God's Word: May 2011

How To Be Married And Happy! (2)

"... Relish life with the spouse you love each and every day... " - Ecclesiastes 9:9 TM

To be married and happy you must understand that love is a choice, not a sensation. The old Righteous Brothers' song 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling' may make your toes tap but it won't make your marriage work. 'Feeling' is the fruit, 'doing' is the root. Your will is where the solution begins. God wouldn't have commanded, 'Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church... ' (Ephesians 5:25 - Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; ) or '... teach the young women... to love their husbands... ' (Titus 2:4 - that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ) if love was a feeling and not an act of your will. When the will leads, the feelings follow.

So let's correct four misconceptions about love. First, its foundation is not emotion, personality, beauty or sex - in other words, sources of pleasure. These things don't bring lasting happiness. What's needed is commitment, character and a Christ-like disposition.

Second, think you can't love your partner? Check with God. 'We love because He first loved us' (1 John 4:19 - We love Him, because he first loved us). If you're loved by God, you've got love to give, because '... love comes from God... ' (1 John 4:7 - Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God, and knows God. ). You don't have to initiate it; just give what has been given to you!

Third, think you've 'run out' of love? No, you've just abandoned the source: 'God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us' (Romans 5:5 - 5and hope doesn't disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.). Tank up on the Spirit's supply and you'll have lots of love to give!

Finally, investing yourself in your partner causes even a dead love to live again. '... where your treasure is (invested), is the place you will most want to be... ' (Matthew 6:21 - for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ).

How To Be Married And Happy! (1)

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Relish life with the spouse you love each and every day... " - Ecclesiastes 9:9

Counsellors reckon that less than 25 per cent of marriages today are truly happy. What does it take to be one of them? Thinking about marriage in God's terms, not selfish terms. From God's perspective, happiness in marriage depends on distinguishing fact from fiction. The world of movie magic creates unrealistic expectations.

To 'relish life with the spouse you love each and every day', you must re-examine your thinking. Every marriage is made up of two flawed people: 'For all have sinned and fall short... ' (Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; ). That includes you and your partner. It's not that we don't know this, it's that we keep forgetting it, or hoping we're the exception to the rule. Expecting perfection is naïve and will keep undermining your relationship.

Happiness in marriage depends on coming to terms with your mutual defects and dealing with them realistically. Recognise fiction; deal with facts - especially in certain vulnerable areas.

For example, finances. Practise tithing, generosity, delayed gratification, and fiscal discipline.

Second, personal appearance. Always try to look your best, but accept unchangeable features - both yours and your partner's. Ageing is God's idea, so accept it with dignity and become wiser with it.

Third, lifestyle. Happiness is about comfort and contentment, not materialism and pride that lead to crushing indebtedness.

Then, courtesy. Small kindnesses, considerate acts and words are low-cost, high-yield investments.

Finally, physical satisfaction. The greatest satisfaction results from providing satisfaction for your partner.

Self-focus, manipulation and demanding your way can never match God's unfailing system: 'Give, and it shall be given unto you... ' (Luke 6:38 - 38"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you." ).

Control Your Emotions

Genesis 4:6 - 6Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen?

Unless you learn to discipline your emotions you'll lose credibility, alienate others, and miss great opportunities. Your emotions are like a car: properly understood and directed it can take you places; out of control it can destroy you. When God asked Cain, "Why are you angry with your brother?" He was saying: "Listen up, Cain! Your emotions are sending you a message. If you don't get a handle on this you'll create a mess you won't be able to live with. Yes, you'll repent and regret it, but you won't be able to undo it." But Cain wouldn't listen. The situation seemed unfair; he felt unappreciated. He thought his brother's blessing had come at his expense. What emotions were at work here? Jealousy. Resentment. Competitiveness. A sense of victimhood. These unchecked forces caused him to murder his brother Abel and cross a line he couldn't come back from.

