Destined To Be A Diamond!

Having been engaged a number of times, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor was asked whether a lady should give back the ring. Her answer? "Of course, darling, but first, you take out the diamonds." While this is a bit humorous, the message rings true-diamonds are valuable!! Not only are they valuable, they are beautiful. One would be hard pressed to find a naturally occurring substance that is comparable in beauty to a diamond. However, the diamond's beginning is a far cry from the sparkling beauty of a stone we see in the end. Indeed, it is hard to believe that something as ugly as coal can be transformed into something as magnificent as a diamond. Even though this is possible, understand that it is not an easy or quick process. It is believed that coal has to be exposed to a temperature above 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit and pressure almost 50 times greater than that of the earth's surface, and it has to constantly be exposed to these conditions over a very, very, long period of time. Without these 3 conditions-pressure, heat and time, it would never transform into a diamond.

Every piece of coal does not become a diamond. Only the ones that stand up under pressure and heat over time are formed into this valuable stone. Ladies, we need to be diamonds! We need to reflect the light of the Spirit of God to a dark, dark world!

I like what James 1:2-4 says about the pressures of life: Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. 3 You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 4 So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. MSG

James says we should consider it a gift when we encounter challenges in life so that we are not lacking anything!

Sometimes we may tend to focus too much on the failures in our lives, finding it difficult to move beyond them. Or we look at our circumstances, how we were raised, or our past. No matter what circumstances we may find ourselves in, God can and does use those to transform us, if we will but let Him. In order to be exactly what God calls us to be, we must stand up under the pressures of life and come out on the other side as a diamond. I believe that God looks at each one of us and sees great potential, just like that ole chunk of coal! He sees what we are and what we are destined to become-a valuable, beautiful diamond!

I am reminded of a woman mentioned in Hebrews 11:31 named Rahab - By faith-because she believed God and his power-Rahab the harlot did not die with all the others in her city when they refused to obey God, for she gave a friendly welcome to the spies.

Rahab was a prostitute. There was probably no other less likely person than Rahab for God to use, yet He chose her to help the children of Israel! Think about all of the negative labels put on Rahab because of her past - prostitute, worthless, broken, and used, just to name a few. Not only did God choose her to help His people, He chose her to be in the lineage of King David on down to Jesus, and she wasn't even an Israelite! Talk about a transformation! She was able to move beyond her past, beyond the labels others put on her to become a heroine and directly in the lineage of royalty! God saw in her the great potential to become that glittering diamond.

What negative labels or past may be holding you back from becoming the beautiful diamond God has called you to be? How about critical person, a doormat, insecure, promiscuous, addict, manipulative, or average? You may be thinking, "Can God still use me, even with my past?" God says a resounding, "YES!" Or maybe your past isn't filled with those things, but you think to yourself, "I am so inadequate. God couldn't use me. I don't have enough education or enough opportunities or enough..." Just fill in the blank, you get the picture.

The story of Rahab should give all of us hope. Think of the major challenges she had to face. Yet she risked her own life to help God's people, stood up under pressure, and believed in God and his power. My, how it paid off big for her! And it will pay off for all of us who, like Rahab, will dare to believe in the God of power and the Master of transformation. Acts 10:34 makes it plain, "...It's God's own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites!" When it comes to God, He has no favorites. God could care less where we come from or our past, He just wants to know that we believe His word and in His power.

When we are tempted to want a life free from difficulties, let us remember that diamonds are formed under pressure. But how do we stand up under pressure? Simple-we just never, ever give up. I have 5 boys and they all love to play baseball. I have enjoyed watching them play more baseball games than I care to count. If I've learned one thing about baseball, it is this, that when you swing the bat 3 times without hitting the ball, then you are out!  I'm so thankful that life ISN'T like baseball. Keep swinging the bat until you hit that ball, no matter how many swings it takes. God doesn't say, "You're out!" after 3 swings. And He is the only one that really matters! Ephesians 6:13 states, "...and, having done all, to stand." Put on the full armor of God, fight the good fight of faith, just keep standing and never, never give up and you will win! Look at challenges and pressures of life as a priceless gift and as wonderful opportunities to grow you and transform you into the precious and valuable diamond that you are! It's your destiny! This poem by Anne Linington sums it up well:

Diamond in the dark 
Formed by fire
Come to light
Cut and polished
Sparkling brightly
Multifaceted
Viewed against the darkness which gave it birth
Radiates the light supplying worth
And shines for all to see
Shines for all eternity

Because of Him,
Kim

Read more >>

What If?

My Beautiful Daughter Ethecie - 12 years old

The beautiful girl in the picture hiding behind the yellow balloon is my oldest daughter, Ethecie. (She would want you to know it is pronounced Etessee, without the "h.") She is 12 years old and joined our family from her home country of Haiti when she was 9. A conversation with her recently made me think of how the disciples must have felt during this time we celebrate as Easter weekend.

She heard my husband and I discussing a person who had passed away due to cancer. A few minutes later she came to me and said, "Mommy, what if you got cancer? What would you do?" Sometimes Ethecie surprises me with "What If" questions. Although she is living a wonderful life here with us now, she has already known a great deal of heartache and sorrow in her young life. I think her life now is still somewhat surreal to her, and so as she is learning to walk by faith these questions will come to her. What if mom and dad don't stay together - what if they get a divorce? What if I don't know what God wants me to do with my life? What if I marry the wrong person? And as each question comes up, we talk about what the Bible says and learn a little more about having faith in God's Word. When she asked me this question, it was not a difficult thing to answer. I was incredibly blessed to grow up in a culture of faith and healing that planted the healing Word deep into my heart. So immediately up out of my heart came faith - "I'd pray and stop it. I would use the Word to make it leave my body and I would be healed!" A glance at the smile on her face told me that was all she needed to hear. She said, "Okay" and went about her day in peace.

I can imagine the disciples on Saturday, fighting What If? thoughts and emotions. What if He doesn't rise again? What if the soldiers come for us next? What if these last 3 years were just a supernatural season that's over now? What if we never see Jesus again - what will we do?

