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The Last Hour

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A few days ago when I was with my 3 grandchildren, I shared with them the story from Matthew 20 about the laborers in the vineyard.  I told them the story in slightly different words.  I said what if you went out to work on the farm and at 8am one of you started your job, later in the day around noon one of the others came and started to work, and finally at 4pm the last one showed up to work.  After 5pm, the farmer came out to pay all of you and you all received the same pay.  My oldest said that’s not fair and I would be mad if I was the one that started working first.  I said it doesn’t seem fair to us but it is “mercy” exemplified in the greatest way.  When I then explained, what if we are talking about being saved?   She said, “Oh that is different.”

It is a hard concept for us as humans to wrap our minds around.  Our thought process is about self.  But every time I read this scripture my heart is so overwhelmed that we serve a God that has such great mercy.  I’m so very thankful that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts above our thoughts.  I have had family members that spent 75 years of their life ignoring God and his plan of salvation and then at the last hour they realized they needed a Savior.  Did God say “No I’m sorry it is too late, you should have come earlier when you had years to serve me”?  No, He did not.  In fact, it was quite the opposite: He just said welcome home, my Child.

Salvation is a gift of God.  We could never do enough to earn it.  This scripture has given me much hope over the years, to know that as long as the person is alive, they can still ask God to save them.  It does not matter if you have made wrong choices all your life and you have suffered the results of those and you are at the bottom of the barrel, God will still say “Yes!” if you will just offer yourself to him.  I know people do not easily forgive or forget but God loves with an everlasting love and is benevolent in all His ways.  I love the mercy and grace of God and that He overshadows me with these.  No wonder, He said the last shall be first.

Matthew 20:1-16 

1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Safe Thus Far

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I Samuel 7:12, Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Shen and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.”
God had just delivered Israel from their enemy’s hand and had given victory over the Philistines.
As children of God, we too can say “thus far” the Lord has helped us. The words are like a hand pointing in the direction of the past. No matter the circumstance, the situation, the trial, the temptation —Thus far has the Lord helped us. The words “thus far” also point forward. Considering His faithfulness and loving-kindness in the past, we can trust that He will continue to help us because we have not yet come to the end. Because His grace and mercies are sure and everlasting, no matter the battles and toils to come He will never forsake us, and at the very end we will be able to say He has kept us safe thus far.
Memorial Stones at Jordan – Two Sets of Twelve. When Joshua and the Israelites were crossing over the Jordan River that God parted for them, God told Joshua to have twelve men carry a stone from the river floor over to the other side.There a memorial would be constructed so it would be seen and told how God had brought them across Jordan.
Joshua himself set up twelve stones in the midst of the dry Jordan riverbed where the feet of the priests which carried the ark of the covenant over had stood. Joshua’s act points to Jesus, our great High Priest who gives us the “white stone wherein our new name is written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” (Revelation 2:17) It cannot be physically seen, but we know it it there in our heart and our soul is safe because of the Holy Ghost. Our salvation is personal- between us and God, like the hidden stones, but through the Holy Spirit others can witness the existence of our salvation and the white stone (Jesus) that has been placed in our hearts- this is grace. One memorial seen – one unseen. We all have times we can look back on and know it was only the Lord that brought us through that. Like the stones that were visible, this becomes part of our testimony to the keeping power of our God. Others can be encouraged to trust Him in the difficult times through our testimony of God’s faithfulness.
The shepherds of the Alps have a beautiful custom of ending the day by singing an evening farewell to one another. As the sun begins to set, they gather their flocks and begin to lead them down the mountain paths while they sing, “Thus far has the Lord helped us. Let us praise His name.” Let us call out to one another through the darkness encouraging God’s weary travelers. The Lord who “thus far” has helped you will help you all your journey through.

