God had so much in store for Abram. He was going to change his name, and then make him the father of the nations. His descendents would be as numerous as the stars and they would be called the children of God. Abram was a major step in the process of restoring the relationship God had once shared with His people before the Fall.

Eventually from Abram’s seed would be born Jesus, the Messiah, who would fulfill that process. God had chosen Abram for all of this. But, Abram could look no further than his own wish to be a father. He said to God, “If you can’t grant me my heart’s desire then I don’t want anything else.”

Sound familiar? Is there something you have been fervently praying for which God has yet to give you? Are you so concentrating on getting that one thing that you are missing the big picture He offers? If so, then you may fall into the same trap Abram did. He tried to intervene with his servant Hagar and usher things along. “God said I could be a father. I’ll just help Him out by doing it my way. Surely He will bless that. I’m doing His will, right?” The result was Ishmael, not Isaac. Arabs and Jews have been in conflict ever since. They are still battling over God’s favor and promised land.

Too often we hear a message we know is from God—in a dream, in a sermon, in a hymn, from a friend—that seems to be an answer to prayer. We take it as a resounding “Yes”, then dash off to grab it without waiting for the instructions of how to obtain it God’s way. There may be steps He wants us to go through for our own good. But we jump the gun, then wonder why it turns out wrong. “But, God, I was so sure. . . .”

Or, like Abram, we are so bent on receiving that one thing, we miss out on all He is trying to give us along the way. We’ve squinted our eyes so tight in wishing we don’t see His presence in our lives and the little blessings He provides. Like a pouty child near Christmas we whine, “If you love me, really love me, you’ll give me this.” We miss the small ways He shows His love to us all the time.

We ask, “What will you give me?” instead of “Thank you for loving me so much  to give me _________. You fill in the blanks. Think of the blessings starting with Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and ending with the last breath you just exhaled. Daunting exercise, isn’t it? If you can only come up with two or three, pray for God to reveal more to you. Then trust He will. It may take a while, they are so numerous.

Perhaps if we all concentrated more on His grace and mercy, and were thankful for what He has already bestowed upon us, then we’d be a step closer to receiving not so much what we desire, but what He desires for us, which is far better. And along the way, we just might get our “Isaac”—that which we so desperately wanted. Then, like Abram, even if God asks us to give it back to Him, we will have the faith to say, “Yes, Lord. Thy will be done. I trust in Your love and promise.”

Questions: What are you asking God for right now? Do you think you should also ask Him what He wants for you?

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God Psalm 20:7.

As we usher in another year, I recall a question a reporter asked Benjamin Franklin as he emerged from the Continental Convention that was forming the structure of America’s government. “What kind of government have you given us’” asked the reporter. Franklin’s response was “a republic if you can keep it.”

That statement was made more than two hundred years ago and history shows that the cycle of national dominance usually expires in about that period of time. Where are we in the cycle of nations?

The historical cycle seems to be: From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to apathy; from apathy to dependency; and from dependency back to bondage once more.

At the stage between apathy and dependency, men always turn in fear to economic and political panaceas. New conditions, it is claimed, require new remedies. Under such circumstances, the competent citizen is certainly not a fool if he insists upon using the compass of history when forced to sail uncharted seas.

As we usher in 2012 we are in worldwide economic chaos, fighting wars we cannot win against enemies we cannot identify. In our country, more people are getting from rather than contributing to the revenue stream that powers democracy. The world is encased in a turmoil never before known in history.

Where can we place our trust and faith in the New Year? Certainly not in men nor in nations, as both will disappoint us. Certainly not in the economy, as it is in shambles as the corporate, national and personal debt is one we can never hope to repay. Certainly not in military might, as we are vulnerable to a defense that could lead to world annihilation.

In this coming year, the only safe place to put our trust is in God. “Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Psalm 2:12). “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8).

The New Year is always full of resolutions. Let this one be yours from Psalms (18:2) “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold”

Put your trust in God! For where your treasure is, there you’ll find your heart. Put your trust in him! He won’t let you down. God is our hope, so put your life in his hands. May this be our resolution for the New Year.

( a thought on life from John Grant)

Putting God first in our lives means putting ourselves out there. The possibility of rejection is always present. Sharing our faith takes work. It takes reliance on God to overcome those challenges. Through challenging moments, Bailee simply talks to her best friend – God. We should all do the same.

Bailee confidently assures others that if you have God in your life, if you just look to your Heavenly Father – despite struggles and hard times – He is always watching over you. The knowledge that God is watching over us should have an impact on our lives daily. God is watching when we take the step to share our faith with others. He will bring us through whatever challenges we need to overcome after taking that step. Look at the wonder of who God is. Reach for Him and go forward willing to share your faith.