Most of us have an inner response mechanism that isn't necessarily controlled by the rational side of our brain. It reacts to people and events, and like a sudden storm rises with strength from within, sometimes overwhelming us. Gordon McDonald writes: "I used to pride myself on the fact that I kept my emotions to myself. I never saw myself as an angry person... Then I got married and my wife informed me that I had plenty of anger after all. While it rarely came out in words it showed itself in full color in facial expressions (the gift of glare, we called it) I never knew I had. I had work to do. I had emotions that needed to be disciplined." How about you?

In The End, It's Worth It

Genesis 50:20 - As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.

What happened to Joseph wasn't fair! When your own family sells you as a slave and your boss' wife has you wrongly imprisoned you tend to ask, "Lord, what's going on?" Before God promoted Joseph to the palace he wanted to know how he'd hold up under pressure. And the same goes for you. Joseph was called to save his family and lead his nation. But big assignments call for big tests of character. You don't always understand this when you're going through the fires of refinement. When Joseph's brothers finally stand before him as ruler of Egypt he tells them "You didn't do it to me, God orchestrated the whole thing."
Talk about seeing things clearly! Someone else's action against you is not the bottom line. And the reason is simple: God knows that somewhere down the line He'll be able to use all that painful stuff to bring your life into focus and accomplish His purposes. With God it's never too late! Have you ever been to a real pizzeria? Not the kind of place where everything is pre-packaged and a 13-year-old can do it. No, the kind of place where they take a ball of dough, slam it down, twirl it around, flatten it, then put it into a 500øC oven. That's what's required for the pizza to hold all that good stuff they plan to put on top.

Think of yourself as pizza dough and God as the person working it. He's got some good stuff He wants to lay on you, but before He can do it He's got to knock you into shape.

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Never Stop Reading

Proverbs 15:14 - The heart of one who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

Do you know that TV Guide is America's top selling magazine? Or that 50 percent of all college students stop reading after graduation even though a degree can become outdated in as little as five years? It might surprise you to know how little some professionals actually read. No wonder John Wesley told his students: "Either read or get out of the ministry!"

When Dr. Harry Ironside was a boy he heard about somebody who read the entire Bible every year. Impressed, he started reading and by age 14 he'd read through the Bible 14 times! Consequently he was one of history's most influential preachers. His name is on over 100 books, mostly Bible commentaries. People were amazed by his knowledge of the Scripture and how he relayed them to others in simple everyday language. In prison Paul asked Timothy for "the books, especially the parchments" (2 Timothy 4:13 - Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come, and the books, especially the parchments.). The parchments were sacred Scripture manuscripts. And the books were probably the ones he was reading when he was arrested. The Bible says, "The discerning heart seeks knowledge." So Paul was still reading the day he died! George Mueller, who was busier than most, said, "I consider it a lost day when I haven't had a good time over the Word of God." And J. I. Packer said, "A little knowledge of God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge about Him." God said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6 - My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me. Because you have forgotten your God's law, I will also forget your children.).

How do you qualify for greater blessing? By growing more! The SoulFood readings (below) will take just 20 minutes a day and will take you through your entire Bible in less than a year. So, what's stopping you?

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It Will Show

John 14:8 - Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."

You can't be a little bit pregnant. You may be in the early stages, but if you've life within you eventually it'll become clear to everyone and the end result will be a child bearing your image and DNA. Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father." Jesus answered, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9 - Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, 'Show us the Father?'). This exchange tells us that it's possible to be a Christian yet not really know God in the way we claim to.

How can you know that the life of God is growing within you? Whenever you hear or read His Word, it'll have your name on it. When you pray your Spirit will pick up signals from God that answer your questions, correct your wanderings and satisfy your deepest longings. How quickly and solidly you grow depends on how hungry you are for growth. The formula for Spiritual growth is simple: rate multiplied by time equals distance. The degree to which you use your time to pursue God will determine the speed at which you arrive at your destination of maturity. That's why it's possible to be a Christian for five years, and be more spiritually advanced than those who've been saved for 25 years.