It would be easy to read the Bible and feel tempted to almost look down on the disciples for their lack of faith at times, but if we are honest, we have all had those What If moments. The key is in realizing that it's not the question that determines the outcome - but rather how you answer it! Ethecie was willing to take my answer of faith in the Word and believe it. In Matthew 10 and Luke 18 there are accounts when Jesus told the disciples that the only way to enter the Kingdom of God is to receive it as a child would.

My girls take my word for things. They know that mommy is very careful not to make promises she can't keep, and because of that they trust my word. Even though I'm not perfect at it and there are sometimes changes in plans, my track record of keeping my word to them assures them that when I tell them something, they can count on it. That's why Ethecie walked away without care or concern after our conversation. She knows my heart and my faith in the Word of God, so she trusted my words to her.

If we can learn to trust the word of someone here on earth, how much more can and should we trust the infallible Word of our Father God! 2 Corinthians 1:20 tells us that all of the promises of God are Yes and Amen! When a What If question comes to your mind, that is the moment you need to lean and rest fully on the promises of God. Even if it is just a thought in your mind, never let a question that raises doubt go unanswered! Use the powerful, two-edged sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to cut doubt and unbelief into pieces and win every time.

I am so thankful that just as Jesus promised, on that third day He rose again! The promise He made to the disciples to rise again was fulfilled and eternal life was won for everyone who would receive it. What a glorious and most precious time this weekend is to celebrate the resurrection of Christ that took away every What If question and launched the Body of Christ into the taking of the Gospel around the world. Happy Easter everyone - Jesus is alive! 

Debbie Beck

Read more >>

"My Name Is Hope!"

"Do you know my name?" The sweet, bright voice came out of the blue while I was waiting in an express check out line at Walmart the other day. I had just finished a REALLY long shopping trip for groceries, field trip items, etc. and had somehow gotten out the door with some batteries not paid for. So, back in we went to the shortest line we could find to make things right. While I was waiting, the sweet voice came from a little girl sitting in the front seat of the cart in front of me. "Do you know my name?" It startled me slightly in a comical sort of way, but I am rarely at a loss for words when it comes to kids, so I answered her, "No, but you do. Are you going to tell me your name?" With a big smile she piped right back with, "My name is Hope!"

From there we had a silly, sweet conversation that only last 3 or 4 minutes about everything from the cool stuff she got for Christmas, to the fact that my twins' names (Esperanta and Esperancia) also mean 'hope', and that she and the twins both had sisters named Elizabeth. Hope smiled the whole time we chatted, and gave me a few moments of pure joy just from interacting with her for that short time.

When I first pulled in behind her dad's cart, I had noticed briefly that Hope suffered from some sort of illness that had kept her body from growing properly. Her body seemed to small for her big, beautiful face and her speaking ability. Once we got to chatting, I asked her and Hope told me she was seven years old. I knew for sure then that this sweet girl had a disability of some sort - but had I not been able to see her, I would have never known it at all. She had the spirit of a champion in every way - outgoing, positive, full of life and laughter - and best of all willing to share it with me.

When I came home, I told Pat about beautiful, little Hope and our conversation. As I did, I almost started to cry and realized that she had made quite an impact on me for an express checkout length conversation. The words kept ringing in my heart - "Do you know my name? My name is Hope!"As they did the Holy Spirit began to minister to me about how we are to go into this new year. We need to go into 2013 knowing the beautiful name "Hope!"

Although there many who can testify to the goodness of God manifesting in glorious ways in 2012, there are also many that faced great trials and battles last year. If they are honest, those folks were happy to see the year end as they work to regroup and move forward. From different places around the world, there were some awful tragedies that we watched on our television and computer screens that affected many of us deeply and caused us to cry out even more fervently to God for Him to move and bring revival to the nations.

Though the pain of these things is truly felt and cannot be made light of, it is of utmost importance that we never, ever lose track of of the sweet, bright voice of Hope. Even in times of turmoil, the believer must remember that when things are at their worst, God is at His best! We cannot always control the choices of people, or when and how the attacks of the enemy will come - but what we can do is take control of our souls, anchor ourselves in the Word of God, and make an intentional choice to keep our eyes on our Redeemer, knowing that no matter what - He has not forsaken us or let us go!

One of my very favorite hymns is It Is Well With My Soul. Here are just a couple of the verses.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
 
Refrain:It is well (it is well),
with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

This beautiful song was written by Horatio Spafford (1828-1888). He was a wealthy Chicago lawyer with a thriving legal practice, a beautiful home, a wife, four daughters and a son. He was also a devout Christian and faithful student of the Scriptures. His circle of friends included Dwight L. Moody, Ira Sankey and various other well-known Christians of the day. Over the course of 2 to 3 years, Mr. Spafford lost all five of his children to terrible tragedies, as well as losing most of his personal fortune in the Great Chicago Fire. He wrote the words to this hymn while he was on his way to meet his grieving wife in England after the tragic loss of his four daughters in a shipwreck.

I do not believe that any one of us would have condemned Mr. Spafford if he would have had a fit of anger, or even a time of questioning his faith after so many tragic occurences in such a short space of time. It is unthinkable to lose even one child, but all of your children? To see God bless you with great prosperity, only to see it destroyed before your very eyes? Yet instead of despair, Mr. Spafford anchored himself in the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ and wrote one of the greatest and most encouraging hymns of all time. He found the strength to trust God and say "It is well" in the toughest of circumstances.

No matter what losses we may have faced in 2012 - we must not forget that we are more than conquereors through Him who loves us! My heartfelt prayer is that you will not allow any loss, no matter how great, to cause you to lose hope in Christ. He is our everpresent help in time of trouble, and will guide us through the storm to safe haven if will contiue to place our faith and trust in Him. No matter what lies behind you, there is a future and a hope waiting for you in the arms of a loving Father. Don't ever run away... always run to Him in the time of the storm. He is your rock and your fortress forever!

Can you hear her voice now too.... "Do you know my name? My name is Hope!"

For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:10-12

Read more >>

Not Hard - Just Different

Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power

and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee. Jeremiah 32:17

Have you ever heard a song that brought back a memory to you? Maybe a love song that reminds you of your parents, or a crazy song that reminds you of your teenage years, or better yet a worship song that takes you back to wonderful experiences you've had in God.

