|
Hiding Among the Stuffq I Samuel 10:22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should yet come thither. And the Lord answered, Behold, he hath his himself among the stuff. God chose Saul, anointed Saul, had a work for Saul to do, but when the time came for Saul to step forward and accept the calling of God on his life, he was ‘hiding among the stuff’. What is the ‘stuff’ in you life that is keeping you from fulfilling God’s purpose? Social status, career advancement? Your job? Embarrassment (peer pressure)? Do you have bitterness or unforgiveness that’s cluttering up your life? God is calling you to a greater anointing, a greater ministry. Don’t be distracted by the ‘stuff’ in your life. It’s time to take a reality check and get rid of the ‘stuff’ that is keeping you from fulfilling God’s purpose in your life. Just Keep WalkingGenesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.Genesis 6:9 Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.Enoch and Noah have something in common – they were both delivered from the perils and trials of their world. With Enoch, God took him out of the world. With Noah, God destroyed the world around him. These men found the mercy and grace of God not because they did any great thing – the Bible simply says, “…they walked with God.”From the time we begin our relationship with God, it is ordained that we walk and not sit still. It is the intention of the Holy Spirit that we are continuously progressing in the spirit. Romans 8:1 tells us, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” As long as we keep walking, victory is ours! When God is with you, you can walk in the furnace that was designed to knock you off of your feet. When God is with you, you can walk through the valley of the shadow of death that was designed to destroy you. When God is with you, you can keep walking when your enemy is trying to destroy you. No matter what happens or where your journey takes you, just keep walking. God will be with you!
God’s Dwelling Place Psalms 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Did you know that God is not drawn to wellness, but to sickness? He’s not drawn to wholeness, but to brokenness. He’s not drawn to strength but to weakness. We often ask God to deliver us from the thorn, the furnace, the trial, the brokenness or the disaster; but what we may not realize is that it’s the disaster that’s keeping us close to Him. We can’t get it together enough to draw the attention of Almighty God; we can’t become good enough or intelligent enough to impress him. When I am broken, He is nigh to me. When I am in the middle of the trial, that’s when God encompasses me! When I am in the furnace, God appears to stand beside me! When I am broken, that’s when I become God’s dwelling place! Get Your Eyes Off of the Wind Matthew 14:29-30 “And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid…”Seeking to do the will of God in one’s life often requires a stepping out of the boat…moving out of your comfort zone. As Christians we feel safe within the confines of our church, comforting one another, watching the storm rage outside, shaking our heads at the plight of the world. All the while Jesus is bidding us to step out and move in areas where we have never been before, places where the storms are raging and the risks are high. Don’t get distracted. Get your eyes off of the wind! Focus on the One who is standing in the midst of the storm, calling us out to do a work for Him. Pastor Terry Sometimes God Whispers I Kings 19:12 …and after the fire, a still small voice. Have you ever found yourself needing direction for situations in your life, hoping to hear God’s voice thundering through the air with the answers? Or better still, wish you could sit down at your computer one day and open your e-mail and see a message from God simply entitled ANSWERS? Sometimes God doesn’t respond immediately with a wealth of information like the internet does. He doesn’t scream at us like the commercials on our televisions. Sometimes God just whispers. He whispers so that we will draw close to Him. God’s whisper means that I must stop my rantings and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. He admonishes us to, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalms 46:10). Pastor Terry Matthew 4:19 “And He saith unto them, Follow me and I will make you….” Michelangelo stood before a large nondescript piece of granite with a hammer and chisel in his hands. As he hammered and chiseled away at this unsightly piece of granite, he was asked by a passerby, “What could you possibly be doing with that rock?” He replied, “When I look at this rock, I see an angel.” “There is an angel trapped in this rock and I’m letting him out.” That is how God sees you and me. He doesn’t see all of our mistakes and shortcomings. He looks past the rough, unsightly exterior and sees something of beauty. He sees an angel. He sees a son and daughter of God. He sees a successful person. He sees somebody he can use. You might look like a mess on the surface, but God sees something of value deep within. He might have to chip away at your rough exterior, and at times it may hurt. But He has to get to the person – the YOU that is inside. All you have to do is follow Him and he will make you…. Pastor Terry |