Wherever you may be on your journey with Christ, the best place to start - is right where you are. You can't go back to yesterday or leap into tomorrow. But today is a brand new day. Use it to draw close to the Lord!

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Question: "Is it wrong to feel disappointment with God?"

Answer: Disappointment with God is not necessarily wrong or sinful; rather, it is a part of the human condition. The word "disappointment" means "a feeling of dissatisfaction when one’s hopes, desires, and expectations fail to come to pass." When God somehow fails to satisfy our hopes or doesn’t live up to our expectations, disappointment inevitably follows. If God doesn’t perform in the manner we think He should, we are disillusioned with Him and dissatisfied with His performance. This can lead to wavering faith in God, especially in His sovereignty and His goodness.

When God doesn’t act when we think He should act, it isn’t because He is unable to do so. Rather, He simply chooses not to. While this might seem an arbitrary or capricious act on His part, the exact opposite is true. God chooses to act or not to act according to His perfect and holy will in order to bring about His righteous purposes. Nothing happens that is out of God’s plan. He has control of every molecule that floats around in the universe, and God’s will encompasses every act and decision made by every person throughout the world at all times. He tells us in Isaiah 46:11, “From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.” Even the birds are somehow part of His foreordained plan. Furthermore, there are times when He chooses to let us know His plans (Isaiah 46:10) and times when He does not. Sometimes we understand what He is doing; sometimes we do not (Isaiah 55:9 - For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.). One thing we do know for sure: if we belong to Him, whatever He does will be to our benefit, whether we understand it or not (Romans 8:28).

The key to avoiding disappointment with God is to align our wills with His and to submit to His will in all things. Doing so will not only keep us from being disappointed with God, but it will also preclude grumbling and complaining about the events that occur in our lives. The Israelites in the desert griped and questioned God on several occasions, despite having seen miraculous displays of His power in the parting of the Red Sea, the provision of manna and quail in the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord that followed them in the form of a pillar of fire (Exodus 15–16; Numbers 14:2-37). Despite God’s continual faithfulness to His people, they grumbled and were disappointed with God because He did not act as they thought He should. Rather than submitting to His will and trusting Him, they were in a constant state of turmoil and confusion.

When we align our wills with God’s will and when we can say, with Jesus, “Not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42), then we find the contentment Paul spoke of in 1 Timothy 6:6-10 and Philippians 4:11-12. Paul had learned to be content with whatever God sent his way. He trusted God and submitted to His will, knowing that a holy, righteous, perfect, loving, and merciful God would work all things together for his good because that is what He promised. When we see God in that light, we can’t possibly be disappointed with Him. Rather, we submit willingly to our heavenly Father, knowing that His will is perfect and that everything He brings to pass in our lives will be for our good and for His glory.

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You'll Never Know Until You Try It!

Matthew 6:24 - "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can't serve both God and Mammon.

Richard Foster writes: "We had a swing set, a real custom-made job - huge steel pipes and all. But our children would soon be beyond swing sets, so we decided to sell it. I went out in the back yard and looked it over. 'It should bring a good price,' I thought to myself. 'In fact, if I touched up the paint I could charge even more.' All of a sudden I began to monitor a spirit of covetousness within me. I asked my wife, Carolyn, if she would mind if we gave the swing set away rather than selling it. 'No, not at all!' I thought to myself 'rats!' But before the day was out we'd found a couple with young children who could make good use of it, and we gave it to them - and I didn't even have to paint it! This simple act of giving crucified the greed that had gripped my heart - at least for the time being."

When was the last time you just gave something away? Something that meant something to you. Not easy, is it? It requires trust that God will look after your needs in ways that you'll never see until you give Him the opportunity.

Dallas Willard said, "The cautious faith that never saws off the limb on which it is sitting, never learns that unattached limbs may find strange, unaccountable ways of not falling." Is it possible that you don't have the intimacy with God you desire because you haven't given enough away? The truth is - you'll never know until you try it!