I recently heard a song that took my mind back to a lesson I was taught years ago that is one of the best lessons I've ever learned in regards to faith. I was privileged to take voice lessons with a master vocalist for a time. She was fun and a little eccentric - everything a voice teacher should be. She took me through crazy exercises to strengthen my voice and help me achieve some goals I had in singing. One goal (that I believe she actually decided) was that I was going to learn to sing an octave higher than I had been singing. I had sung since high school and knew I had a very low voice and normally sung in the alto 2 section, which was the lowest female voices. I could with a little stretching reach up and help the alto 1 section now and then, but that was my limit.

So, our goal was for me to have the ability to sing as a second soprano - only one step down from the highest female voices. When she announced this goal I have to admit I thinking - "I can't do that!" She must have read my mind because she said something that has stuck with me for almost 20 years now. "Debbie, don't think about singing higher as hard. The higher notes are not hard, they're just different." Wow - that was a revelation. I had always seen higher notes as too hard to reach, something that was simply beyond my ability. Yet someone was telling me that it wasn't hard and I could do it if I changed my way of thinking. She knew how to do it, and she was going to help me get there. She had the ability I needed and as a team we were going to accomplish our goal.

Did you get that... pretty sure I just saw a few lights go on and the word "Bingo!" pop into someone's head. So often we look at life through the eyes of what we think we can do. We may have never even tried something, but because of past experiences or the opinions of others about who we are and what our abilities are, we simply step back and say, "That's too hard. I can't do that." Why? Because thats what we think and believe in our hearts. The unfortunate fact is that if we believe we can't, we are right, we won't be able to do it. If I believe I will never lose those extra pounds, then I won't. If I believe I'll never find the right mate who will love me the way Christ does (especially if I had a bad marriage before) then I won't. If I believe that my income will never increase because I don't have the "right skill set", then it won't. Wow - Deb - that's not good news! No, it's not, but it's the truth! We will never go further than the point to which we have developed our faith.

The Bible clearly teaches us that we accomplish the will of God in our lives by and through faith. Hebrews 11 is filled with folks who did great things for God, and they all did it the same way - by and through faith. That's the good news! If we begin to deal with the heart of the matter, study and meditate on what God has said we can do and begin to act on it, then we will begin to accomplish more in life than we ever imagine. It's true - we really can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us! We can lose those pounds. We can find (or ladies, be found) by the right mate - even if it's the second time around. We can believe and experience a fresh love and passion in our marriage. We can have financial increase no matter what our skill set or education is.

How? By faith! You may not even realize it, but you've already worked the faith process. When you got born again, you did it by faith. Romans 10 tells us that in order to be saved, we had to believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, and confess with our mouths that Jesus was the Lord of our lives. That was it...that's faith in a nutshell! I must believe the Word of God no matter what, and I must be willing to act on what I believe. If we did that to receive salvation, then we can keep working the same process to receive ANY promise if God. All of the promises of God are received this way - believing what the Word says and then acting on it.

Often the greatest act of faith is simply saying what the Word of God says is true. If we really spend enough time getting the Word in our hearts, so that it becomes natural for the Word to come out of our mouths - even in private moments of frustration and pain - then we will be able to change our circumstances with the Word. If I feel sick or the doctor has given me a bad report about my health, what do I do? I must believe what the Bible says; I must believe that I am healed by the stripes of Jesus. I must search out the scriptures and find the ones that show me that through what Jesus has already done for me I am already healed - right now. I must listen to people anointed to teach and preach about healing. Then I must intentionally believe that and say only that - no matter what.

What if it looks like it's getting worse? Believe and speak healing anyway. What if my doctor says I'm going to die? Believe and speak healing anyway. What if I'm scared? Believe and speak healing anyway. What if I knew someone else who didn't get healed. Believe and speak healing anyway. Never live on the way you feel, the reports you are receiving, or the experience of others, but rather choose to only live by the Word of God.  I must keep myself surrounded with the Word of God and not let anyone or anything talk me out of it. This is called the faith process - intentionally believing and acting on what the Bible says is true in any area of life. When we understand how to work with  the Word - the Word will work for us - and it will work for us every single time.

Was it easy to get saved? Yes! God made it easy for us to receive salvation. There may have been challenges along the way, but we knew it belonged to us. Is it easy to receive healing? Yes! We receive it the same way. There may be challenges along the way, but if we continue in faith, we will win! I am not saying you're not in a fight - but if you want to prevail you must know and believe it is a fight you are going to win!! If God can rescue you out of the kingdom of darkness and change your heart for eternity - there is nothing He can't do for you! It doesn't matter what promise of God you need to receive right now - stop looking at it as hard. Nothing is too hard for God. This fight isnt too hard for you and God together. Remember, it's not hard - it's just different.

And yes, to this day, I can sing the part of a second sorprano. How about that! :)

Remember you're a winner!!

Debbie Beck 

Read more >>

The Fragrant Life by Judi Jo Adams

THE FRAGRANT LIFE

My childhood memories are full of beautiful smells.  My parents owned flower shops and I grew up running the aisles and sneaking into the cooler.  Oh, I can remember walking in that cooler just to smell how amazing it was when it was full of flowers.  I especially loved to take a rose and hold it up to my lips and feel the soft petals and just breathe.  It has to be one of the most wonderful aromas in life!  Did you know that in the Spirit our life is to be a sweet smelling fragrance to God?  It’s true, it’s possible and He gives us the secrets along the way to living a triumphal life!

“Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and who are perishing.” -- II Cor 2:14  He goes on to say the we are the “fragrance of life”.    

So, the question that stands today is simple.  If Heaven could smell us, what would we smell like?...

Would it be sweet, meaning that through all the trials and victories we have kept our hearts right and continued to praise Him.  Or, would it simply stink!  Ladies, it’s never too late to turn it around.  You know, a rose grows best in a pile of manure…it is true!  The secret is found in the verse above and, when put into practice; it can change our lives into a sweet smelling sacrifice to our Lord and King!

Now, we all know that when looking with our own eyes life doesn’t always seem like some wonderful victory walk.  If we are honest, we have all had huge bumps along the way and gone through experiences that we may not understand.   Well, the Word does let us know that in this life we will have troubles in Jn 16:33,  and yet he still said he would always lead us in triumphal procession.  So, how can this be true?  Well, it’s a matter of focus and a matter of what is coming out of us.

