Praying For

The Impossible

 

 

Somewhere in time or everywhere in time, someone is praying for something impossible.  Our version of impossible varies from person to person, but it’s still impossible to the person uttering the prayers.

I've had my own impossible prayers from time to time. Sometimes, God answers no and that is a hard answer to get. But I have also seen Him say yes to impossible prayers as well. 

My “no” didn’t make me give up on impossible prayers, I still utter them with absolute faith they will be answered. 

This week I was reminded of the story of Abraham and Sarah.  God told Abraham he would be the father of many nations, yet he didn’t have any children.  He and his wife tried to make the prophecy come true through their own doing, so God clarified.  Abraham would be the father of many nations and Sarah would give birth to a child.  You would think the miracle would be forthcoming with such a pronouncement, but years passed and the two of them got older, but Sarah was still barren.

Angels stopped by and gave Abraham and update. They had been waiting at least twenty-five years when the angels reminded them about their miracle.  Sarah laughed when she over heard. She was old and giving birth at this stage in life was next to impossible. This is when the angel asked – is anything too hard for the Lord?

Genesis 18:14

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁴ Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

As we know, Sarah did have a son. Even in her old age.  God is not restricted by our earthly bodies or our flagging spirits.

The first part of this verse has been floating through my prayers this week.   Is anything too hard for the Lord?

If you are praying for something big or something hard or something impossible.  Don’t stop.  There isn’t anything too hard for the Lord.

 

Jesus

I Don’t Know What to Say

 

 

Somewhere in time, today, I need to talk to someone.  It’s someone I love and that makes it harder in a way.  It’s hard to watch people you love make choices you know to be wrong.  Especially when they only consult with people who have no idea of God or how much He loves us.  I have been praying for wisdom and searching for knowledge.

Two things stand out in my mind. The first is we have problem when we believe there’s a God, but we don’t want anything to do with him in our daily lives.  This throws any compass we may have off kilter.  We have no idea of true north when God is missing from our lives. 

Here is the best analogy I can think of.  God is like a medicine we take that cures us from the disease of sin and death.  Here is the problem.  The medicine is presented; we take it, stick it up on a shelf and then go about trying to heal ourselves.  Years go by and we wonder why we’re not any better.

My other thought is that people are afraid to follow God fully because they don’t want to give God control.  What if God asks them to do something they don’t want to do? All I can say is that God only asks us to do what he created us to do.  What have we to fear?

John 3:17

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

Never

Good Enough

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been thinking.  That could be dangerous, because I have a crazy imagination.  I once had the idea to open a restaurant called “Just Desserts” because I wanted the tag line to be – Isn’t it time you got your just desserts.  There was one problem and that is I’m not a pastry chef. I would have to hire someone.  Now, I’m trying to figure out how to make a living doing nothing but tea sandwiches.  I do make really good sandwiches. 

But anyway, this week, I have been thinking about other religions.  I’m not an expert, but I know that most have something in common.  Most have things you have to do to prove yourself worthy.

There is something deep within use that would like to earn our own salvation.  We want to feel like we deserve it. 

I think that’s too hard. No matter how hard I try, I’ll never be good enough for heaven.

Romans 10:9

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Being a Christian has nothing to do with me.  It’s not how many times I pray, even though prayer is a good thing.  It’s not about giving to the poor, even though I would recommend it if you can.  It’s not about being nice, or doing good deeds. It’s about accepting a free gift.  Salvation is a gift that is free to me and you and everyone else. Jesus gave His life to allow me this opportunity.

I did nothing to deserve salvation, but yet I have it.  I can promise that becoming a Christian can and will change your life.  You may pray more often. You may give more freely and you might become a better person. But none of this brings salvation.  Only the sacrifice of Christ brings salvation. 

Since I know I will never be good enough on my own. I’m relieved to know that God takes me just as I am.

Casting Crowns - All You've Ever Wanted (Official Lyric Video) from casting-crowns on GodTube.

Beauty

In the eye of the beholder

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been people watching.  At times, what I observed has broken my heart.  I have noticed people who aren’t proud of their age, their shape or even their gender. When I see this, I realize there are two things going on. The first problem is we think God made a mistake and second, we live in a culture that tries to fit each of us into some predetermined mold. 

I hope to set us free.  First, God doesn’t make mistakes.  God made you unique; you aren’t supposed to look like anybody else.  God didn’t make each of us from the same mold, so why are we trying to fit into one now. 

Psalm 139:14

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

If you ever wonder where I get my ideas – well usually, I’m preaching to the mirror.

When I was younger, I was very thin. People used to make jokes about me running around in the shower to get wet.  Even then, when I looked at myself, I saw imperfections.  I thought God needed to make me taller. He needed to give me a flat stomach, not a little pooch.  I needed my hair to be light blond and on and on it goes.  Was there anything wrong with me – not really.  I was a hand crafted original and I didn’t even know it.  

Somewhere along the way we lost sight of what beauty really is.  We let media determine what is beautiful.  What we see in magazines or on TV is someone’s idea of beauty.  If you have done something worthy of a magazine cover, but they don’t think you are perfect enough, they will retouch your picture and take away your wrinkles and scars. They may even make extra weight is miraculously disappear. 

