Father Knows Best

 

 

Vernell Windsor – Prayer Center Coach, cbn.com

One of my younger siblings tells a childhood story about us that I do not remember. Every day after school, she would pick on me, but I was the one to get in trouble for it. Apparently, a day came when I got “sick of her” and threw her across the room. She claims to have seen stars but did not harass me ever again. Please do not judge us. We were tweenagers trying to find our way. Today, we are the best of friends!

The Bible provides clarity about what God expects from us. Consider Psalm 133:1-3,

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” (ESV)

Unfortunately, my sibling and I did not begin with unity but praise God that He navigated our pathway to it. In our story, the blessing included a great relationship. Imagine our communities and churches joining together in unity! We could all benefit from the “precious oil” upon our heads or “the dew of Hermon” causing fresh springs of mountain water to flow. God would certainly be glorified in our intentional pursuit of unity.

I suspect the enemy tries to keep us divided because he does not want us blessed. The Apostle Paul also identified a dangerous lack of unity in the community of believers concerning Holy Communion. 1 Corinthians 11:18-19 says,

“For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.”

Oh, I forgot to mention, my father made sure my little sister went with me everywhere (torturous, right?). I embraced the directive (eventually) and benefited greatly from doing so. Our father loved us both. As we submitted to his authority, we were truly blessed. His vision for us was greater than anything we could have imagined.

He and his brother used to fight daily too (we found out much later). Our families spent weekends together frequently, so they too, became very close. The genuineness of unity surfaced in our relationships just as Apostle Paul described.

We know our spiritual fathers would not give such granular instructions as biological fathers, but what about Holy Spirit? For my sibling and me, submitting to our father’s voice prepared us to hear and obey the voice of the Lord whom we met later. When we recognize Father’s voice, let us go “all-in” for whatever He has for us! After all, Father knows best!

Why You Need to Hear the Gospel Again

 

By: Sarah E. Martin, Crosswalk.com

 

 

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” – Deuteronomy 11:18-21

I was again hearing the words spoken to me my whole life. From flannel graphs in Sunday school to today’s sermon preached from Genesis 3. I had heard this story before. I was a guest in my friend’s church which met in an old chapel with all the traditional trimmings—pews, hymnals, and the smell of old wood. The pastor preached on the Fall, the fateful turn of humanity’s tale when man’s faith in God shattered, and so did everything else.

Sin entered the world, and what was formerly home and belonging became unreachable and lost. God’s voice was no longer the only one we listened to. As the pastor told this story, he delivered a powerful presentation of the gospel. He made connections within Scripture that drew out a certain angle of the light of the good news that my heart just happened to need to hear that week.

You would think that after all these years, I would cease to be amazed by the Bible’s message and all the ways we can see it from Genesis to Revelation. You’d think that eventually, I would graduate and perfectly embody all of its truth in each corner of my life and wouldn’t need it poured into my ears over and over again. But, reader, I do. And so do you.

Though the stories never change, the essential message that we are broken and Christ is the answer remains the same, and God continually delivers it anew to us as we walk along the way. He’s made us to need his Word like we need food, to come to life as his Spirit helps us hear what we couldn’t before. Every verse of the Bible tells us that to be alive, to be sustained, to remain vital, with fresh life pouring and flowing through us, we need words.

Though I had heard it countless times, I have a tendency, symptomatic of being human, to let even the most sacred truths sit filed away, archived like a thing I’ve collected rather than the living, breathing thing it is, “dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow” (Heb. 4:12). If this happens to the gospel in your life, you will quickly begin to work and strive for what Jesus has already done for you, placing a yoke that isn’t his, and therefore isn’t freedom, back on your sore shoulders.

But hearing the pastor deliver God’s Word afresh both humbled me and lifted me in the way that only Jesus can do. The truth is that mankind failed, and we continue to fail. But God sent his son, Jesus, to become like us and to do the unthinkable by taking on our curse so we might be free. And looking to him in faith is all it takes to be healed. That’s it. I don’t know about you, but I would be crushed if it wasn’t for this good news sustaining every moment for me.

This is the good news we need to hear and receive every day—that we’re sinners, and Christ is our savior. Whether it’s from a pastor, a minister, a family member or a friend, hearing the gospel spoken out loud, taking shape in another person’s words is life-giving to our faith. When was the last time someone spoke these words out loud to you? When was the last time you spoke them out loud to someone else? Or even to yourself?

