Heap Of Trouble

Given December 22, 2007
Jesus said in John 16:33, "In this world, you will have trouble", and we can all agree this is true. We all have trouble of different kinds and magnitudes. I heard something the other day that made me think of troubles in a different way.

What if....a decree went out in your community to create a Heap of Troubles. This would be a voluntary thing and anyone who wanted to participate could bring their troubles to a pre-determined location and pile them up. This would go on for one week and, at the end of the week, all the troubles heaped up there would be divided into equal parts according to the number of people who had participated. These equal-sized troubles would then be re-distributed to all those involved. What do you think? Would you participate?

I can see a man with an armful of "troubles" coming up to the heap. As he begins to toss his problems onto the pile, another guy backs his pickup truck loaded with his troubles up to the pile. The first guy thinks, "Well, maybe my troubles aren't so bad after all." Do you get the point?

Many times, we think we have troubles and problems until we see someone else's. Then ours don't seem so bad. But, you know, God DOES have a program like this. He DOES want us to bring our troubles to Him and leave them there. But the good news is that they won't get re-distributed back to us. God will take care of them all! "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7". Now, notice that, "due time" part. Most of the time, we'll still have to deal with the results of our bad decisions but God will be right there with us to take us through. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for Thou art with me. Psalms 23:4".

Do you have any troubles? Toss them onto God's heap then let Him direct your paths, Proverbs 3:5-6.

"I've Already Done It"

Given August 1, 2007
During my prayer time this morning, God reminded me of something that is probably obvious but I needed to be reminded of it again. As I was going down my prayer list of needs, I asked God to bless the people and thus, the church financially. He said, "I already have." I had to say, "Oh yeah, you have haven't you."

Then I looked back over my prayer list and realized that many of the other things on there He had already made provision for. The problem is we hadn't received them yet. As far as financial blessing goes, God says, "Give and it shall be given unto you...Luke 6:38". The key is for us to be cheerful and extravagant givers. If we do that, God's plan, which is already in place, will work!

And, it's the same with many other needs or requests we have; salvation for loved ones, healing, wisdom, etc.. God has already done His part and, if we want results, we have to do our part. "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:11". That's good news!

So, God reminded me today and I pass it on to you. He's already done His part, let's do ours and see His purposes fulfilled in the earth.

Truth or Fact?

Given January 13, 2007
We've all heard the expression, "Tell it like it is", and that's supposed to be a good thing. Tell the truth, don't sugar-coat it, be honest. Well, let's look at what is truth and what is fact.

Christians believe, or we should believe, that the Words of God are absolute truth. Right? However, in this world, there are certain facts that are evident. I'll use sickness as an example. It is a fact that there could be cancer cells in your body. The medical tests, PET scans, etc. would show this. But, the Word of God says, "and with His stripes we are healed, Isaiah 53:5", which is truth. So, what's real, the facts or the truth?

I submit to you that the Bible is the ultimate truth and our words can change the facts. "Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, I have believed, and therefore have I spoken. We too believe, and therefore we speak, 2 Corinthians 4:13, Amplified Version". I've heard testimonies galore and have experienced it in my own body that our words, based on our faith, can change the facts. If we believe God's Word is true, we must speak it without doubt or fear and see it come to pass.

Moses told Pharaoh, "Be it according to thy word...Exodus 8:10" when Pharaoh said get rid of the frogs tomorrow. Abraham practiced this when he did as God did and, "...spoke those things that were not as though they were, Romans 4:17". We can do it too. You can have what you say, so don't keep saying what you have. Think about it.

Truth or fact? Find out what God's Word says about your situation and speak His words over it. You can change fact by speaking the truth! Tell it like God says it is and don't give up!

Prayer Reminder

Given June 2, 2007
There is a friend who goes to my church who has been through, and continues to go through, a very rough time medically. He has several medical problems and we have been praying for him a lot. God is at work in his life, we know that. "for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 3:5".

This friend drives a yellow car and every time I see a yellow car, I think of him. The Holy Spirit quickened me that I should pray for him whenever I see a yellow car. So I do; probably 10-15 times a day, when I see a yellow car. It's just a short prayer but there are a lot of yellow cars.

The revelation is that this can work for anyone or anything we need to pray for. In your mind, think of someone or some situation you need to pray for and assign a visual or other reminder to it. A lost loved one - when you see a red roof, a situation you need favor in - when you see a medicine commercial on TV, someone who needs healing - when you send an email. Your daily routine dictates what you see often and you do want to pray often. "Being glad in hope, quiet in trouble, at all times given to prayer. Hebrews 2:12". There's a yellow car, "Freddy, be healed in Jesus name!"

His Stripes

Given May 11, 2007
Jesus suffered extraordinary pain, injury, humiliation, and sickness for us. "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. Matthew 8:17." All the sickesses and injuries we have today, Jesus took on Himself. He took them on and into His body so we wouldn't have to. Isn't it the same as Him taking our sin on His body that we could live free of sin? I think it is.

When we have a headache, we can think of the thorns stabbing Him in His scalp. When we have skin problems or back pain, we can think of the whipping Jesus took on His back. He was stabbed in the side, punched, kicked, had internal injuries, trouble breathing on the cross, He got really weak, and had unimaginable pain. Anything we have or feel in our bodies, Jesus paid the price for it.

Isaiah and Peter both said it: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5", and "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 peter 2:24". We were and we are!