Why is this necessary?  Wrinkles and scars are evidence of life. Wrinkles can be proof of wisdom earned from years of living.  Scars are proof of trials overcome.   Extra weight, in many cases, can be a sign of plenty and a sign of good times.  Why do we shy away from such things? Why don’t we showcase and celebrate this?  I don’t understand.

To God, the physical things, height, weight, skin color are not as important as the points of character we display.  He doesn’t even care if we are brilliant, or if we struggle.  He cares that we are honest and we display integrity in everything we do. He wants us show compassion to the needy, strength to the week and love to the hopeless.  God standards are what we should strive for.

If we really think about it, God is the one we need to get approval from and He loved us enough to die for us.  We really are something special.

Britt Nicole - Gold (Official Music Video) from britt-nicole on GodTube.

Human Nature

Sinful Nature

 

 

Somewhere in time, last Saturday, I had a busy day.  I had to work some overtime. I still had to do my normal Saturday running around and I was having lunch with two of my nieces (the bright spot of my day).  On my way out, I was stopped at a stop sign waiting for traffic to clear.  It was a four lane street, with two east bound lanes and two west bound lanes.  I need to cross the east in order to go west.  For some reason, this was a heavy traffic day.  One way would clear and the other would be busy.  Just when I had the opportunity to make it out and just when I had the chance to put my foot on the gas pedal – the car behind me honked.

I don’t know how to describe the overwhelming feeling of anger, irritation and nastiness that suddenly rose up with in me.  I wanted to put the car in park and march back there and give that driver a lesson in safety – but, I really did have my foot on the gas, so these feelings stormed my soul as I sailed across the two lanes of traffic I had been waiting for all along. 

Now, I was having an argument.  There was no one in the car with me, but I was giving that other driver a piece of my mind. Have you ever done that?  Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t need another person to have an argument, I can carry on both sides.  

I was fuming and sputtering when a still small voice spoke to me and it said – look how easy it is for the sinful nature to rise up. 

The voice was right.  I went from happy Christian to irritated driver in the time it took to sound a horn.

Romans 7:19

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁹ For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice²⁰ Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. ²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

My struggle was not unique.  We all struggle at times, but God doesn’t give up on us.  Even though I got angry for a silly reason, God still forgave me. 


My worst enemy at times may be myself and I may have lost my private battle with my anger, but God is not through with me yet.  

 

 

MercyMe - So Long Self (Official Music Video) from mercymemusic on GodTube.

The End

Is Near!

 

 

Somewhere in time, or rather, somewhere in the future, the end of the world is coming.  I’m not like some; I don’t believe it’s right around the corner.  The Bible talks about Christ having a millennial reign of one thousand years.  From that I can deduce that the end of the world is over one thousand years away.  Before the millennial reign, bad times are predicted – now how faraway is that?

Matthew 24:36

King James Version (KJV)

³⁶ But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

I don’t know, but I know many people are expecting the rapture of the church and the beginning of the tribulation to happen any day now.  It might and it might not, we really don’t know. 

There is a Pastor in San Antonio named John Hagee and he has spoken on this a few times. He also wrote a book called, “Four Blood Moons: Something is about to Change.” I haven’t read the book but I listened to his DVD series on the subject. He always makes good observations and points in anything he talks about, but this was interesting to me. Mainly because blood moons have happened in the past and we can trace them to historical events.  Now we are scheduled for them in the future.

Blood moons happened in 1493 and 1494 – Columbus left to find America in 1492.  Back home in Spain, Jews were being expelled from Spain in 1493 and 1494.  The blood moon marked the expulsion of the Jews and the discovery of a new nation.

Blood moons happened again in 1949 and 1950 – this was about the time the Nation of Israel was assembled for the final time.

Blood moons happened again in 1967 and 1968 – during this time, the six day war took place in Israel. 

Blood moons are going to happen again, In April and October of this year.  We will then have an eclipse of the sun in March of 2015, followed by two more blood moons in April and September of 2015. The blood moons will happen on the Jewish holidays of Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles.

What does this mean?  She we get worried and start storing food?

I honestly don’t know.  All I do know is that Christ is coming for his church someday and I want to be ready when that day comes. 

 

Chris Tomlin - How Great Is Our God (World Edition) from chris-tomlin on GodTube.

Overworked

And - Well you know the rest

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have been working a lot of overtime.  I work for a company where this time of year is extremely busy.  The hard part about working so much is I don’t have much time for anything else.  Plus, you get really worn out.  Before I turn on my computer for work today, yes I know it’s Saturday – what’s up with that – I thought I would find something to put in my blog.

You know when it gets really busy, it easy to forget what is important.

Actually I was thinking of the Old Testament. Every 50 years it was a time of celebration.  No work, freedom for the captives.  This sounds really fun lately.  I feel like a need a year of jubilee – but alas, I need to work. 

Yes, the year of Jubilee almost made it to the blog.  A blog devoted to vacation.  I thought about it, but I decided to share what I truly believe to be important.

God wants us to care about other people.  In small ways or large ways, however we can. 

Matthew 25:34 - 37 “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”

Matthew 25:40 “And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it for the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me.””

So, if you’re like me and crazy busy, you can do two things.  First be thankful you have a job in a time when many people don’t and second, find someone to help.  Helping someone makes all the rush and work worth it.

 

NEWSBOYS - Born Again [Official Music Video] from newsboys on GodTube.