Jeremiah’s Rescue

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Scriptures: Jeremiah 37 & Jeremiah 38
Israel had asked Egypt to help them fight Babylon, the Chaldeans. However, Egypt returned to their own land and Israel was left alone to fight the Chaldeans. The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah that Jerusalem would be destroyed by Babylon unless they surrendered to them. Jeremiah was accused of treason, beaten, and put into prison by the princes. King Zedekiah came to Jeremiah to ask him if there was any word from the Lord. Jeremiah told him even though he knew it might mean he would be put to death. The king told them to keep Jeremiah in the court of the prison and give him a piece of bread daily until all the bread in Jerusalem was gone.
The princes were so angry with Jeremiah and the word from the Lord that he spoke that they asked the king to have Jeremiah put to death. The king told them to do with Jeremiah as they wished. They cast him into a dungeon where there was no water, letting him down with cords, into the mire to die. (vs.6)
However, there was a servant named Ebedmelech (typifying the Holy Spirit) in the king’s house that knew where Jeremiah was and he wanted to save him. The king grants Ebedmelech’s request and gives him 30 men to rescue Jeremiah from the pit. Ebedmelech gets old rags and threadbare, worn-out clothes from under the king’s treasury to use in Jeremiah’s rescue. Ebedmelech instructs Jeremiah to put these rags and cloths under his arms when the cords are let down to pull him out, just as the Spirit guides and teaches us. Ebedmelech knew this would ease Jeremiah’s pain and suffering as he was lifted up by the cords. (vs.11,12)
Jesus, our Savior, took our pain and suffering, putting on the flesh (the old rags) so that we could be lifted out of the mire of sin and death. His love, mercy, and grace are like those old rags that took away the pain and suffering in our soul.
We are like those old rags, too. We are worthless, serving no purpose without Him. In His hands, we are made useful, worthy, and have a purpose. We can be used by Him, like those old rags, to help ease the pain and suffering of others, help others come to Christ to be saved; help them to be lifted up out of the mire of sin.
All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, but Jesus has made us righteous through His righteousness. (From Isaiah 64:6)
Jesus was lifted up on the cross to suffer and die so that we could be lifted up out of sin and death and be reconciled to God.
He lifted us out of the pit and set our feet upon the Rock-lifted us up and out of the mire and brought us over and into life, into a beautiful place, His kingdom. (From Psalm 40:2)
Jeremiah’s message from God was not popular as the Gospel message is still despised and rejected by many today. However, Jeremiah stood boldly with what God had given him. We are called to be Jeremiahs in our generation-claiming the Gospel, willing to be unpopular and unaccepted by the world for the Gospel’s sake.

Seeking a Greater Vision of God’s Glory

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The angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, a bush that was not consumed by the fire. God called Moses’ name and Moses answered, “Here am I.” God told Moses to take off his shoes for the place where he stood was holy ground. When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush while Moses was tending his father-in-law’s sheep in Horeb, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look upon God.
Exodus 3:6 – “Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.”
Later, Moses desired to see more of God’s glory and asked God to grant this. Moses’ bold request to now see God’s glory unveiled shows that a transformation had occurred in Moses.
Exodus 33:18-23

18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Moses had seen the glory of God in His miracles in Egypt,  parting the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness, the thick smoke-filled cloud on Mount Sinai, and much more. He had seen “kabod”, the unmatched magnificence and incomparable power of God, but Moses asked for “Shekinah” glory, the “dwelling glory” of God- a life-transforming experience, to look upon His grandeur, His holiness, His divinity.
God told Moses that He could not let him see His face, His full glory because man could not see God and live. God told Moses that there a place beside Him, a rock to stand on, and when His glory passed by Moses, God would put Moses in the cleft of the rock and would cover Moses with His hand as he passed by. God said, “And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back part: but my face shall not be seen.” (Exodus 33:23) God had allowed Moses to see the glory that was to come through the promised one, Christ at Calvary. We can not see the glory of God in the flesh because the carnal is not of God, it is not spiritual. The flesh is incapable of comprehending God’s glory and majesty.
God’s glory is only revealed through His Son, Jesus. It is when a person is hid in the cleft of the rock, the chief corner stone, Jesus, that there is any access to God’s presence and glory. When Christ died on the cross and the soldier pierced Jesus’ side and forth came blood and water- the church was born, covered by grace and filled with the indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost. The Father’s magnificent glory is revealed in the Son, and the Son’s glory is in the Father.
We are hidden completely from God’s wrath and righteous judgment at Jesus’ side alone. We are His bride on His arm- “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” ~ Song of Solomon 8:5
Moses desired and thus asked to see God’s glory, choosing the good part just as Mary did while sitting at His feet. A Christian should desire a closer relationship with Christ, listening, learning, being still at His feet and beholding His glory. We should be crying out to our heavenly Father, “God, show me Your Glory!”
 “In the year that kind Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple… The seraphim cried  unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” ~ Isaiah 6:1,3
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” ~ Revelation 21:23