One of my all time favorite chapters is Psalms 23.  It beautifully shows us the answer and the secret.  It simply paints a picture for II Cor 2:14.  You see, this chapter talks about Him being our shepherd, causing us to lie down in green pastures and restoring our soul.  It also talks about a table, the kind with every good thing we need for a wonderful life, but did you notice that table is spread in the presence of our enemies?  Again, those green pastures and still waters are as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

So, how does that all add up?  Well, the victory, the still waters and the spread table, are on the inside!  They are where Christ abides in us.  Where no matter what we see we are going through to the other side!  Though problems surround us and we seem pressed on every hand, we have a voice that says, “Thanks be unto God, who always leads me…”  Yes, that is the key to walking in victory.  I mean, do we want to be

moved by the circumstances that are around us and are temporal?  Or, do we want to put our eyes on the one who is eternal and abide in His place of victory?  It’s our choice you see. We can stop, sit down in our mess, look around and think there is no way out.  That equals stink.  Then again, trials can surround us, but at any time we can look to the one who is our green pastures, rest in Him and lift up our voice of victory.  Why?  He will always lead us through! Now, that is a sweet smelling life!

I’ve lived in many countries and often found myself alone in a dark alley or on a strange subway.  I’ve been surrounded by some of the grossest depictions of humanity, yet when I lean into Him at the same time I’m surrounded by the wonders of Heaven.  It’s all a matter of focus and of looking inward to Him!  I’ve been in the I.C.U. with my son on top of me and heard a horrible report about his life.  Where do I choose to look and what will my song be?  He led Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego through the fire without even a smell.  He brought Joseph out of the prison and fulfilled his dream.  I choose if I let the smell of death stay on me or if I rise up and say…”Now thanks be unto God who gives me the victory”  --I Cor 15:57. Ladies, that is an example of a triumphal procession and what leads us out!

Jesus is our greatest example and as he went to His darkest hour, God made sure to mark it with a triumphal procession ( you can read it in Mark 11 ).  Why?   He wasn’t looking with our human eyes!  In His darkest hour He shined the brightest and offered up a sweet smelling sacrifice.  It’s all about a heart adjustment. “I may be walking through this mess, but it’s not getting in me!” Col 1:27 says “Christ in you the hope of glory!”  All we need to do is let the hope of glory out of our mouths!  We lead our triumphal procession by the words we say.  We either go through in victory by our voice or we sit down, are quiet and simply stink.

Ladies, let’s let our darkest time be our finest hour.  It’s a new season, one to fully put our trust in Him, knowing He will lead us through.  Let’s surround one another in a Spirit of faith and cheer one another on to victory.  Let’s lift up our eyes and place them on our King…the one who is Creator!  Mostly, let’s open our mouths and let out thanks to Him!  Nothing could smell sweeter than Him knowing everything we are experiencing and still finding us in worship to Him.

Read more >>

A Season To Be Patient by Judi Jo Adams

A Season To Be Patient

Patience…oooo it’s such a yucky little word.  It’s a virtue that seems very difficult to embrace.  Do we have to be patient?  Well, I think as we take a little glance into the heart of God today, we will all agree that this one little word can change our entire worlds.  It is simply a requirement in bringing forth the promises of God.

I was so challenged this week while reading a post from Dr. T.L. Osborn on Lk 8:11-15.  So often we think of sowing and reaping in terms of giving, but this sure brings out an insightful new dimension for us.  The sower wasn’t sowing money, though that is an invaluable lesson, he was sowing the Word.  Ding, ding, ding! Let’s stop right there a moment.

Patience in bringing for the promise is only good if the Word has first been sown.  If not, there is nothing spoken into the earth for the Holy Spirit to act upon, so nothing can take place.  Now, that’s not good because we know that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” in Pr 13:12.   We have to find God’s promises in his Word, put them into our hearts until revelation comes and then speak them forth with power.

Ahhh… then presto, instant results!  Well, I wish it was just like Jack and the Bean Stalk with an instant harvest, but usually it’s not that way.  If we take a look into creation itself, we see seasons in operation.  There is a time to plant, water, wait and reap. That means there is a season to simply be patient.

Right now is an exciting time in the U.S.A.!  Harvest is here and the farmer’s markets are full. We just had our first home grown tomatoes of the season.  Yum, I wait all year for a true ripe tomato sandwich.   Although it didn’t happen overnight, we were sure they would arrive when their time was right.  Is it any different in God’s Kingdom?

In Lk 8:15 we see that the harvest was brought forth with patience.  One of my favorite passages is Isaiah 55.  It holds a beautiful reminder for us all.  Just like spring time and harvest, so goes the Word of the Lord once spoken.  It will not return void, but will accomplish all it was sent to do!  Glory to God!  That means that once the Word is spoken a promise has to come forth.

I do however see something in the Word that can hinder what we have prayed from happening.  What is it?  It is our lack of patience.  When we lose heart in waiting, we often get weary and stop trusting.  The Bible clearly says in Gal 6:9, “Be not weary in well doing for in due season you will reap IF you faint not”.  That alone, not the enemy, can stop our harvest. 

So what should we do?  We must remember that there is no need to be weary in waiting, because God’s Word is true.  The seed of His Word in the ground is the most powerful plant in the earth!  It has to spring forth!

As much as we don’t like it, patience also has a something to accomplish in us.  Ja 1:4 says, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”.   I think it makes us more like Him and isn’t He… oh, so patient with us!

So, I want to encourage you today.  Just like there is seed time and harvest in the earth, so it is with God’s promises in your life.  Speak the Word forth and then simply be patient, while resting and trusting that God is at work.  Your promise will surely come to pass!

Read more >>

In The Face Of Difficulty by Judi Jo Adams

In the Face of Difficulty

Is it possible to face difficult situations, yet shine in the face of it all? Absolutely!  As I look in the Word of God at some of the greatest miracles, both Old & New Testament, I have realized that so often they are birthed out of great distress.  It’s true!  Surrounding most of the great miracles that stand out so brightly in the Bible, we can find economic disaster, grave sickness & heavy persecutions. Out of circumstances like these emerge the miracles we preach about.

