February 6 2018 – Click here to listen
I spoke to a recovering meth addict at a church service the other day and she’d only been drug free for a year. She was deathly afraid she would return to the drug and that it was only a matter of time when something would set her off and she would end right back where she started.
I told her that she could avoid it through faith and that according to the Bible faith comes from hearing the word of God, (the Bible). I told her she needed to put on the full armor of God; she should pray throughout the day and night and especially when the cravings came to her; she should study her Bible daily; and attend a good church that will accept her like Jesus would and have fellowship with other Christians. I said that it was true that Satan wants to destroy her, but Jesus wants to save her and will continue to do so if she believes and thus will enable Him to help her.
God is doing a wonderful thing in her life. When looking at it to date, not many wonderful things have ever happened to her. In fact, she has been abused and has had a tough time of things. She is on the right track, but faltering in her faith that God will see her through the rest of the storm. She needs to understand that God has a plan for her life and it is a good one. He will not go this far with her and then drop her like a hot rock. God has this, and she needs to trust him.
Alas it is easier to say than do, eh? Have you ever wanted God to do something wonderful in your life and yet you disbelieved? Zacharias was the father of John the Baptist. He and his wife wanted children but could not conceive and had grown old. The powerful angel Gabriel came to Zacharias and told him his wife would conceive a child and he was to name him John.
Zacharias scoffed at the angel and said it was impossible because he had grown too old to have children as had his wife. Because of his disbelief he was stricken with silence, unable to speak until the child was born. True to the angel’s prophecy shortly after John the Baptist was born he was able to speak once again.
So why would God include this information in His Bible? I believe He wanted to demonstrate that nothing is impossible when God is involved, and we are not to question His revelations to us and have faith that He will deliver. Failure to believe in Him has its consequences.
So, you might say, well Gabriel has never appeared to me, but I would counter that. Gabriel and a host of other angels and prophets have all appeared to you, provided you have read and studied the Bible. God has said that all things work out for the good of those who love Him. We should believe this.
I’ve been trying to sell some beautiful property that I own for quite some time now. I have good kingdom related plans for a large portion of the money, but no buyers have made a move. With the passing of such a long period of time, it becomes easy to become discouraged, and difficult to relax and know that God has this. I know that He has heard my constant daily/nightly requests that He would inspire a buyer to purchase it, but nothing. Should I give up or keep trusting?
Duhhh . . .
Some of you might like to see me struck with silence for my lack of faith like old Zacharias, but I assure you that admittedly I’m impatient, but I haven’t lost faith. So, don’t get your hopes up that I’ll shut up. I will do all I can personally do to assist with the process and know and have faith that God has heard my plea and will, (at a time of His choosing), bless me with the sale of this property.
Keep the faith my friends – All things are possible with God. I guess we should just shut up and listen and keep the faith . . .
Matt. 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”