boss had to go on medical leave until the threat of the virus is gone, and since we can’t pass out samples, the work became incredibly boring! My shift supervisor tried to help by letting me work shorter shifts, giving people their breaks. That change made it bearable. Still, I began to question whether God still wanted me there. I questioned whether I still wanted to be there!

I thought the answer came when my shift supervisor received a message from the district boss stating that working only short shifts is not allowed, we must be willing to work on Sundays, and we must be willing to work at least four days a week. I decided to quit.

I should have been happy with my decision, but I was not at peace. I argued a bit with the Lord, citing the requirement to work on Sundays, but that didn’t ease my mind, no matter how many times I tried to convince Him I was right! Two women kept coming to mind. Mary and Martha. No, not Mary and Martha from the Bible, but two co-workers named Mary and Martha. Mary is one of my fellow prayer warriors, Martha reminds me of Eeyore – always thinking disaster is around the corner, full of worry. I don’t think it is coincidence that these women came to mind – Mary, a person close to the Lord, always praying and asking for prayer, and Martha, distracted by all that is going on in the world, and never at peace.

Though I was certain there was no way around quitting, I finally decided to pray for God’s will to be done. I asked the Lord to guide me instead of pushing my agenda. I was very nervous and emotional when I announced to my shift supervisor that I was going to turn in my notice, listing my reasons. She told me she did not want me to quit. She knew what I wanted and was able to find a way for me to keep my schedule and keep my short shifts. I will only be scheduled to work after 12:45 on Sundays, and she will try to make that a rare occasion! I couldn’t believe my ears! Its pretty clear God wants me to stay at Costco!

I have a new attitude about working there now. I’m excited to discover what God has in mind.

Luke 11:9-10 “Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks, finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

This verse holds new meaning for me. I asked, and I received His answer. Now I need to seek and expect to find new purpose and direction in my time at work. Please pray for me and my fellow brother and sisters in Christ who work with me so we can be a blessing and accomplish God’s will right there in the Parker Costco.

Pray with me.

“Heavenly Father, thank You for Your guidance. Forgive me for getting ahead of Your plans, and help me know when to stop and listen for Your direction. Your ways are perfect, Lord. Thank you for offering gentle grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

                                                            -Kristine Brown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGpzvjl-9NI 

Common Ground

By Barb Batt

I am trying to be optimistic about our country healing from the political division in the coming year. I have been hearing a Christian song that really applies during these times. The name of the song is "Revolutionary," and it is performed by Josh Wilson. The following are some of the lyrics from the song:

Maybe you're not like me
Maybe we don't agree
Maybe that doesn't mean
We gotta be enemies

Maybe we just get brave
Take a big leap of faith
Call a truce so me and you
Can find a better way

Let's take some time, open our eyes, look and listen (yeah)
We're gonna find we're more alike than we are different (yeah)

Why does kindness seem revolutionary
When did we let hate get so ordinary
Let's turn it around, flip the script
Judge slow, love quick
God help us get revolutionary

I'm turning the TV down
Drowning their voices out
Cause I believe that you and me
Can find some common ground

See maybe I'm not like you
But I'll walk a mile in your shoes
If it means I might see
The world the way you do

When I listen to these lyrics, it just makes sense for us to take the time to listen to each other. We maybe disagree on our political beliefs, but maybe we can find some common ground to build our relationships on. When I listened to CJ Biewenga's sermon on Sunday, he shared that parts of God's kingdom are here right now. We, as Christians, need to show the love of God.

This relationship process will not be easy.  This is true especially if we encounter someone who has a different belief system than we have. We can't do this alone. We need to ask God to send his Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and to help us see the other person as Jesus would see him or her. This will be an evolving process as we meet different types of people. We can learn so much from each other if we practice active listening and tolerance.

Swallowing angry words is much better than having to eat them.

                        – God's Little Instruction Book

People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

                        – God's Little Instruction Book

A fool gives full vent to anger, but the wise quietly holds it back.