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Where Do Our Prayers Go?

John 11:3 - The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, "Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick."

Someone went to Jesus on behalf of Lazarus, and because they went, Jesus responded. The healing wouldn't unfold for several days, but the timer was set when the appeal was made. Ever wonder where your prayers go when they leave your lips? Listen: "There was silence in heaven... and... Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden pan... with the prayers of all God's... people. The angel put this offering... before the throne. The smoke... went up... to God with the prayers of God's people" (Revelation 8:1-4 - When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. 4The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. ).Why was there silence in heaven? Because someone was praying! Heaven pauses to hear the prayers of - someone like you. Listen: "The prayers of all God's... people... went up... to God." Awesome! Your words don't stop until they reach the heart of God!

But notice, the friend who went to Jesus on behalf of Lazarus said, "Lord, the one You love is sick." He didn't base his appeal on the imperfect love of the one in need, but on the perfect love of the Saviour. He didn't say, "The one who loves You is sick." No, he said, "The one You love is sick." That's different!

The power of prayer doesn't depend on the virtue of the one who prays, but on the unchanging love of the One who hears. Aren't you glad? You may be deeply flawed; you may not understand the mystery of prayer, but this much is clear: action begins in heaven, when someone on earth prays.

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Where Do Our Prayers Go?

John 11:3 - The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, "Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick."

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Your Vision - You Must 'Find' It! (1)

Habakkuk 2:2 - Yahweh answered me, "Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it.

Notice two important things about vision:

1) Your vision must come from God. There's a difference between setting your own goals and having a God-given vision. When your vision is of God, '... it will surely come... ' (Habakkuk 2:3 - 3For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won't prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come. It won't delay. ). You won't have to orchestrate events; God will provide the resources and open doors at the right time. Your steps will be directed by Him. Here's an interesting Scripture: '... time and chance happen to them all. For man also does not know his time: like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time... ' (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 - I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. 12For man also doesn't know his time. As the fish that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, even so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly on them. ). God will reveal to you your destiny and give you an opportunity to fulfil it. But you can resist it, or postpone it, or give your life to other things and end up missing your 'time' and 'chance.' Don't get caught in that net or trapped in that snare and forfeit what God has for you.

2) Your vision will be connected to a certain field. Joseph's dream started with a field of wheat (Genesis 37:6-7 - He said to them, "Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf." ). What's your field? Whether God calls you to the field of medicine, education, finance, real estate, or some other field, it's to be a blessing to others. God told Abraham, '... I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing' (Genesis 12:2 - 2I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. ). Don't seek fame, seek to serve others. If you do your impact will be greater than your image and your eternal reward greater than anything you can drive, wear, live in, or hang on a wall.

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Some Things You Owe Your Children

Isaiah 8:18 - 18Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh has given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of Armies, who dwells in Mount Zion.

You may not be able to give your children everything you'd like to, but here are 4 things you owe them:

First, listen to them! One boy said, "I feel like a comma. When I talk to my dad he'll say something. Then when I start to talk again he makes a comma; he doesn't interrupt me, but when I'm finished he starts right in where he left off. It's as if I didn't say anything." You'll never understand your children until you take time and really listen to what they're saying.

Second, believe in them! As a child, the great Caruso was told by a music teacher, "You have no talent at all." Parent, make sure your voice is the loudest. Get there first; build their confidence; give them the faith and self worth required to overcome every obstacle they'll face.

Third, connect with them! Find out what's in their heart. If you try to control them before you connect with them, you'll lose every time. What do you really know about them? Their struggles? Their heroes? Their music? Their friends? Their fears? Their dreams? If your answer is, "not much," start making some changes right away.

Fourth, let them see God in you! Have you heard the story about the 3 kids discussing their dads? One said, "My dad knows the mayor." Another said, "My dad knows the governor." Confidently, the third said, "That's nothing - my dad knows God!" Parent, do you know God? If you don't, commit your life to Him today.