The examples are endless, just like the widow who had no food in the face of the famine in I Kings 17. What happened on her behalf?  The prophet came to her house &, out of her obedience to give him her last morsels of food, her oil & flour never ran out until the famine ceased.  How about the children of Israel & the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 13?  After an unthinkable amount of years in slavery & after all the plaques that came upon Pharaoh, finally they were free & now this uncrossable sea was before them.  Only God can work a wonder like that in a situation where there is either a miracle or death.  The beauty is that he tells us in Hebrew 13:8 that He is the same yesterday, today & forever.  He did it for them; He will do it for us!

I find this so comforting right now, as we have such a beautiful work in Egypt & those that we love are locked in their homes crying out to God for protection.  As I spoke to our national director for the first time, after the riots had broke out in Cairo, a Spirit of Faith arose in me.  I know that the God who provided for the widow is their God too.  I know that the God who safely led Paul through the city, in the face of angry mobs, is protecting them now.  Regardless of what takes place in any nation at any time, our God never changes & His Word will remain the same.

He told Mary in John 11:40, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God.”  Looking deeper into this passage, such hope springs in my heart.  You see, Lazarus had been dead 4 days.  Mary herself thought it to be impossible & told the Lord that He surely stunk by now.  Amazingly, Jesus found this an opportunity for a miracle… one of the greatest in the Word.  He wasn’t moved by how long Lazarus had been dead or by the reports of the people.  He commanded Lazarus to come out of that tomb & out he came!

These are only the beginning of examples.  There was the feeding of the 5,000 when there was no way to provide for such a multitude.  There were the three Hebrew children who were thrown into the furnace & came out without even a hint of smoke.  Then, there were the lepers who went into the enemy’s camp, only to find that God himself had fought the battle for them.  I could go on & on about the miracles that we see, which all came forth when the situation looked impossible.  After all, Matthew 19:26 says, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Yes, He is able to make us shine out of the most difficult situations.  Why?  Maybe it’s because that’s when we finally take our eyes off our trials & whole heartedly but out trust in Him.   Is His requirement for us to have a miracle attainable? Oh, Yes!  He only requires one thing.  “If you believe, you shall see the glory of God.”  

Read more >>

Don't Lose Heart by Daphne Delay

Don't Loose Heart       

May I ask what you believe? That may sound like a funny question, but there are so many things fighting for our attention these days, that is quite possible to lose sight of what we really believe. David said, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psalm 27:13). So, I'll ask again... what are you believing? Do you, like David, believe you will see the goodness of God in this lifetime? I do.

You will find written in the front of my Bible: THE BIBLE SAYS IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT. I didn't learn the scriptures until I was an adult. And it just so happened that I was saved in a non-denominational church. I do not know much about other religions or denominations, although as a Bible teacher I am often asked questions that pertain to such things. For example, there was a young lady that had been raised in a certain denomination her entire life who was attending our church and a Bible study that I was having. After class one night she asked me, "If these things have always been in the Bible, why have I never been taught them?" I was stumped of course, because I had no basis at all with which to answer her. But before I could even give that much explanation, she looked me straight in the eye and said, "You know, I think they just don't want that much of God."

Wow. What an answer. I think she was right. I am not particularly moved by the name on the outside of a church building. What I want to know is, what do they believe? When my husband and I moved to Seminole to pastor, our new secretary asked us what she should tell people we believed if she was ever asked that question. I told her to say "The Bible... all of it." Notice again what I wrote in the front of my Bible: THE BIBLE SAYS IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT. I did not write, "The Bible says it. I understand it all." No, I am still learning so much. And I have discovered there are layers within the scriptures that are revealed from faith to faith. But regardless of how much I understand, I still made the decision a long time ago to believe it all. Because if I did not, "I would have lost heart..." 

Once upon a time, I believed Romans 10:9-10, which says, "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 saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." And with that, I was saved! How could I then pick apart the scriptures and only believe some of them? Wouldn't that make my salvation unsure? Because what if I picked the wrong scripture to believe. I mean, if some are good and some are not, how do I know which is which? Is it based on my understanding or what makes me feel good? Of course not! Yet, some people actually have a belief system just like this.

Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life" (John 14:6). The scriptures are Truth... all of them. Jesus is the Word made flesh that came and dwelt among us (John 1:14). When we reject any part of the Word of God (the Bible) we reject Jesus. And then deception enters our heart and we actually become "religious." We then find that all we have is a "...form of godliness, but deny the power.." (2 Timothy 3:5). It is the power of God that changes lives. That is why David said that if he had not made the decision to believe the Lord, he would have lost heart. He needed to know what God had to say about life, about him, about others, etc. Otherwise he would have been defeated and confused. And confusion is the result of refusing to make a decision. So, I'll ask again, what do you believe?

I won't lie. I struggle at times with issues regarding my identity, or my love walk, or faith (the list could go on). But what saves me is this: THE BIBLE SAYS IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT. If I am struggling with my identity, I remember God's Word says that I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:1). If I am struggling with my love walk, I remember God's Word says that the love of God has been shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit and that I can build myself up on my most holy faith and keep myself in the love of God by praying in the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5; Jude 20-21). If I am struggling with faith, I remember that Jesus said I could move mountains with my faith if I would speak and believe (Mark 11:22-23). My point is that there have been many occasions where I would have lost heart "...unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

I want you to go get a pen and write in the front of your Bible: THE BIBLE SAYS IT. I BELIEVE IT. THAT SETTLES IT. Make a decision to believe all of God's Word. Once you do, I believe God will reveal more and more to you by faith. Jesus explained it to His disciples this way: "Knowledge about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. But it has not been given to (everyone). Those who understand {these mysteries} will be given {more knowledge}, and they will excel {in understanding them}. However, some people don't understand {these mysteries}. Even what they understand will be taken away from them" (Matthew 13:11-12, God's Word Translation). Don't lose what you do have by limiting yourself. And don't lose heart - THE BIBLE SAYS IT, THAT SETTLES IT!

Read more >>

Don't Run, Listen! by Tamera Ford

Dont' Run Listen

In Matt 1:20-23 Joseph had just found out that Mary was pregnant. I’m sure he was flooded with anger, disappointment and fear. The Bible tells us that instead of putting Mary on display, openly shaming her, he tried to figure out a way to quietly escape from the situation.