When the enemy tempted Jesus with his twisted words, challenging him to use his power to satisfy his hunger, Jesus responded,

“It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matt. 4:4)

It is easy to forget the power of words. In the daily onslaught of messaging and information, words can gradually become common, misused, and drained of their worth. But Christians can’t forget our need for the words that come from the mouth of God.

In the beginning, God spoke, and a cosmos of life and light and earth and stars erupted out of nothing, spread across all existing space, and continues to expand to this day. The words of God began life in the most literal as well as spiritual sense. It shouldn’t surprise us then that it is the Word of God that sustains the life in us. When we believe in Christ, God puts a new spirit in us that is living, active, and sustained by God himself. His words and our abiding in them is what feeds that life.

Jesus Is The Master Builder of Our Lives

 

 

Rich Miller – Manager, CBN Prayer Center Digital Interactions

Good news: God doesn’t need our help! He is perfectly capable of accomplishing every good thing without us. In fact, He already has. His cry on the cross of “It is finished” is proof. After all, His works were finished before the foundation of the world. (Hebrews 4:3)

However, He does require our obedience. Certain things will not manifest on the earth without us cooperating with the Holy Spirit. Yet, human tendency is to learn what He wants us to do and then try to fulfill it in our own strength and understanding.

God’s promises are Yes and Amen through Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20), but we must be led by His Spirit in how He chooses to bring them to pass.

Consider King David and his son Solomon. While David wrote many of the Psalms, Psalm 127 was written by Solomon. He witnessed firsthand as David wanted to be the one to build the temple in Jerusalem for the Lord. However, God spoke to David that Solomon was the one He had chosen to build it. (1 Kings 8:17-19) David accepted God’s choice and spent years laying out plans and collecting the resources to make it easier for Solomon. It would have been foolish for David to disobey and spend countless hours having a temple built. God didn’t need David’s help in building a temple for Him. David and Solomon had to follow God’s orders for the Lord to make it the place of His dwelling.

King Solomon rightly decreed in Psalm 127:1-2 (NIV):

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Am I the only one who has ever tried to build things that the Lord wasn’t blessing? Or try to carry out His plans in my own strength? There’s a better way, and that is abiding in Him. When we labor outside of His grace, we’re unconsciously saying that we can do a better job building our lives than He can. There’s a reason Jesus was a carpenter while He was on the earth!

May you be renewed today in the knowledge that God is carrying out to completion the work that He has begun in you. (Philippians 1:6) As His son or daughter, you are very precious to Him and He is the Master Builder. He requires our obedience, but He doesn’t need our help!

No Coincidence

 

 

 

 

Esteban Castro, CBN.com

 

It was 2:00 in the afternoon. I had an hour until the Vive+ television program began, and I had the privilege of answering ministry calls from people who wanted to know more about Jesus. I tried to start the car and I tried again with the same result. I called for a tow truck. It was now 3:00 and the program had already started. I was worried that I wouldn’t be there to answer the calls together with the rest of my colleagues from the Mexico office.

Finally, the truck arrived. The driver said that I had to ride with him in the cab. At that moment, I noticed that he had a statuette of “Santa Muerte”—the cult symbol of death on the control panel of the vehicle. In Mexico, this type of cultic practice is, sadly, common.

At that moment, I understood that God had a purpose for this incident. I prayed for wisdom to present His Word and a conversation began. At first, it was very tense as I asked him if he was a follower of the cult of death. He said yes. I wanted to know how he was doing.

He told me his story, about his job a few years back, how he got trapped in the drugs he used, how he lost his wife and two daughters because of his addiction, and that he had found the statue while he was digging up rubbish in the cellar where an uncle allowed him to sleep. He was grateful that he had overcome addiction and had his family back. I was silent for a long time and paid attention to every detail. I felt a genuine interest in the man. His eyes filled with light when he talked about his two daughters. It was something I could identify with. He attributed everything to the statue of Santa Muerte, but he also knew that the image had no more power than what he gave it.

“If you have faith in this bottle of water, good things will happen because you have faith in it,” he explained, very sure of himself. That afternoon, the traffic was particularly heavy for a Saturday. It gave us time to talk. Listening to him, I thought his reaction was very human. How many times have we missed the opportunity to see God or recognize Him because we are looking for our own explanations? We can miss the blessing by focusing on the reasoning that sounds appealing, but actually draws attention away from God and onto our own desires (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-18).

But this was not the time for reproaches or controversy. I prayed to God to give me love and the Word that He wanted to share with him. At that moment, the Lord brought Romans 10:17 to my mind, where it says

… faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ (NIV).