Take the next step:

Make an impact on stranger’s life. Share your faith.
Finding the right words to share our faith can be hard. God will give you the words.
Use your story to share the message of Christ.

The summer between my 3rd and 4th year of university I worked at Yellowstone National Park. It was a great summer, full of adventures and new experiences.

On a day off, I had signed up for a day long class in rock climbing. I was successfully making my way up the side of a mountain when the instructor surprised me with an unexpected challenge, when he said, “I want you to push yourself off and fall on the rope!” Questioning why he would ask me to do this, I hesitated, and he wisely pointed out that, “You will never be a good rock climber until you can trust that the rope will hold you. Push yourself off and fall on the rope.”

I was afraid.  Obviously, my trust was in my ability to use my hands and feet to scale the mountain.  The rope was a secondary source of security, in case I slipped (which I did not plan to do!). I eventually did let go my hand holds, and I’m here to tell you that the rope held!

There are times when God seems to say the same thing to me as my instructor did that day. “Take the step, release your hands on what you are holding and see that I’m trustworthy.” The writer of the Psalms wrote, “O taste and see that the LORD is good; how blessed is the person who takes refuge in Him!” (Psalm 34:8)

Just as I would never be a good rock climber without experiencing that the rope will hold. The same is true of my spiritual life. I will never be a responsive Christ follower if I am unwilling to let go of whatever I am grasping when God says, “Let go, trust me.”

Are you willing to let go of the things that give you security? We can only experience God’s goodness when we take those, sometimes scary steps that take faith. Do you trust God is able to hold you securely when you let go of the things that provide comfort or security? What step is God asking you to take? Could it be he is asking you to let go of a relationship, finances or a position … A thought that comforts me is God holds the universe together it is likely he can provide all I need to hold life together … Enjoy the adventure!

Question: Do you believe your rope, God, will hold you during tough times?

“Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that he may dwell with Me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve Me” Psalm 101:6, KJV

My mind immediately turns to the faithful minister of the gospel, the Sunday school teacher, the Christian worker as I read this verse of Scripture with its glorious promise.

Christian leaders are, indeed, included in this conditional promise. But many others may have a part as well. When that construction worker, a believer, who hears blasphemy on the job dares to speak up for his Lord, his act shall not go unnoticed and unrewarded.

That man who is scrupulously honest in his business, in the face of countless opportunities to be otherwise and in the face of competition and opposition that would seek to wipe him out, likewise shall have his reward.

That homemaker who cuts no corners, but completes the drudgery of housework, with love and joy and peace, shall rejoice too in that day when the faithful are rewarded.That young person who dares swim upstream against the tide of humanism, the drug culture, the careless, the indifferent, also shall be rewarded.

It is remarkable, too, that God rewards His children for good works which He makes possible by giving the grace and ability to perform them! He gives us grace, then smiles on us because we exercise the very grace that is a gift from Him.

Bible Reading: Psalm 101:1-5

Today’s Action Point: I will do what is right, regardless, and be faithful in every task I am called upon to do.

“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

As we face the day-to-day challenges of life we are told to “trust God” with the uncertainties that worry us.  Trust God with the blind corners and with that next step even when it feels there is nowhere to place your foot. It can sound so trite at times when our minds swim with the “what if” possibilities. When we are in the trenches of financial struggle; relationship anguish; health crisis; joblessness; or any number of seemingly brick walls it can be difficult to know how to actually put feet to trusting God in those moments.

There may be a big issue facing you right now OR simply the small stuff of every day that can become perplexing and confusing. It may be something within yourself that causes you to stumble as you walk.  In whatever it is that concerns your heart and mind today these 3 steps will bring your heart to rest in God and trust Him fully with the outcome.

 R1 -RELEASE – Name the concern, the issue, the source of confusion, the circumstance that is worrying you or the thing within yourself that you know you need to change. Then offer it to God sincerely.  Take it out of your mental backpack and place the weight of it in Jesus’ lap.  See the love in His eyes as He takes your burden from you.

“Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Releasing your worry to God means that you place it entirely with Him. You give up your need to control the outcome and you give it to Jesus to deal with as He sees fit. It doesn’t mean you no longer take any actions, it simply means you leave the outcome for God’s to manage. This is the hardest step. We all have solutions that we feel would be best and we often want God to work things out according to our plan.

Releasing our current concern to Him means we leave the outcome in His hand.

