BECAUSE IMPOSSIBLE IS I'M POSSIBLE

Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” Genesis 18:14 (NKJV)

For the past year, I’ve been preparing to purchase my first home. I’ve been saving money, looking at properties, and living with relatives while pursuing this life goal. It’s been a hard season. From the outside, it may seem I have an abundance of money and a carefree life. Yet, in reality, the lack of stability and the homebuying process have been taxing. The Lord placed the dream of homeownership in my heart, but sometimes like Sarah I want to look at Him and laugh. Home after home, bid after bid, nothing seems to be unfolding—I feel barren!

Patiently waiting for the appointed time when God will deliver on His promise seems impossible. “Seems” is the key word though. With God all things are possible. Did not the I AM bring form to the earth, create humankind from dirt, and bring light to this space we occupy? Is there anything too hard or impossible for Him? The feebleness of our human minds surely makes us believe this lie, but in our impossible things, He says, “I AM POSSIBLE”!

I believe God is begging us to trust Him relentlessly and patiently wait for the appointed time. In that moment, He will deliver on His promises for our lives. Because for Him, impossible is “I AM” possible!

Father, You have an interesting way of making us wait for You. You allow seemingly impossible things to emerge in our lives, so You can reveal Your power. Help us to not get weary and instead trust You completely.

© 2018 Dawn M. Wayman

IS JESUS KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR?

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 (KJV)

This was the first Bible verse I memorized, and for as long as I can remember, it has been my favorite. My grandmother had a picture above her bed depicting Jesus standing before a wooden door with a staff in his hand. Even though his knuckles rest upon the door and his ear is inclined toward the door, He is not looking at the door. Jesus is looking at me as if He’s waiting for a response—an invitation to enter.

The significance of the picture and the Bible verse eluded me until years later when a college classmate walked me through the Scriptures and my eyes were opened—and once my eyes were opened, my heart eventually followed.

Jesus is my Lord and Savior, my constant Companion and the Lover of my soul—and the souls of all He gave His life to save.

As we move toward the end of the age and His second coming draws near, my heart is filled with joy and anticipation, and my mind is filled with wonder. Will I finish the work He has called me to do before He returns and claims me as His own? When I gaze upon my Lord’s beautiful face, will anything else really matter?

Are you ready?

Perhaps you’ve already invited Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior. If you haven’t, He is right there, standing outside the door to your heart seeking entrance, but He won’t enter uninvited.

Lord, Thank You for Your steadfast love and relentless pursuit of our soul.

© 2018 Amy A. Verzi

 

MY TITHING DEBATE

Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the firstfruits of your entire harvest;   Proverbs 3:9 (KJV)

When I first gave my life to Jesus, I wanted to be the best Christian I could. One challenge was tithing. My paycheck was already stretched too far and I always needed more. I had month left over at the end of the money.

Every month when my once-a-month paycheck arrived, I listed all my bills and I had little left over, not enough to tithe—I might need something. I decided I would start over next month. Month after month, I aimed at tithing, but failed.

Then I got the idea to take the tithe out first. I sat down with my long list of expenses, but this time tithe was at the top of the list. I had asked a friend what do I tithe on—the amount before taxes or my take home pay. She replied, “Which one do you want to be blessed on?” The challenge was on.

Tithe now sat royally at the top of my list then I proceeded to withdraw my bills one by one. Surprise! I had money left over. Every month it happened the same way. If I forgot to deduct my tithe at the beginning, the income always came up short. I had learned that when I get $100.00 and don’t tithe $10.00, I’m telling the Lord He can’t meet my $10.00 need.

When we fool ourselves into thinking God is after our money, we miss the whole point. God is after our hearts and we have trouble separating our money from our hearts. It’s evident when we refuse to trust God with our finances.

Thank you, Lord, for your promise “I shall not want.”

© 2018 Lois Gosley

WORSHIP IS IMPORTANT!

 

Bring an offering and come before him; worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.

I Chronicles 16:29b (NIV)

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38 (NKJV)

 

Worship is important. It is the bedrock of our relationship with God. Worshipping keeps us clear on who He is and who we are. He is our Creator, the all-loving, all-powerful, all-wise God. He has spoken to us on every important subject through His Word, the Bible, and has shown Himself to us through the Word, Jesus.

 

Hymns and praise music in church services are intended to help each person to enter into true worship. It is easy to enjoy the music and perhaps sing along with the words.  But the important thing is what is going on in our heart. Are we truly raising praise and adoration to the One who is worthy? With or without music, sometimes true worship is difficult, but it is essential!

If we can just keep worship of God in focus, the law He has written on our hearts and His Spirit in us will lead us in the path He knows is best. We will not need to worry about detailed compliance with the written Law because everything it is intended to accomplish is already in us. For example, one of the primary commands of the Law is to worship God and Him only. My heart prompts me to do that, and the resulting loving relationship is the greatest blessing of my life.

 

Lord, I worship you! 

 

© 2018 Parker Wayland

GOD’S PLANS

The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all. 
Psalm 103:19 (NASB)

My search for a full-time job took me through five part-time jobs for over a year and a half. After 70 job applications and a limited number of interviews, I faced daunting financial challenges. As my anxiety grew, I spent more time in prayer trusting God to bring me through.  

As Paul Harvey used to say, “Now for the rest of the story”­:  This is where God’s plan shines through in amazing ways.

Our church presents an after school Bible class in a public school, but the program ended early because the school needed to install a new air conditioning system. A boy in the class asked where they could go for more instruction, and the children were told about our church. The boy told his parents, and the family began attending services. In the midst of my ongoing search for a permanent job, this family joined our church and became active leading the youth group; the Dad became a deacon and the Mom worked in the church office.  

Later, I was told the father of this family needed additional staff in his office. I inquired about the job, applied and was offered a full-time position. 

None of this could have happened when my search began because I had not met the person who would later ask me to work for him. Those short-term jobs prepared me for this new opportunity. God knew what I could not have known, and He orchestrated the circumstances in His time because He knows the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11). 

Father, thank You for teaching us to trust You for Your perfect timing in each of our lives. 

© 2018 Diane E. Hussey