With that reminder, it was my turn to speak.

I explained that, in reality, God had been with him and had reached out to him at just the right time, by His grace. I told him that I was sure of that because the Bible explains it clearly:

Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 124:8).

We cannot let anything rob God of His glory. Later, I asked him about his relationship with his father and he told me that it was very bad.

“But to those who received him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to be children of God,” (John 1:12) was my response. I told him that God loved him in a way that was immeasurably greater than the love he had for his daughters and that He had given His only begotten Son for him, that Jesus’ blood was shed to pay for sin.

That day, he kindly declined my invitation to receive Jesus into his heart but promised to read the book of Luke that very afternoon. With a new battery, my car started. I asked God that the heart of that man would have a restart while reading His Word.

Later that day, reflecting on this experience, I realized something that I want to emphasize. There are two ways to live life; one is to see the hand of God in everything, and the other is to overlook it and attribute its blessings to other things such as circumstances, luck or chance. When we relinquish control of our lives to Jesus, we can expect Him to always have a purpose for every detail—even a car with a dead battery.

 

Where Does My Help Come From?

 

Emily Barton – Superbook Assistant/CBN Europe, cbn.com

Psalm 121 is a well-known chapter in the Bible. From songs and hymns to conversations in church, it is a psalm that rings familiar for many of us.

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth (Psalms 121:1-2 ESV).

It is a truth that we can perhaps recite word for word, but what happens when we really do need help?

I have been a Christian since the age of 11 and, in that time, I have had it relatively easy. That was, until last September. On the day of my brother’s wedding, I had a nervous breakdown (talk about timing!) I had always been known as the bright and bubbly member of the family, always cheery and taking everything in my stride, but on that day, it was like everything went dark. I had been relying on myself and leaning completely on what I understood of the world. I was in a happy relationship, had recently moved to my favorite city and my brother was getting married! I could not understand why I was in hysterics, going from severe panic attacks to trying to shake off suicidal thoughts. And then, that lightbulb moment came.

“I need help,” I finally said to my mother, who had been trying to calm me down. I had realized that up until this point, I knew that God could help me, but I did not think I needed Him to. I thought I could do it alone, that I could work out any issues by myself. Evidently, that was not true.

I confessed that I needed help to my family, and then I took myself to Jesus, repented of my desire to control my life, and laid everything before the Lord and said, “I cannot do this alone.” Since then, it has not been perfect; in fact, some days are still very dark, but I come back to Jesus, I ask Him to step in, and He does so perfectly, every single time.

My challenge to you today is this:
You may know that your help comes from the Lord, you may know that He will keep you from all harm, however, are you willing to let Him do so? Submit yourself to Christ again, confess that His way of helping is greater than yours, and then leave room for Him to move.

Pray this prayer with me:
God, I repent for the times that I have chosen my ways instead of Yours. I thank You that You are my ever-present help in times of trouble. Today, help me to choose You, and lean not on my own understanding. In Jesus’ name, amen.

A God Who Is Willing

 

By Lynette Kittle, Crosswalk.com

“Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him’” – Luke 5:13

Like me, you’ve probably known or know someone praying for God to heal them who is still sick, or worse yet, someone who many prayed to be healed but instead passed away. Scripture is very clear God is willing to heal. So how do we explain when people continue to suffer or even die? We don’t. Instead, we keep our eyes on the truth that God’s will is to heal, and just because we sometimes don’t see it happen doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

Although a heartbreaking experience when someone isn’t healed or passes away, God reminds us, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than Your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). It becomes an opportunity where even though we don’t understand or can’t explain why, we choose to say, “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’”(Psalm 31:14).

How We Know God Is Willing
God tells us over and over in Scripture of His willingness and desire to heal us.

• Psalm 147:3 affirms, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
• As well, Psalm 103:3 explains He is a God, “Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.”
• Likewise, Psalm 107:20 describes how, “He sent out His word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave.”

The Willingness of Jesus
Not one time in the Bible do we read where Jesus was unwilling to heal those who came to Him, and we know God the Father is willing to heal, too, because Hebrews 1:3 explains, that Jesus is the exact representation of God. As well, Jesus often healed whole crowds of people. “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

Because He healed entire crowds of people, we can be pretty safe in believing He healed people who didn’t have great faith to be healed, and individuals who hadn’t confessed all their sin, even some who were probably living in sin, and even those who had brought on their own sickness through their actions or lifestyles. All the reasons Christians often offer people as reasons why some people aren’t healed or die. But healing isn’t dependent on our efforts or condition, “For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11).