Of the Heart

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Did you know the heart is what really matters? Physically it is the hollow, muscular organ that circulates the blood by alternate dilation and contraction. The heart needs to operate within a certain pressure and rhythm for your body to stay healthy. If it fails to operate then the body ceases to function and you die. The health of your heart is very important. This is also true spiritually. Spiritually the heart is the center of feelings and the seat of the affections. There are several versus that describe how important your heart is your spiritual life. Matthew 15:18-19 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?
What is in your heart guides your speech, your thoughts, and your actions. A heart that is full of sin cannot produce good fruit. Your heart is what the Lord sees. I’m not saying he doesn’t see your actions or deeds but your heart is where God wants to be.

1 Samuel 16:7 For the Lord seeth not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

This why the greatest commandment given is “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

You might ask how do I change my heart from being evil to being good? David said “Create in me a clean heart O God;”

Ezekiel 11:19-20 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh. That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

Psalms 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart: and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
I have read scriptures in the Old Testament that talked about serving God with a perfect heart. What does this mean? Does it mean that you are without sin? That you live a perfect life?

1 Chronicles 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee:…

Serving the Lord with a perfect heart doesn’t mean that you are a perfect person. I feel that it means that your heart is fixed on God and that he is at the center of your life. Your thoughts are toward Him. Your desires are toward Him and His way.

Psalms 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

This verse doesn’t include doubts about what your purpose is or fear of what might happen. It says your heart is determined and settled. Sometimes in the journey of life we lose our focus. Our heart becomes drawn away by our own desires and we dwell on our circumstances instead of seeking God first in our lives.

I was reading my Bible and read the verse below and God convicted my heart. Like me you might be going to church, reading your Bible, doing good to others but if your heart isn’t fixed on Him then you will feel empty. When I read this verse I realized that I wasn’t seeking Him with my heart. It’s when my heart seeks after Him that I am blessed.

Psalms 27:8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face: my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

I think this is what is lacking in our worship of the Lord. You can go through the actions and follow the program but if you heart is not seeking and fixed upon Him then the heart will not be filled as it needs to be but will be empty of that strength that it needs.

Matthew 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

I desire a closer walk with God. I want to make a greater difference in this world. I want to feel more of His Holy Spirit in my life.

I want God to work miracles in the lives of those around me. I want to be in God’s favor and under His wings.

God doesn’t measure us on our ability to do great things. But God does search our hearts to see if our heart is for Him. A heart that is fixed recognizes that God is omnipotent, God is in control, God knows best, and God is the center of your existence.

Psalms 28:7 …my heart trusteth in Him, and I am helped.

Staying In The Battle

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It is so important that you as a soldier in the army of the Lord do not give up in the battle that you are waging against the enemy.  You may feel that you are not accomplishing anything and that your part doesn’t make a difference.  You may not realize the impact that your life has on others.   I would like to talk about the difference that Jonathan, the eldest son of Saul, made in the battle.

We find in 1 Samuel 12: 5-7 that Israel was facing a hard battle against the Philistines.  “And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and peoples as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude; and they came up and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.  When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.  And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.  As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the peopled followed from him trembling.”  Not only was Israel greatly outnumbered but they had no swords or spears to fight with.  There were no iron workers or smiths found in the land of Israel.  But the Israelites went down to the Philistines to get their axes and mattocks sharpened.  So there was neither sword or spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan.

It looked like there was no way to overcome.  In Chapter 14, Jonathan, the son of Saul, said unto his young armour bearer, “Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.”  But they told no one and no one knew they were gone.  The path that Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison was a difficult path.  There was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side.  How many times have you felt like you were in this situation?  You may have felt like there was no hope or no way out.  Jonathan said again to his armour bearer, “Come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised:  it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.”  What faith that Jonathan had.  Heremembered God’s promises and covenant with Israel.  He was taking God seriously and claiming what God had already given Israel.  Many are the times we don’t receive from God because we don’t believe what He has already promised us.