R2- RESIST – The enemy of your soul will come to steal from you.  He wants to rob you of your peace and your confidence in Jesus’ ability to carry your burden for you. When the negative and doubting thoughts come, and they will, resist the desire to play them over in your mind.  Capture them and stand firm on the truth that “the Lord will perfect that which concerns me.” Psalm 138:8

“Resist the devil and He will flee from you…” James 4:7 & 8

Capturing your thoughts means paying attention to what is playing in your mind. When worry begins to take hold recognize it and resist the thought. Declare again that you have cast that worry onto God and you are believing the word of God which says He cares for you and will perfect what concerns you.

R3 – REJOICE – Give God praise for who He is and for His love and faithfulness to you. Thank Him, in all your circumstances, that He is the author and finisher of all things. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Offer your thanksgiving as a sacrifice to Him. Declare it out loud even when your feelings aren’t following. The sacrifice of thanksgiving has great power in the spiritual realm as it honors God and actually paves the way for God to work.

“He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.” Psalm 50:23

“TRUST in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”  Proverbs 3: 5&6

Father God, 

Thank you that You are with me and able to help me trust You with my life. Please help me today to identify what it is that is stealing my joy. Help me to give it completely to You and to release my need to control the outcome. When worry tries to settle in help me to resist letting it take hold in my heart and mind as I set my thoughts on You and Your promise to perfect what concerns me. Help me grow in thanksgiving and offering my thanks to you especially when it is a sacrifice to do so. I trust You today with all my heart. May I not lean on what I think is best but simply look to You to direct my path this day. Thank you that You hear my prayer and know my concerns. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Question: How can you trust God to take away your fears today?

“He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I was complaining to a friend, “For so many years we prayed earnestly for the miracle of my husband’s healing, instead God gave me a growing experience.”

“That’s your miracle,” she said.

It made me think about prayer and how God answers prayer. When we’re focused on answers, we’re apt to get in a huff with God. “Don’t you care?” we rail at God.

But prayer is primarily about relationship, not answers. As we spend time with God, we get to know Him. “Prayer makes your heart bigger until it is capable of containing the gift of God himself,” writes Mother Teresa.

Remember Paul’s thorn in the flesh? Three times he pleaded with the Lord to take it away, but instead, God gave him a growing experience. This seemingly unanswered prayer became an opportunity to trust God and to experience the power of Christ in his life.

I’m reminded of a little story I read recently. Once there was a man who asked God for a flower and a butterfly. But instead God gave him a cactus and a caterpillar. At first the man was upset, but then he decided to trust God anyway. After some time, the man went to check up on his request that he had left forgotten. To his surprise, from the thorny and ugly cactus a beautiful flower had grown. And the unsightly caterpillar had been transformed into the most beautiful butterfly. God always does what is right and good for his children.

Sometimes, God gives an overt miracle: a sick person recovers, we get the exact amount of money we need, a door opens which was tightly closed before. Other times, by withholding the answer, God gives us an opportunity to grow, to mature, to learn new things about His character.

Knowing God is the greatest answer to prayer. “The real miracle is God in us; God working through ordinary works and words,” writes Paul Tournier.

Father, I’ve come into your presence just to be with you. I want to know you at a deeper level. I want to trust you even when my prayers don’t seem to be answered for you always want the best for me. Amen.

Questions: How is God answering your prayers? Why do you suppose God allows a miracle to happen to one but answers differently for another person?

As church pianist I started to play the introduction for the choir during the morning service. After several measures, I glanced at the keyboard and was so startled that I almost missed a beat. There, on middle D, lay a stunned cockroach flailing its legs. Obviously it had run into the path of my flying fingers.

What could I do? Gritting my teeth, I went on, gingerly trying to avoid middle D, but not always able to do so. (The choir number would be in the Key of D!) Finally, halfway through the first verse I was able to flick the now-deceased roach onto the floor. (Well, that’s one way to kill a roach!)

Some problems we may face are not so easily resolved as a cockroach on a keyboard. They might not be brushed off during the first phase of the situation. We may have to live with them longer than the first verse. But I have learned that if I just keep looking to the Lord for grace and trusting Him with a problem, He takes care of it one way or another.

Sometimes as we pray, He shows us ways to make the situation easier, as I did by avoiding the “middle” D while I played. Sometimes He shows us how to deal with the situation, as I did by flicking that roach to the floor during a whole note in the melody. (Thank heavens for piano “hold” foot pedals!)

Then during or after the resolving of the problem, there’s the cleanup.  After church I went to the rest room and washed my hands off using liquid soap. But in dealing with life’s problems, we may often need a more comprehensive spiritual cleanup.