Rather, it is dependent on the One who freely heals and delivers. Again. Matthew 4:24 describes how “News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and He healed them.”

God Is Willing to Save and Heal
Still, often some of the same individuals who believe Jesus saves don’t believe He heals. Yet how many millions of people pass away without knowing God? Does that mean God doesn’t save? Of course not! Although many men and women are passing away not knowing God, it’s not God’s will.

His will for a dying world is summed up in 1 Timothy 2:4; He is a God, “Who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

Like it is written in His word, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

So why do people doubt God’s desire to heal? Because they are focusing on not seeing it happen around them rather than on the truth that just like God saves, He also heals.

As Jeremiah 17:14 explains, “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the One I praise.”

Do Not Be Anxious About Anything

 

 SCRIPTURE READING — PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7

Evan Heerema, Author, Todays Devotions

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

—  Philippians 4:6

Life gives us opportunities to enjoy calm and peacefulness. Life also gives us opportunities to be anxious.

We can grow anxious when sickness comes—especially when sickness might lead to death. We can also feel anxious when we run out of money for food or for our monthly bills. Relationships can create times of anxiety when tempers flare and anger burns. I remember a dark, cold, windy night when I had to walk along a lightless street to get home. I was frightened by all kinds of shifting shadows. I raced down the middle of that street as fast as I could till I was safely home.

What do you become anxious about? I heard a good sermon recently about a correlation between anxiety and prayer. When we are anxious, we can turn to the One who is aware of all our circumstances and who will meet us in our times of anxiety. To him we pray, thanking him for who he is and telling him our anxieties. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

Being still gives us time to discern God and his love. I repeat the word “Father” over and over until I am at peace with God my Father. Then anxiety has its rightful place; it is in his hands, not mine. The peace of God awaits those whose hearts are set on God.

Waiting Patiently

 

 

Sergio Bueno – Prayer Center Coach, CBN Mexico

There’s a line from an old song that says, “The waiting is the hardest part.” I’ll be married by December, and it’s totally true: waiting for my wedding day is the hardest part now. I’ve hoped for true love since the age of 12. And after multiple failed relationships, you feel like giving up. And this is not only in our relationships, but in every wish and desire.

When our wishes are not aligned with God’s will, we will be disappointed. I chose to learn this the hard way. And now, counting the days, I remember that about 5 years ago I surrendered my every wish to the Lord. I promised to leave all things to Him, and that I would hear His opinion and word before making a decision. And I have to confess, things did not always go as I would have wished.

When there was an opportunity for me to have something that I desired with all my being, I would bring it up in prayer to the Lord. He knew perfectly well what I wanted and wished, but He closed the door. And it hurt every time. But now, years after all of this happened, I couldn’t be happier with what the Lord has done in my life. As Psalm 116:8 says:

For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling (ESV).

If I had done things my way, I’m pretty sure I would have suffered a lot of pain and sadness, as it’s only in my Lord’s perfect will that I can find joy and peace.

But I had to believe that the Lord would work all things in His time as He had promised. What I have learned after all these years is that my obedience glorifies the Lord, and He will open up the doors.

The precious woman I’m about to marry, I can assure you, is more than I could have asked or wished for. And there were many doubts at first, and we have come a long way. And in my own strength, I’m sure I would have given up already. But I trusted the Lord, and now I have found my reward. Not by my strength, but by what the Lord has done and my obedience to Him, even when it hurt.

So, if you feel like you are losing the battle, if you feel like giving up, talk to our heavenly Father. He has promised to make all things right. And after all the waiting, we will sing:

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live (Psalm 116:1-2).

Always Rejoicing in Him

 

 

Robyn Hattingh – Communications Manager – CBN South Africa

How do we, despite what may be going on in our lives and our communities, adopt an attitude of rejoicing in Him, regardless of circumstance?

Simply put, these past few years haven’t been great for everyone. The pandemic raging across the globe has caused loss of life, loss of livelihoods, and the devastation of economies. The Ukraine-Russia war is causing rising prices worldwide. Countries are going through their own political turmoil. And on top of all of that, we each have personal situations that aren’t always easy.

In South Africa, the pandemic caused unemployment rates to rise rapidly (Trading Economics, 2022). In a country already battling with crime and poverty, more unemployment is something we really don’t need. The evidence of it is everywhere. In the suburb of Cape Town where I live, homelessness increased at an alarming rate with people setting up tents and other temporary structures on the sides of the road, in parks and in storm water pipes.