The armour bearer told Jonathan to do all that was in his heart, behold, I am with thee.  This had to be encouragement for Jonathan.  I like to think that the armour bearer represented the Holy Spirit that is always present with us and goes with us through all our battles and trials.   Jonathan said we will pass over to these men and if they say unto us, Tarry until we come to you, then we will stand still in our place and will not go up unto them.  But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand and this shall be a sign to us.  Jonathan was putting his fleece out, waiting on an answer from God.  Unlike his father, Saul, who had just committed sin in the earlier chapter by not waiting on Samuel to come to offer the sacrifice, Jonathan was depending on God to do the leading and willing to go forward when God sent His approval.

When Jonathan made known their presence unto the Philistines, they said, “Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing”. Jonathan knew it was time to move into the battle.  He said unto his armour bearer, “Come up after me: for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”  Jonathan defeated a small number of Philistines in the mountain pass.  Then God Himself moved in the battle.  He sent an earthquake which caused a great panic among the Philistines.  All the noise and commotion of the retreating Philistines were noticed by Saul’s watchmen.  Saul decided to join in the battle.  In verses 21 & 22, it says that the Hebrews who had joined the Philistines earlier went up from them and turned to be with the Israelites.  Alsothe men of Israel which had been hiding in the mountain also joined in the battle against the Philistines.  Verse 23 says so the Lord saved Israel that day.

Jonathan didn’t know that he would be a “recruiter” for the Lord’s battle that day.  He was just following in his heart what he thought the Lord wanted him to do.  Your life can have a similar impact.  By staying in the battle, you will have an influence on others.  Those who had left Israel and joined the Philistines, turned back to fight with Israel.  Those who had been afraid and discouraged and had hid themselves in the mountain, gained courage and strength and joined the battle.  If others see that you are faithful to God in the good times and in the bad, they will be encouraged and want to do as you do.  So don’t ever give up but keep fighting the good fight of faith and performing the labor that God has given you.  Jonathan was humble in his obedience to God.  It was God’s victory that daybut Jonathan allowed himself to be used in the battle and as a result many who had turned away from God came back that day to fight in the battle.

As we begin a new year in 2019, be determined to stay in the battle of faith believing that God will answer your prayers, will bring you wayward family back home, will deliver individuals from the chains of addiction, and will save those who are lost.  Your fight is important not only to God but to those around you.

 

A Covering

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A covering is used to cover something else, typically in order to protect or conceal it.  When I begin to think in terms of our spiritual covering that God has provided, my heart is overwhelmed by the depth of God’s love for me.  I know that many have written and spoke on this subject and that my few words will be feeble in comparison but sometimes as one of the Redeemed I just need to say so.

First of all, if something needs covered this means it is vulnerable or weak and needs protection from the elements surrounding it so it will not suffer harm or damage.  When God came to me I was lost and undone and needed my sins to be covered by the blood of His Son.  I am reminded of a couple of scriptures that describe this covering so well.  First in the garden of Eden when Eve and Adam sinned against God and knew they were naked they tried to make their own covering to cover their nakedness and sin by sewing fig leaves together.  But this did not work.  They were still ashamed.  When God came to them in the garden and they confessed what they had done wrong, God himself made them tunics of skin and clothed them.  This highlights that there would have to be a sacrifice now to cover the sin of mankind which would be Jesus’s death upon the cross.  God himself provided the sacrifice that was needed.

The other scripture that I identify with so well is in Ezekiel 16.  In this scripture we find a babe that has been cast out without a father or mother to care for it.  As others passed by no one had compassion or pity for the babe.  But when He passed by, He said it could live.  He spread His skirt over the babe and covered it.  He entered into a covenant with the babe.  It now belonged to him.  He washed away all the blood and anointed it with oil.  Then  He dressed the babe with the best garment and shoes.  Aren’t you glad that when Jesus came by your way that he reached down into the depths of your sin, picked you up, cleansed you, filled you with his Spirit, and dressed you in new garments-made you a new creature and made a covenant with you?

Isaiah 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels.

I am also so glad that He not only saved my soul but that He is ever present upon this journey of life to be our Protector and Provider.  Many times I think about the mother hen and her little chicks and how that they may be all over the place but when danger arises they flock to their mother and she spreads her wings over them to protect them.  I want to stay under the wings of God’s protection.  A great example of God’s protection is shown when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness.  It took the blood on the doorpost to bring the deliverance but also on the journey through the wilderness God protected and provided for their every need.