Fear, confusion and pain can cause us to do things that may seem right at the moment, but are actually miles away from what the Lord is asking us to do.How could it be wrong to cover Mary’s “problem”? Wasn’t Joseph being gracious by not openly disgracing her? Yes. He was being gracious but in trying to fix the problem he was leaning to his own understanding instead of God’s wisdom.

God had a different plan and it involved Joseph staying involved, not running. God spoke to Joseph in a dream and gave him instructions that changed his life completely. Was it easy for Joseph? Probably not but in following God’s plan, Joseph became a part of something much bigger than himself. In listening to the Lords instructions instead of running away, Joseph became a part of a miracle.

Is there an area in your life that you want to run from? How about something you just want to cover up and forget? It may seem easier to run or cover up, but why not stop and listen to the Lord first.  When we give the Lord a chance to speak into our lives, we find that his wisdom, although not always easy, allows us to see Him work in miraculous ways.

I encourage you today. Don’t be quick to run or hide when a problem or situation arises that you don’t know how to handle.  Allow the Lord to speak to you. Look for His plan. His ways are higher than our ways. The reward of following him always far exceeds anything we could have imagined.

Need to pray? Father, you know what I am facing today. I feel like running and hiding. Although my emotions are strong, I choose not to be moved by how I feel. I ask for your wisdom. I am looking to you for your plan concerning this situation. I trust your ways and lean not to my own understanding. Thank you for directing my path! Thank you for loving me! In Jesus name, Amen.

Read more >>

Living In A Dream by Debbie Beck

Living In A Dream

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad. Psalm 126:1-3

One of the most familiar and inspiring phrases recorded in American history were spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he said in a famous speech, “I have a dream.” God used those words and the prayers and work of countless others to change the mindset, culture, and even the laws of an entire country. That is the power of a dream! Yet all too often I meet people who have either never been taught to dream, or over time have let their dreams slip away from them.

Even before my husband, Pat, and I were married, we dreamed about being involved in adoption and orphan care. Once we were married, the Holy Spirit spoke to us regularly about this dream becoming a reality. On one occasion, we heard the words, “Focus on the children, and I will focus on you.” From that moment on, we held onto those words as we began our journey on the bumpy and winding road of 2 U.S. adoptions and 3 international adoptions from Haiti. Truth be told, we had no idea the heartache and trials that lied ahead of us. Along the way we shed many tears and cried out to God for the five little girls we believed He had placed in our hearts. At times it seemed like the road we had started on had no final destination, and we knew that there were people around us who began to doubt if we would ever be able to complete the course of bringing these beautiful little ones into our family for good. 

By the fall of 2009, it seemed we would drown in frustration. That September we felt prompted that Pat should go to Haiti to speak to our lawyer and retrieve a copy of our files for us to review so that we could try to figure out why things were taking so long. He went and got a copy of the files, but almost no answers from the lawyer. On the domestic adoptions, we were told that girls’ cases had been sitting on a judge’s desk for months and there was virtually nothing we could do except wait. By all natural accounts, both sets of adoptions had stalled and it seemed that there was nothing we could do to move them forward. For over 3 years we had fought the good fight of faith for these children, and yet in the natural it looked like our dreams we floating away as lawyers, judges, and natural laws in both countries seemed to stand firmly in the way of our dream becoming a reality. We prayed, had meetings, made phone calls to important people, and still no movement – not even an inch.

I remember a teacher at Rhema telling us that most people give up the stroke before midnight. What does that mean? Right before our deliverance comes is often the time we feel the most tempted to give up and abandon the dreams God has given us. Midnight is when Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God and then were miraculously delivered from the shackles and prison that held them! Their deliverance came at the darkest hour when they were beaten and bruised and all around them seemed hopeless. Ever been there? When you look around and it seems all you can see is nothing! How must they have felt that night? One moment God is using you to perform miracles and set captives free and the next you are beaten and chained in prison. Ouch. 

Thankfully my husband and I had been taught how to stand in faith even in the toughest of circumstances. Thank God for His Word! As my father would say, “Faith is the substance you hold on to until what you are waiting for shows up.” And so, we held on. Then it happened -- as we came into the winter of 2009 seemingly out of nowhere things began to move. First, there was a prophecy that our girls from Haiti were coming home. We had intentionally not told anyone the major challenges that had just recently happened, and so no one in the service except for us realized just how impossible that seemed. The prophecy was then followed by a large financial gift to assist us in bringing the girls home. Even though we didn’t understand how that could possibly happen, we received the Word and the gift, believed the prophet and kept our confession of faith. 

The holidays were approaching and still – no movement. Having done all to stand, we kept standing. One day at work I got a phone call from a caseworker who said, “I thought I’d call with an early Christmas gift.” There had been a MAJOR breakthrough in our domestic adoptions that opened the door to finishing them within a year. Wow!! What a mighty God we serve. But on the international front, still no movement.

On January 12, 2010 a horrific earthquake rocked the capital of Haiti and killed thousands of people. For about 24 hours we did not know what had happened to our girls and their orphanage. It was as though time was standing still as we saw the images on CNN and prayed and reminded God of His promise to protect our little girls. Miraculously, not one of the children there was hurt and only one building on their compound suffered damage any damage. Glory to God! We were overwhelmed with joy that they were safe and sound, but they were in the midst of chaos and disease as 2000 people flooded their compound to escape the devastation and bodies lining the streets right outside the orphanage walls. 

Once again we prayed, made phone calls and listened in on teleconferences to see how this would affect our adoptions. We were told that the social service building was destroyed and all adoption paperwork had been lost. No one had any idea how any of this would impact American adoptions from Haiti. We thanked God for our government as they literally worked day and night to first get U.S. citizens out of Haiti and then promptly began to work with the Haitian government to formulate a plan to bring out children who were in the process of being adopted by American families. As it turned out, the last trip Pat took to Haiti in simple obedience to God was the key for us to qualify bring our girls home. Had we allowed ourselves to “drown in frustration” instead of hearing God’s voice, we would have missed possibly the one and only opportunity available to us to bring them home.