                        – Proverbs 29:11 NRSV

Heavenly Father,

Please help us to be involved in the healing of our country. Give us your Holy Spirit to listen to others, and to see people as you do. When there are disagreements, please help us to respond in love and not anger. We cannot do this without you Lord. In your name we pray.

 

The Gift of Time

By Donna Winchell

Beth Moore shared a thought-provoking story in one of her bible studies. She and her husband had gone to their favorite restaurant for dinner, a place which they frequented on a regular basis. When the waiter came to their table, Beth asked him the same question she posed every time: “ How are you this evening?” at which point the waiter looked at his watch and said the same thing he always said:  “ I’m good, I’m getting off in just a few minutes.”

Have you ever felt like that? I know I have; especially when I am too self-focused or think that what I need to do has no value or purpose. I admit I don’t always live each moment or even each day with the right emphasis on how best to spend the time God has given me; but I know I need to be accountable to God and not waste this wonderful gift.

Truthfully, our actions define whether time is our enemy or our ally; whether it will be used wisely or be wasted, it is up to us. Controlling our time wisely means living our life the way God intended, getting the most out of it and making a difference in other people’s lives. 

Ephesians 2:10 MSG is a great reminder  – “Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing”.

In the book, The Daniel Dilemma, Chris Hodges says: “Don’t forget your days are numbered”; but somehow we often do and we live life like there is no tomorrow focusing on things that make us happy or feel good. Chris goes on to provide a wonderful reminder that we need to find our God-given purpose, God’s will for our life and make the most of it.

“I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” Psalm 57:2

We are all going to be held accountable for the way we spend this precious time.  I encourage you to start every morning first and foremost by thanking God for another beautiful day – a day given to enjoy and use wisely. God has ordained each new day with His good plans for us and the opportunity to do what is right. All we need to do is ask Him to be with us each moment, since He knows what the day will bring. We should celebrate His plan by living the day honoring Him and rejoicing in each moment, not focusing on future ones.

All our earthly moments in life, until eternal life, are part of living out God’s plan. There is much to learn in making wise decisions on how we will use our time. Are we willing to learn, or will we repeat poor decisions through irresponsible management of our time. We need to treasure every moment we have and live like there is no tomorrow, savoring every moment!

James tells us life is like a vapor, here one moment and gone the next: "...whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. " (James 4:14 NKJV).

Ask yourself these questions:

·         What would you start doing differently if you knew what God knows about our time on earth?

·         What would you stop doing?

Beth Moore summarized our Bible study with this clever message: “There is going to come a time unbeknownst to us when God is going to look at HIS watch and say: ‘You’re getting off in just a few minutes’ “.

Let’s pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the life You have given us, for the beating of our hearts and the breath in our lungs. Help us steward Your gift of time wisely and live our lives so we don’t waste one minute. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

“An Offering” – Time Alone with God

By Brooke Momblow

Today let's practice meditating on a passage of scripture using some reflection tools.

Surrender this time to God.

Discern what you need today.

Ask God for what you need.

Read the scripture passage as directed below.

Respond to God based on what you are hearing.

Romans 12:1-3 NLT

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of the world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

 Romans 12:1-3 MSG

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are.    

Read

Read the passage aloud. Then go back through and circle words, thoughts, phrases that jump out at you.

Think

Choose a theme that speaks to you - perhaps the idea that God is the real source of goodness in your life or perhaps the contrast Paul makes between what your culture draws out in you and what God draws out in you. What does this passage say about the theme you chose?

Pray

Pick one phrase from the passage that pinpoints the theme that impacts you. Repeat that phrase to yourself slowly several times. Each time you say it, notice your internal response: thoughts, memories, feelings… What does it stir up?

Now bring these thoughts back to the passage, line by line, in a conversation with God.  He speaks through the words in the passage, then you respond to what he said. When you’re finished, repeat the phrase to yourself one last time, checking your inner reaction. Is it different? Don’t worry if this process leaves unanswered questions. Just be open to what God might be showing you through the meditation.

Live

Consider one of the four “everyday, ordinary” parts of your life suggested in the passage: sleeping, eating, going to work, walking around. What would placing this activity before God as an offering look like? How would you think about this activity differently? Would the frequency, method or other details of your activity change? Try it today.