It may be necessary to ask the Lord to forgive us if we have sinned. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  We may discover a need to forgive any who have hurt us. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

And let’s never forget the One Who guided and helped us! Let’s thank and praise Him for His help and deliverance.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever” (Psalms 107:1)

Question: Are there problems you’re facing that you haven’t yet brought to the Lord in prayer?

Are you waiting to hear from God? Our mentors are available to talk and pray with you. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJ)

A few weeks ago I traveled unfamiliar back roads to a workshop I was leading. I plugged my cell phone into the car jack and gave the GPS app the address of my destination.  The sweet, monotone, voice began to speak. Step by step, it told me when and where to turn. It even gave me a warning ahead of time. “In 1000 feet you will turn left onto Main Street.” When I approached, it repeated, “Turn left onto Main Street.” Then it would give me the next direction coming up.

I made it through town, and got to a state highway where farmlands stretched out ahead. The voice said, “In 28 miles turn left onto County Road 234.” Then silence. After almost fifteen minutes of listening to commands, the GPS voice became eerily quiet. It had said all it needed to for the next half hour. To ease the strange feeling of loss, I turned on the radio.

Then it hit me. How often in my life has God been silent?  I have experienced an uneasy feeling then as well. I ask myself, “Why is He no longer speaking to me? What have I done wrong? Is He mad at me? Have I sinned and not confessed it?”

During that period of silence I did the same thing as I did in my car.  I turned to Christian music, the Bible and prayer to keep me going. I needed assurance that my faith was still on track. For me, silence is not so golden.

God’s Word gives me directional guidance, as does the Holy Spirit. Perhaps in times of uncomfortable silence, God, like my little GPS on my phone, has simply said all He needs to say until it is once again time for me to change directions. The silence is a test of faith. Will I continue down the road He has led me, or get frustrated and veer off onto another path to try and find my own way?  Luckily, if I do, like my GPS provides new information to lead me back onto the right roads, God gives me new directions back to Him. I must choose whether to follow or not.

The verse from Proverbs reminds me that we are to trust God and lean not on our own understanding. I trusted that GPS app on my cell phone to keep me on the right roads to my destination. Should I not do the same with God’s Protective Spirit (my spiritual GPS) on this road called life?

Questions – Do you feel God is being silent right now? Do you recall His last directional command?

“Blessed be the Lord, Who bears our burdens and carries us day by day, even the God who is our salvation! Selah!”    (Psalm 68:19, Amplified Bible)

In college, I took a camping class for a semester and one of the requirements for the class was a weekend backpacking trip in Northern Michigan.  We were told that we would do some rafting, as well as climb a tree 100 feet up and then zip line across the river.  Our guide told us that everyone was required to go across the zip line and that if we took too long, he would push us off the branch!

Our guide had brought along his 9 year old son. When it came time for him to climb up the tree he made it about half-way up and then began to have a meltdown.  He refused to budge; he was stuck.

I watched as his father (our rough, tough, “push you off the branch” guide) climbed up the tree to his son.  He talked with him for quite a while before he began to help him climb down to the bottom of the tree step by step.  I remember being quite surprised that he had helped him climb down rather than making him climb up to the top where the zip line was.  I thought, “Wow, this should be interesting to see what he does!

Our guide then proceeded to put his son on his shoulders and carry him across the river.  The river was full from the melted snow and was running at a good clip.  We held our breath as he slipped on the rocks and worked against the current to carry his son across.  What I will never forget was the sight of that boy on his daddy’s shoulders.  All the fear was gone from his face, he was smiling and laughing and waving at us as he rode on his father’s strong shoulders across the river.  He had not a care in the world!

As I watched that beautiful picture of a father’s great love for his son and the son’s complete and unwavering trust in his father, I thought, “God, is that the way you want me to live?  To trust You even though the river is rushing and the water is cold?  Even when my situation seems impossible and the future is daunting, do you want me to trust you like that little boy?  Do you want me climb up on your shoulders and enjoy the ride?!”

Look at how the writer of Galatians describes our relationship with God once we are His:

You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Abba! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.     (Galatians 4:6-7, The Message)

Your Abba Father stands ready and waiting.  Climb up on His shoulders and let Him carry you in whatever “river” you are wading through and most of all enjoy the ride! Because you have nothing to fear when you are on the shoulders of the One who willingly sacrificed His most treasured possession for you!

Questions: Do you trust your Abba Father?  Are you enjoying the journey or are just enduring?  Do you find yourself running away or refusing to budge?  Or are you just barely staying afloat?