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Walking On Water (3)

Matthew 14:29 - "He walked on the water... to Jesus"

There are many good reasons for stepping out of the boat and trying something new, or something you may have failed at before. It's the only way to develop faith, it's the alternative to being average, and it's how you discover your calling.

But there's an even more important reason. '... He walked on the water... to Jesus.' Jesus isn't in the boat, He's on the water! And you only develop deep-water faith when you're willing to leave security and predictability and step out with Him. Perhaps you have worked for years creating a manageable and orderly life, maintaining the illusion of control. Now God is shaking everything up by asking you to step out in faith, allowing you to face waves that are over your head. He does this for a reason: to increase your dependence on Him.

Maybe there was a time in your past when you risked sharing your faith, even though it meant facing rejection; or giving, even though it involved personal sacrifice; or serving, even though you felt totally inadequate. Sometimes you sank, sometimes you walked, but you lived on the edge by faith. Now look at you in your comfortable boat, you don't even get seasick!

In fact, now you don't even feel the storm when it comes. Any time you leave the security of the boat two things will happen. First, when you fail, and you will, you won't be alone. Jesus will be no more than an arm's length from you. Second, every now and then when you do walk on water, it'll strengthen you and enable you to do greater things.

Look For The Best In The Worst

Deuteronomy 23:5 - Nevertheless Yahweh your God wouldn't listen to Balaam; but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Yahweh your God loved you.

When Thomas Carlyle completed his manuscript on the French Revolution, he asked his neighbour John Stuart Mill to read it. Later, Mill came to Carlyle's house, shaken and pale. His maid had inadvertently used it to light the fire! Carlyle despaired - two years lost! Writing it initially was daunting enough; rewriting it was unthinkable. Then one day, watching a stonemason build a wall, he observed it was going up one brick at a time. Inspired, he thought, 'I'll write a page today and one tomorrow. One at a time; that's all I'll think about.' It was slow, tedious work, but he persevered and the result outshone his original.

Jon Gordon writes, 'If you're concerned about the future... I know how you feel. I lost my job in 2001... the company sank faster than the Titanic... I thought it was the worst event of my life. I was two months away from bankruptcy. I'd a wife, two children, a mortgage, no health insurance, and very little savings. I was a payslip away from losing it all and... I had to make some important decisions. Eventually they led to the work I now do as a writer, consultant and speaker. I went from Fired to Fired-up! My lay-off led to my life's mission... what I thought was the worst... led to the best...

When the wave hits we have a choice... allow it to crush us, or learn from it and ride it to a positive future. We can move forward with determination and faith that our best days are ahead.' Rejoice. Refocus. God can turn the curse into a blessing.

Your Weakness

Psalm 103:14 - He knows how weak we are"

Any weakness you refuse to deal with will draw you towards the wrong things and set you up for defeat. To live victoriously you must recognize that,

First, your weakness can emerge at any time. What you allow to take root, will grow within you. What you fail to master now, will master you later. The Psalmist prayed, 'Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone' (Psalm 71:9).

Second, God's Spirit will repeatedly warn you. Jesus told Peter: '... "Satan hath desired to have you... But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren"' (Luke 22:31-32). Imagine the Lord praying for you. He does! '... If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous' (1 John 2:1 - My little children, I write these things to you so that you may not sin. If anyone sins, we have a Counselor with the Father, Jesus Christ, and the righteous). He intercedes for you, clothes you in His righteousness, and draws you back to Himself.

Third, God will continue to use you even while your weakness is growing within you. He provides opportunity after opportunity to reach for His help. Jesus warned Jerusalem, '... "How often I have longed to gather your children together... but you were not willing... your house is left to you desolate"' (Matthew 23:37-38).