Material taken from SOLO – An Uncommon Devotional by Eugene Peterson

 ...and what we do for him. Let's Crown Jesus as King in the details of our lives.

https://youtu.be/Qexh7DOtrsI 

God Makes All Things Good

By Cathy Ramsey

I was lamenting to Pat Russell how sometimes I feel overwhelmed by COVID19 restrictions, all the political unrest, and the suffering of so many. I was feeling sad and tired. Sometimes, for me, it is a roller coaster between joy and gratitude and unrest and sadness.

Pat read aloud Romans 8:28 and told me to meditate on it. That was several days ago and I’m still meditating on it and thinking about it. It is a very powerful scripture that shows God’s great promise.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Roman’s 8:28)

ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD. For me, this is sometimes hard to understand.  It seems counterintuitive that things like cancer, death, natural disasters, and war can work together for good. But it is the Word of God, so we know it is true.

We know that God is more powerful than the forces of evil. He took the death of Jesus and worked it to the most magnificent good. Jesus’s death brought us eternal life and redemption. He restored us from sin.

As awful as COVID19 has been, there has been good to come from it. As Barbara Batt said in her devotional last week, we have seen many acts of kindness from people in Elizabeth, in our state, in our country, and around the world. Many people have sacrificed to help others. Look at all the things our Food Bank has done to help people this year. Look at the good nurses and doctors and others in health care have done for those suffering from COVID19. I’ve heard of people giving huge gifts to restaurants, orphanages, and other places suffering due to COVID restrictions or poverty.

For me, my life has slowed down considerably during the pandemic. I’ve had more time to study God’s word, to pray, to grow in spirit. I’ve learned to be grateful for God’s blessings. I’ve learned not to take things for granted such as Jim, our animals, the choirs I love to sing in so much, going to church every Sunday, meeting face to face with fellow believers to study and discuss living in the kingdom of God, spending time crocheting with friends, playing cards with dear friends, HUGGING. I haven’t been able to do these things for almost a year and I miss them so much. Never again will I take them for granted. Despite all the suffering due to COVID 19, and I don’t say this to diminish the suffering, but I have found some good there. So, in spite of the things I’ve missed, I have grown much closer to God and learned to appreciate his blessings; God bringing good to the bad.

Excerpted from www.outuponthewaters.com, Rebecca (last name not provided) writes:

1. Romans 8:28 says that God uses all things for our good, not that all things are good. Things like war, death, human trafficking, and the like are awful. So, Romans 8:28 does not mean that all things are good, but rather that God is renewing and redeeming all things. This does not mean that all trials or tragedies will ultimately result in success, rather we should focus on the more important truth that God is bigger than all our tragedies, all our loss and our failures. Evil doesn’t win.
2. When Romans 8:28 says that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who have been called according to his purpose, what this signifies is that you can’t just go about doing whatever you want and expect it to work out well. God works all things together for the good of those who have been called according to his purpose, not those who are ignoring his call and disobeying his rules.
3. All the things, large or small, that happen to us are little parts of our story. And God takes up that whole story, every little part of it, and redeems it. He transforms all of you into a heavenly creature.
4. It doesn’t say that you necessarily will see the good in this life. The fruit of all things may not be seen in this life. Because this life is not all there is. We are promised bodily resurrection (1Corinthians 15:42). We are promised more. We could say that everything that happens to us here and now helps to shape ourselves (our very selves) into creatures who are in harmony with God (if we follow his will) or who are at odds with him (if we don’t follow his will). The good that comes out of “all things” ultimately is the fruit that produces a heavenly creature, a creature who is in harmony with God and at home in heaven, who finds joy in following God’s lead and submitting their own will to that of their Creator.
5. God’s transformation of us will not be complete this side of death, but we can rest assured of 2 things: evil does not win; and our world, our very selves, are being transformed into something bigger, something greater, something of infinitely more value than any material things that we may store up here and now.