I’ve realized how easy it is to harden your heart towards them, it becomes so normal to see and dismiss, and starts infringing on your safety as crime increases as the economy declines. Thankfully, I’m a part of a church and team (CBN) that has a huge heart for people. From social justice teams at church that support organizations in the area—and organize regular outreaches in the community—to humanitarian efforts aimed at restoring dignity.

The amazing thing about being surrounded by a community with a heart for the impoverished and lost is that you get to interact with people you wouldn’t have on your own accord. Through these interactions, it’s humbling to hear their hearts of gratitude towards God. Each sandwich they receive, each blanket that gets them through the cold winter, and every kind word spoken to them… they thank God for it despite their obviously forlorn situation.

It often makes me ask myself, how do I respond to God? Do I find myself moaning and complaining more than rejoicing in thanksgiving? Am I lost in anxiety over finances despite all that I have? Do I reject those who are different from me even though God tells me to love them?

My husband and I take our dog on daily walks after work. I love this time together because our energetic dog needs exercise and we need sanity, and my husband and I get to catch up on our days and connect without distractions. More and more we found ourselves complaining about things we should actually be grateful for. We made the conscientious decision to stop ourselves and each other from complaining, and chat about things from a place of gratitude and hope. This way of talking to each other has fed into how we view what we have and the way in which we pray. We’re a lot more grateful to God for His provision, grace and goodness and we find it easier to rejoice in Him, worship at church, and view strangers with softened hearts.

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:10 NIV)

As we consider the condition of our hearts and look at those around us, let’s ask God to work in is and through us, that we may adopt an attitude and lifestyle of rejoicing regardless of circumstances. Then we will be encouraged and will encourage those around us.

Have You Grown As A Believer?

 

 

Brenda Williams – Partner Care Specialist, cbn.com

My pastor often suggests that we take a look at our lives as believers to see how much we have grown in the Lord, or if have we grown at all? Have our lives changed much since coming to know Jesus as our Lord and Savior?

As I recalled the last 20 years, most of the time I seriously pursued the Lord with all my heart and I saw significant growth and change. My prayers were being answered, His joy and indescribable peace was in me. This doesn’t mean that everything was rosy, in fact there were some difficult times, but I knew the Lord was there and that He would help me. Yet, there were also times when for some reason or another, I let “little foxes” creep in (see Song of Songs 2:15) and I wasn’t pursuing the Lord with the same diligence as before. When there were difficulties, I felt uncertain, my faith wavered, my emotions were unsettled, and I wondered, “God, where are You? Don’t You see I need help here?”

Then I read in 1 Corinthians 5:6-7,

A little leaven leavens the whole lump [of dough] (NKJV).

In the Old Testament, leaven was yeast—the raising agent in bread dough. Christ is our daily bread; He is sufficient to meet the needs of our heart—no additives. I knew that due to disobedience, lack of diligence in the Word and prayer, I had let leaven in. Leaven in our lives can be many things: distractions, conversations, what our eyes see or ears hear, relationships or unbalanced priorities, or anything displeasing to Him. They all make an impact on our life and our relationship with Christ, which is the most important relationship we will ever have.

In our journey to Christian maturity, we are always discovering the ways of our amazing God and His will for our lives. His ways and His will are often entirely different than our own but we know His way is always the very best way! I praise God that at any moment we can change our focus, repent of the leaven, and pursue the One who loves us most. His plan for us is far better than anything we could plan for ourselves. By turning again to Him, our peace and faith are restored, our conscience is clear, and we have strong confidence in knowing He is here. He is the One who keeps us growing.

God Is Our Strength

 

 

Maria Stockman – Digital Copywriter, cbn.com

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel like things are piling up on top of you, one after another? As one issue resolves, another one comes. Or maybe nothing is fixed, and you feel like problems are crashing down on you like waves to the shore.

In times like these, I’ve heard many say the common phrase, “God only gives you what you can handle.” And hearing this makes me want to scream. This is so far from the truth we read in the Bible.

Scripture is clear that God wants us to lean on Him because we are not strong. We always fall short when we try to do things through our own strength. Paul says,

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

My friend Judy has colon cancer and has been actively fighting it for years. I love getting updates after her doctor’s appointments because no matter the news or next steps, she always says, “Praise Jesus! He’s carrying me through this!” Judy understands that while not every scenario resolves quickly or every illness is instantly healed, she can put her trust in Jesus to carry her through. She never depends on her own strength but always on His.

In our weakness, when we lean on Jesus for our help, we glorify Him.