There are far too many details to share here (and I must admit there are a few I want to save a few for the book we’re working on to share our story!), but I can testify that as I sit and write this article, all 5 of my girls are at home, safe in their beds. It is early in the morning and soon I will hear the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. My youngest, who is 2, will call for mommy, flash her beautiful smile and be ready for oatmeal and bananas. Her older sister is 7, and was our first miracle years ago. She wants me to do her hair for tomorrow’s Easter program. Once their adoptions are complete we will be able to tell the amazing story of their journey into our family and the mercy of God upon their lives. Our 3 girls from Haiti are with us on a type of “international foster care” until their adoptions can be completed. My 6 year old twins will come down giggling and picking on each other. The oldest of the bunch is 9 years old. She is excited to wear her new outfit and shoes for Easter and will bother me all day about who’s coming to dinner and what we’ll be doing after church. The man of my dreams is sleeping in after spending the past few days preparing to take another trip to Haiti with my father and a team who is going to look at property to start an orphanage and help even more children there. After years of waiting, I am literally living in my dream. 

God has done great things for the Beck family and it is truly joy unspeakable and full of glory to have our girls all here under one roof and safe in our arms. As I have been meditating on all that God has done for us, I cannot help but remember the many times when it seemed like these dreams were never going to come to pass. The moments when it seemed the enemy’s plans would prevail were plenteous as we fought the good fight of faith for all 5 of these children. It was almost as though our dreams were being held hostage by the enemy and the natural circumstances we faced almost daily. Some weeks every day was a struggle to keep believing. Many of us see time as the enemy. Every day that passes seems like a day wasted, but in God’s eyes, every day that passes is bringing you one day closer to the manifestation of the dreams He has placed in your heart. 

Stay faithful and committed to the dreams God has given you. Keep fighting the good fight of faith. Heed the counsel of those God has placed in your life to guide and encourage you. Be sure your believing and confession of the Word stay strong. And when you lay your head on your pillow tonight, thank God that one day the dream in your heart will surely be a reality.

Read more >>

Still Standing by Debbie Beck

Still Standing

As a child, my father would sometimes watch boxing matches at night. I distinctly remember the announcers in Atlantic City or other places who would get up and say in their most entertaining voices, “Are you ready to rumble?” Boxing was not a sport I was fond of, but watching it was better than going to bed, so I’d stay up and watch with dad. I think my eyes were covered for most of the matches as each boxer would give his best punches to try to send the other one down to the canvas with a knockout blow. I remember the gasps in the crowd when one fighter would go down and the referee would begin the count. Since I didn’t know much about the boxers, I usually rooted for whoever it looked like might be losing. When that fighter was down, everything in me willed for him to get up and keep fighting. I knew no matter how hard he had fought in the previous rounds, if he didn’t get up he would lose the fight. 

Now that I am an adult, I can’t say that I like boxing any more than I did when I was a child. But you only have to live for a little while to start seeing there are some definite correlations between life and a boxing match. The Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 9 used boxing as a life analogy. 

“…I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary. But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]” (I Corinthians 9:26-27).

Some days I really wish that life was more like a game of miniature golf than a boxing match! Time and maturity have taught me that the adversary I face on a daily basis is real and that every “punch” I throw has to count. I have learned that qualities such as strength and endurance are not just desirable, but necessary if I am to complete my course in Him. 

Earlier in the I Corinthians 9, Paul talked of how he became all things to all men so that he might by all means save some. In other words, just like in the boxing ring, Paul had to constantly adapt to whatever situation he was dealing with in order to be used by God to win souls and fulfill his destiny. Boxers have many styles of foot movement, body weaving and the like in order to adapt to the fighter they are currently contending with. Every fight is different and requires a different strategy. What worked last time may not work in the ring today. It’s a joy to know that I have a personal trainer and teacher in my corner, the Holy Ghost, who is ever ready to reveal to me what strategy will give me a win in any given match. As I return to my corner in between rounds, He is there waiting with comfort, healing ointments and advice on how to successfully beat the adversary. He is truly a “very present help in trouble.” 

In boxing, it’s also helpful to know the rules so that you can identify low blows and unfair punches. There are certain punches my contender has no right to throw, and I have 66 books of Scripture to back me up when a low blow is thrown. At any time I can go to the Father with the Word and challenge the blow I’ve been dealt by the enemy. At my request and the presentation of His Word, God will come to my defense. 

An excellent example of this is found in Acts 4, when the Apostles were dealt a low blow. The enemy attacked their right to preach the Gospel and heal the sick by stirring up the local government against them. As soon as they were let go, they went back to “their corner” and had a serious consultation about what was taking place. They went to Father God in prayer and challenged this low blow that had been thrown. 

“And now, Lord, behold their threatening and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus” (Acts 4:29-30). 

What happened? Their challenge was upheld! 

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31).

Too often, as believers the things that are holding us back are at our own allowing. God has provided great and precious promises in His Word that are to form a hedge of protection around His people. Provided we are walking in obedience, we must not allow the enemy to cross those boundaries and wreak havoc in our live and families. We must recognize the enemy’s devices and devote ourselves to the Word and prayer in that area until we gain complete victory. 

As many of you, I head into 2010 with a few cuts and bruises, and some wounds still healing, and yet I am excited about the hope of new direction and some major victories that have been won. Perhaps there are some rounds where you faltered or don’t feel you gave your best. Maybe you’ve been dealt some low blows that sent you reeling, or even down to the canvas. There may have been times when it seemed like the crowd wasn’t on your side. No matter what, we have to remember what is most important – we’re still standing. 

In the words of the great movie fighter, Rocky Balboa, “…it ain't about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much can you take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!”

Like that fighter in the ring, as long as he can get back up and keep standing, he’s still in the fight! Don’t let the devil or anyone else count you out! Your life and your destiny matter to God, to the Body of Christ and to the world. We are counting on you to keep going…keep praying…keep loving...keep being faithful…keep believing. The next time the enemy threatens you with a tough blow, hold fast to the Word, say a prayer, and then look him in the eye and remind him, “I’m still standing!” 

Read more >>

Please Hold On by Debbie Beck

Please Hold On!

“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)” Hebrews 10:22-23 

Did you ever wonder if you were a little bit strange? I wonder that about myself all the time! It seems that God speaks to me through the smallest details and events in life. Yet they are things that remind me of biblical concepts that need to be a vital part of my walk with Him. 