What is the kingdom of heaven? The kingdom of heaven is the restoration of all things. It is the redemption of every single part of your life that you lay at the feet of Christ. It is the victory of good over evil. It is the wiping away of all tears. It is the growth of faith, hope, and love. It is the transformation of ordinary selves into heavenly creatures who are in harmony with God, who submit their wills to that of the King of all kings. May we see that transformation in our lives and in our world today and all the days of our lives.

If we follow God’s will and trust in God, all things will be made “good”. God turns all suffering to good.

From Laurie Hatcher (crosswalk.com):

Please pray with me:  

Father,

Sometimes I can’t understand how you can bring beauty from the ashes of my life. I struggle to trust you with the broken pieces. You say in your Word that without faith it is impossible to please you, and I want to please you. I want to trust you. I want you to make me more like Jesus and use my trials for my good and your glory. Help me believe in the promise of Romans 8:28.

In the name of Jesus I ask, Amen.

What Can I Do?

By Marilyn Travis

I like it when problems are easy to solve. Recently the battery in our car wore out. Solution? Easy. Have Mitch buy and install a new battery. Done. My dresser drawer quit closing. Solution? Easy. Have Mitch diagnose the problem, buy a new drawer guide at True Value, and fix the drawer. Done. My clothes fit too tight after the holidays. Solution? Not easy, but obvious – go on a diet and exercise more! Not done, but in progress! I make light of these minor irritations in life, and it's obvious I’d be in trouble without Mitch, but wouldn’t it be nice if all of life’s problems had obvious, simple solutions?

The solutions to the problems many of us are facing are not simple or obvious. Some of these difficult problems are personal or lie close to home, others are more global. Some problems are so large it makes me feel any effort on my part to offer a solution would be insignificant – and I would be right. It’s a good thing I don’t have to solve anything on my own! God is with me always, and He can accomplish anything! If I rely on the Lord, I am no longer helpless or inadequate.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Proverbs 5:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

I found a quote in one of my devotional journals that made an impact on me.

"The surest method of arriving at a knowledge of God’s eternal purposes about us is to be found in the right use of the present moment. God’s will does not come to us in the whole, but in fragments, and generally in small fragments. It is our business to piece it together, and to live it into one orderly vocation."

– F.W. Faber

In my notes following this quote in my journal I wrote, “I never thought of God’s will in this way, though in Sunday School (April, 2019) we spent an entire study learning to ‘do the next right thing’ which is very close to this idea.”

The quote I referred to was from a conversation Dallas Willard had with John Ortberg. Dallas said,

 "Do the next right thing you know you ought to do. Nothing will drive you into the Kingdom of God like trying to do the next thing that is right…because you WILL need God’s help, and you will get it, because that’s where God is."

One of the entries in the Devotional book 100 Verses Every Christian Needs to Know refers to Matthew 7:7-8.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Ask Him For the Things You Need

How often do you ask God for His help and His wisdom? Occasionally? Intermittently? Whenever you experience a crisis? Hopefully not. Hopefully, you’ve acquired the habit of asking for God’s assistance early and often. And hopefully, you have learned to seek His guidance in every aspect of your life.

In Matthew 7, God promises that He will guide you if you let Him. Your job is to let Him. But sometimes, you will be tempted to go along with the crowd; other times, you’ll be tempted to do things your way, not God’s way. When you feel those temptations, resist them.

God has promised that when you ask for His help, he will not withhold it. So ask. Ask Him to meet the needs of your day. Ask Him to lead you, to protect you, and to correct you. Trust the answers He gives.

God stands at the door and waits. When you knock, He opens. When you ask, He answers. Your task, of course, is to seek His guidance prayerfully, confidently, and often.

 – Author Unknown

And then -- Do the next right thing!

God's Secret Place of Protection

By Donna Winchell

 

 

During the summer, I keep a shade pulled down over the arched window in my great room. It helps to keep the house cooler and to minimize birds flying into the window which mirrors the pine trees directly across from it.

I was amazed when I rolled up the shade this winter to discover tiny paper-like structures attached to the window frame. It seems the plethora of yellow jackets around my home loved this special  location to build and attach their nests with plenty of shade and protection from the elements. It was their shelter, their secret place.