If we could walk through trials and troubles and overcome them through our own strength, then why would we need Jesus? However, the Gospel is clear that we cannot do things alone and need Jesus to be our strength. I love that He always goes before us, and we can always rely on Him!

In Psalm 107, the psalmist writes over and over how God’s people were in danger or trouble, cried out for God’s help, and He delivered them. He urges the reader to give praise and thanksgiving to God:

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever (Psalm 107:1 NLT).

Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them (Psalm 107:8).

God’s Encouragement for Changing Times

 

 

Gordon Robertson – President and CEO, CBN,, Author Biography

As I sought the Lord recently, I received some words of encouragement that I want to share with you today.

Focus on new doors. Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:8,

“See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.”

Our world is changing rapidly, so it can be tempting to stay with the familiar. Yet when new doors open, we should ask Him to show us which ones to enter and what steps to take. God can see the end from the beginning, and He knows what He is doing.

We will see the hand of God and the finger of God. We should reach up to God like little children, knowing there is no safer place to be than with Daddy. His hand will support us and protect us.

Romans 8:38-39 promises:

Neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God…

We will also see God’s finger at work. Exodus 31:18 says the Ten Commandments were written by God’s finger, and Luke 11:20 tells us Jesus used it to cast out demons. We have seen many miracles in the past, and we should look for more demonstrations of God’s power in the future. It will be undeniable when He moves.

Expect God to act. We must not look at our circumstances or rely on what our senses tell us. No matter what we are facing, we should trust God to move. He has promised, and He will uphold His Word.

Go forth into new things. Let’s obey when God calls, even if we are stretched. All we have to do is take those first steps. He is our provider, and He will send the resources. If the Dow drops, that is not our God. Our God is greater, more powerful, and able to do exceedingly above all we could ask.

Colossians 1:9-12 says,

Ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

We have the great privilege of preaching His glorious Gospel and laying up treasure in heaven. So as He calls, let’s respond with joy, “Here we are, Lord; send us!” God bless you.

God’s Unimaginable Plans for Those Who Love Him

 

 

Beth Patch – Senior Internet Editor & Producer, cbn

My grandmother’s youngest sister, Vinnie Mae, lay awake in her bed. At 87-years-old, her once busy life of leading the choir, running an interior design business with her husband, and teaching high school had progressed into a slow decline of health and awareness from Alzheimer’s disease. She was the last living member of the Davis children, originally represented by seven girls and one boy, all born in the early 1900s.

When my sister and I were pre-teens, Aunt Vinnie insisted we sing in the choir at the small church where my grandmother’s family worshipped. I wonder if she knew how often the two of us carried on sign language conversations in the choir row behind her while the pastor preached. If so, she never said anything to us. She wanted us in church, learning about and singing for Jesus; even if it meant putting up with our shenanigans.

Visiting Aunt Vinnie brought mixed emotions for me. I was always glad to see her but it was sad to see her lying in the twin-size hospital bed, being spoon-fed by a stranger. Her home was no longer her own, now decorated and tended to by a kind woman, formerly unknown to any of our family.

So, on this particularly stormy and cold day, I thought of something positive to say to Aunt Vinnie on my visit. “I’m glad you didn’t have to go out in this weather today, Aunt Vinnie. It’s awful out there.”

“Oh, but I did go out!” she beamed. “Tommy and I went to Norfolk Wholesale Florist and the furniture store.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I said, “That’s great. I’m so glad you two got to have a nice day together.”

Now, I was quite aware that she had laid there under her covers all day and Tommy had been with the Lord well over a decade. Early on in her disease, I would have given in to the urge to help her remember what actually went on. But, not now. I realized at that moment that the Lord had blessed her mind with a totally better day than her body had experienced.

It reminded me of the scripture:

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9, NLT

Helen Keller is quoted as having said, “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.”

I had been looking at the closed door – the once vibrant and take-charge woman who I admired, now totally dependent on others. And that afternoon, God gave me a glimpse of the door He had opened for her. I no longer looked at her situation the same. By the thoughts God had allowed in her mind, He had given her a more precious day than her reality would have allowed.

When I think of the vastness of God’s abilities to have much greater things going on than we can imagine, I just want to praise Him! He does this all the time for those who love Him. Why should we waste our emotions with worry and sadness? God’s got something going on in the background; what we see is always cloaked by our mortal limitations.

Any time the memory of the truths revealed to me during my special visit with my great-aunt cross my mind, I just want to sing, “My God, How Great Thou Art!”