One day while walking out of my home to run some errands, a very loud motorcycle drove past the house. I was holding my youngest daughter, who was around one year old at the time. When she heard the noise it startled her and she grabbed me tightly and held on, even once the motorcycle had passed. In one sense, there was nothing very profound about the moment. But on the inside of me something clicked and I found myself in awe that this precious little person believed I could protect her from whatever that terrible, loud sound was. She did not scream or cry out, she simply held on and trusted that I would not let any harm come to her. 

God used that moment to remind me how important it is to hold on to Him in difficult times. Often the enemy will throw “noises” our way to distract us and cause our hearts to fear. Situations and circumstances will come to us that look and sound very threatening, and what will make the difference is what we hold on to! The devil will tempt you to let go of what you have been taught in the Word and instead grab onto complaining, hopelessness or despair. Hebrews 10 gives us one of the keys we need to make it through the trials of life. As believers we must train ourselves to draw near to Father God and hold on to our faith in His Word when tough times come. How do we do that? What will cause me to take hold of the right things when the trial comes? Practice!! I must practice holding onto Him in the smallest details of life. Proverbs 3:5-6 says to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” The practice comes in acknowledging Him in every situation, every day, no matter how small.

One way I practice trusting Him is in finding misplaced things. It sounds simple enough, but it is an exercise that forces me to put aside frustration and trust God when something that I really need has suddenly disappeared from sight. Instead of complaining or blaming someone else for what has happened, I have trained myself to stop and have a short but faith-filled conversation that goes something like this: “Holy Spirit, I don’t know where this item is, but I know you do and you have promised to lead and guide me into all truth – even the truth of where this is. Please show me where it is so that I can move on with my day. Thank you for your help! In Jesus’ Name – Amen!!” More often than not, it is only a few minutes until I suddenly “stumble” over the item I was looking for. And if it takes longer, I continue to thank Him that I will find it as quickly as possible. 

If we practice trusting God on a daily basis in the smaller details of life, it will be natural to turn to Him and hold on to His Word when true tests and trials come. Our Father loves us with an everlasting love and has called us to Himself. The cry of His heart is that each of His children will draw near to Him in times of trouble and hold fast the profession of their faith without wavering. It is time to allow yourself to rest in the safety of your Father’s arms and hold on tight. God is faithful; you can trust His promises!

Read more >>

Then All of the Sudden by Dawn White

And Then All of the Sudden...

Scripture:  "But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."  2 Peter 3:8

We have a crabapple tree outside of our bedroom window.  Now, I've never found a use for the crabapples (I haven't tried real hard either), but this tree has the most beautiful blooms in the spring of each year.  They are a beautiful pink color and the tree is just covered with them.  Each spring, I look forward to the beauty of this tree.  However, these blooms never stay around long enough for me.  If it is a good year, we'll see them for a week.  However, if we experience very strong winds at all, the blooms are gone in no time.  I can enjoy the blooms one day, and then all of the sudden, within an afternoon, they will be gone. Nonetheless, I love that tree.

Isn't that the way it is with God.  Just as the wind sweeps through and takes all the blooms from the tree, the Spirit of God can move and change your circumstances.  And, all of the sudden, things will be completely different.  I've been studying some accounts of this in the Word.  I'd like to call out a few who experienced a move of God that radically changed their circumstances.

In Genesis 37-41, we can read the story of Joseph.  Please allow me to paraphrase the events of his life for the sake of space.  The Lord had given Joseph a couple of dreams in which his brothers would bow down to him.  Joseph shared these dreams with his brothers and father.  His brothers became jealous and angry, so they began a plot to ensure that this never happened.  Through their various plots, Joseph was thrown in a pit and left to die, rescued and sold into slavery, accused of a crime he didn't commit and thrown into prison.  Scholars vary on their interpretation of how long Joseph was in prison, but it appears to be somewhere between 15-20 years.  All of these disheartening circumstances seem to initially stem from Joseph having a couple of dreams that he shared with his family.  Seems like a harsh road for sharing a couple of dreams.  Regardless, as Joseph sat in prison one day, the Pharaoh had a dream and was unable to find anyone who could interpret it.  His cupbearer remembered that Joseph could interpret dreams.  So Joseph was summoned and interpreted the dream.  Pharaoh was so pleased that he put Joseph second in command in Egypt.  In the matter of a day, Joseph went from prisoner to second in command in Egypt.  All of the sudden, in one day, God moved and his life was radically different.

We can also look at Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9.  David had made a promise to Jonathan that when he became King, he would spare the killing of Jonathan's lineage. The custom of the day was that the new king would take the lives of any remaining family members of the old king.  Because Jonathan's dad, King Saul was reigning, Jonathan knew that when David became king, according to custom, all of Jonathan's family would die.  Since Jonathan and David were the best of friends, Jonathan asked David to promise to let his family live when he became king. David agreed.  However, Jonathan and Saul were both killed in battle.  Fear ran through the territory and Jonathan's servants picked up his young son, Mephibosheth, to try to escape.  In the chaos, the boy was dropped and both ankles broke and injured to the point that he was crippled and not able to walk from that day forward.  So, here is Mephibosheth a crippled orphan living in an orphanage.  As David assumed the throne and began his kingship, he one day (years later) remembered that he had made the promise to Jonathan.  He sent word asking if there was anyone remaining in Jonathan's lineage.  Mephibosheth was summoned to the palace.  Mephibosheth was scared to go, believing that David's intent was to kill him.  But rather, David moved Mephibosheth to the palace where he ate that the king's table every day.  All of the sudden, Mephibosheth was moved from an orphanage to the palace.  God moved, and the changes were radical.

Perhaps you've been standing for quite some time, believing that God is going to move and your circumstances are going to change.  My encouragement to you is to keep standing.  According to the scripture in 2 Peter 3:8, in God's timetable, 1 day is like a thousand years.  Although it may seem to be taking FOREVER on our end, but all of the sudden God will move and the landscape of your life will be totally different.  It was for Joseph, it was for Mephibosheth and countless others.  It will be the same for you too.

In Galatians 6:9 it says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." [emphasis mine]  As a friend of mine says, "I have the paperwork that it will be done."  This promise is your paperwork...it will be done.  Keep believing - your 'all of the sudden' is on its way!

Be Blessed!

Read more >>