Exodus 13:21  And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.

In the desert the heat is unbearable during the day and the nights are so very cold.  The cloud provided them shelter from the sun and the pillar of fire provided heat and light for the night.  At one point the Egyptians were so close that the children of Israel could see them.  They began to worry and complain and blame Moses.  Moses told them that the Lord shall fight for you and to hold their peace.  So the angel of the Lord which went before the camp of Israel removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face and stood behind them.  It came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud of darkness to the Egyptians and a cloud of light to the children of Israel and they came not near each other all night.  Moses stretched out his hand over the Red Sea and the Lord caused the sea to go back all night long to create a path wide enough for the thousands of Israelite’s to cross over.  If anyone had decided to leave the camp they would not have survived.  If you want God’s protection and favor you have to stay in His camp and do His will.

God is in control of everything and I definitely want to be in a place where I can be covered by His protection.  I have been in this way for several years and know that many times in my life that God’s hand has kept disaster and trouble from overwhelming me and mine.  I believe that He can do anything and that He will work on my behalf when I have needs or problems.

Deuteronomy 33: 12  And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

 

 

 

The Mudroom

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First let me say that I am not a dreamer and very seldom ever have a dream that I can remember but I have had God show me things in dreams from time to time. Perhaps because I am simple in nature God quite often uses ordinary things or situations to reveal to me a greater spiritual meaning. I’m a firm believer that God knows how to speak to each individual in a way that they can understand.

The other night I had a dream about a huge wind storm. It wasn’t a tornado but almost to that point. I was in a house with my Mom and my aunt Gertrude (both already gone home to be with the Lord). We were watching the storm through the window when I noticed there were a Hispanic woman and two children outside in the woods. I knew they were in danger and wanted to bring them to safety. I opened the door and shouted to them that it was okay if they wanted to come in out of the storm. They came into house into the mudroom. A mudroom is a room at an entrance to a house where people can leave wet or dirty clothes or shoes before entering the main portion of the house. Since I didn’t know anything about who they were or where they came from I was hesitant about inviting them further than the mudroom. I then heard God speak to me and say, “I didn’t just bring you into the mudroom but I invited you to sit at my table, to sleep in my bed, to have full access to all that I have.” This convicted my heart. I knew my compassion and love were lacking. My love should reflect the same love that God has for me. It humbles my heart to know where He brought me from and I am now a joint heir with Christ-not an outsider. I have complete access to the Father’s house and all His benefits.

I began to study further on this thought and realized that so many times we are just satisfied to be in the mudroom. We are in the house and safe from the storm so we are satisfied with just being inside the fold without enjoying all of the blessings that God has for us. I was reminded of the scripture in II Kings 4:3 where Elisha told the widow woman that she needed to go and borrow vessels from her neighbors and to borrow not a few. I believe that the woman didn’t just knock on 3 or 4 doors to borrow the vessels but I believe that she went through the whole community and knocked on every door to borrow the vessels. Every vessel that she borrowed was filled with oil. She sold the oil, paid off her debt, and she and her children lived off the rest. Hallelujah for God’s amazing grace! If she had borrowed only a few, she might have paid off the debt but then she would have struggled with her everyday living to make ends meet. But her desire to borrow all that she could provided for her family for many days.

I also thought about another situation in II Kings 13:18-19. Joash, King of Israel, had come to visit Elisha who was sick. Elisha told him to take his bow and arrows. When Joash put his hand on the bow, Elisha put his hands over the King’s hands. He told Joash to open the window and shoot. He shot the arrows and Elisha declared this to be the arrow of deliverance from Syria. Elisha told Joash to take the arrows and smite them upon the ground. Joash smote the arrows three times and stopped. Elisha was upset with Joash and told him he should have smitten them five for six times and he would have smitten Syria until they were consumed whereas now he would only smite Syria three times. So many times God wants us to do something for him and because the situation may not improve immediately we get discouraged and give up. God wants us to serve him with a full heart to give him our all and to keep our faith strong and persevere regardless of the situation.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

Wait On That Good Seed To Bloom

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Here is a devotional that talks about learning to wait and see the good seed that was sown in God’s love to bloom and be a blessing to others (and you too!)

What To Do When Confronted

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Here is a devotion that will speak to what we need to display in our example as Christians when confronted!