Psalm 91:1-2 NIV provides a good illustration for us of the value of a secret place for God’s children: “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust”.  

God encircles, encompasses, covers and shields us if we make Him our refuge. His presence is a kind of force field of protection no matter what the circumstances. “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11 NIV). When we live in the secret place, we live in God’s shadow; you can’t get much closer than that.

I have felt that force field, the kind of protection God provides. I remember years ago driving home after working the swing-shift. I was tired, coming down with the flu and had the car heater cranked as high as it would go. I must have fallen asleep for a brief moment because I woke up blocks away. To this day, I believe it was God who must have taken the wheel and protected me.

It’s actually pretty simple to have this type of protection, for any of us at any time, if we seek the Lord in prayer, trusting in Him and making Him our refuge. Entering into the “secret place of the Most High” is as simple as having a conversation with a friend, the best friend we will ever have.

Jesus instructs us to go to a quiet place, a secret place, a room with the door shut when we pray….Matthew 6:6 ESV “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”…. this is not necessarily just a physical room but a secret place in our lives set aside for one-on-one time with God.

God has provided protection and shelter that is ours for the taking. He protects us and encircles us like the yellow-jackets’ tiny paper-like structure, and that protection belongs to us and is always there when we dwell in the secret place of the most High. Rejoice in His goodness and know that He is the safest place in the universe, and in His presence you will find everything that your soul needs.

Psalm 27:5-7 TPT “ In his shelter in the day of trouble, that’s where you’ll find me, for he hides me there in his holiness. He has smuggled me into his secret place, where I’m kept safe and secure—out of reach from all my enemies. Triumphant now, I’ll bring him my offerings of praise, singing and shouting with ecstatic joy! Yes, listen and you can hear the fanfare of my shouts of praise to the Lord! God, hear my cry. Show me your grace. Show me mercy, and send the help I need!”

It really isn’t difficult to stay in that sacred space—that place of protection with God. In fact, just remember these four tiny words – Attach yourself to God – you will not remain the same! 

God desires to bless you, to surround you with goodwill, to always protect you. I think the lyrics to this song are wonderful. Hope you enjoy. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M7U_IyCuq0 

God's Work of Art

By Barb Batt

When I was listening to the sermon by Mike Banta on Sunday, I immediately thought of a Christian song on this same subject. The name of the song is God Only Knows and it is performed by King & Country.  The following are some of the lyrics from that song:

Wide awake while the world is sound asleepin'

Too afraid of what might show up while you're dreamin'

Nobody, nobody nobody sees you

Nobody, nobody would believe you

Every day you try to pick up all the pieces

All the memories, they somehow never leave you

Nobody, nobody, nobody sees you

Nobody, nobody would believe you

God only knows what you've been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows how it's killing you
But there's a kind of love that God only knows

God only knows what you've been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows the real you
There's a kind of love that God only knows

You keep a cover over every single secret
So afraid if someone saw them they would leave
Somebody, somebody, somebody sees you
Somebody, somebody will never leave you

I have been struggling with a character flaw recently (one of my many). I don't like how I am feeling, but it seems the more I try to stop the negative thoughts, they keep bombarding me. I have been praying to God to help me battle the evil one. In my heart, I know God knows what I am feeling and what I am going through. I believe he is with me in this struggle, and he provides the kind of love I need. I am amazed that God continues to love me after seeing me as I am. 

I loved when Mike shared during his sermon that we bow our heads to pray because God is in our hearts. That is a wonderful visual for me to remember when the negativity starts. I don't know what struggles you are facing now. I just know that if you pray and share them with God, the burden is so much lighter.

"Each one of us is God's special work of art. Through us, He teaches and inspires, delights and encourages, informs and uplifts all those who view our lives. God, the master artist, is most concerned about expressing Himself - His thoughts and His intentions - through what he paints in our character...(He) wants to paint a beautiful portrait of His Son in and through your life. A painting like no other in all of time."

                   Joni Eareckson Tada 1949 - American Writer, Speaker