When you neglect God's grace, what's left? Your consequences! You ask, 'What can I do?' Turn to God. He's neither shocked by your weakness nor unwilling to help you. Acknowledge your weakness. Become an enemy to it. Let God's Spirit empower you. Not only can He deliver you, He can turn your greatest weakness into your greatest weapon.

Walking On Water (2)

Matthew 14:29 - He said, "Come!" Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus.

When Peter was certain it was Jesus who was calling him, he left the security of the boat and entrusted himself to the power of God. So far, so good. 'But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted' (Matthew 14:30 - But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!”). So you must focus on the Lord, not the storm. We all know what it's like to 'see the waves'. You begin a new venture - a job, a relationship, an area of spiritual growth - full of hope. Then you encounter storms and setbacks. Jesus said, 'Here on earth you will have many trials... ' (John 16:33 - I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world."). Expect it; it's part of the journey of faith! You must feel the fear and do it regardless. Growth requires taking on new challenges. Each time you do you'll experience fear, because growth and fear go together. But each time you risk leaving the boat it means you're more likely to do it again. And each time you step out on the water without drowning, you realise that fear no longer has the power over you. On the other hand, each time you resist God's voice and choose to stay in the boat His voice becomes a little quieter until eventually you don't hear it at all. Wouldn't it be worth any risk to avoid that?

Furthermore, staying in the boat doesn't guarantee your safety; it only guarantees you'll eventually die from something else. The answer to fear is to get out of the boat a little more each day, until fear loses its hold on you.

Reach For Others

Numbers 11:11 - "Why have [You] laid the burden on me?" -

Some of us know how to give, but not receive. As a result we fail to reach our growth potential or accomplish what God planned for us. Somebody within your reach right now knows something you need to know; something you'll never discover on your own. Get close to them and draw water from their well. It's pride that keeps us weak. Weak people don't reach for others, wise people do. Moses asked God, '... "Why... have [You] laid the burden of all these people on me?"' God said, 'I didn't, you took it on yourself.' Then He instructed Moses, '... "Gather... seventy men... whom you know to be elders... Then... I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you"... ' (Numbers 11:16-17 - Yahweh said to Moses, Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17I will come down and talk with you there: and I will take of the Spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you not bear it yourself alone).

A newspaper carried the story of a woman who fell asleep behind the wheel and plunged her car through a safety rail on the motorway. It dangled precariously, 60 feet in the air. Motorists stopped, grabbed ropes, tied them to the back of the woman's car and hung on till the emergency units arrived. A ladder was extended from below to help stabilize the car while fire-fighters chained the vehicle to tow trucks. Every time her car moved she screamed. It took over two hours for passers-by, the motorway patrol, tow-truck drivers and fire-fighters - about 25 people in all - to pull her to safety. The fire captain at the scene said later, 'It was funny. She kept shouting, "I'll do it myself!"'' Are you like that? If you want to enjoy God's best, reach for others!

God Will Tell You What To Say

Matthew 10:19 - But when they deliver you up, don't be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.

Jesus said: 'don't worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking; it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you' (Matthew 10:19-20 - But when they deliver you up, don't be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. 20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. ).

Does that mean we should not prepare ourselves? No, it just means we should stop trying to figure out in advance everything we need to say and do in every situation we face. You'll wear yourself out trying to prepare for every circumstance you're likely to run into in the future. Jesus told His disciples to entrust their lives fully to God and depend on His indwelling Holy Spirit to guide, protect and equip them when the situation arose. The same goes for us.

For example, when we have to make hard decisions or solve complicated problems or confront difficult people, God's Spirit will decide the proper time and the best approach. He will also give us the right words to say. Until then, we don't need to bother ourselves with it.

If we will listen to what the Lord is telling us here in this passage, not only will we have more peace, but we will also enjoy more success. When we do have to speak, what comes out of our mouths will be spiritual wisdom from God and not something we have come up with out of our own carnal mind.

Your responsibility is not to know the future; it's to trust in God who holds the future, and be confident that you're safe in His hands.