Christ Came; And No One Cared!

Maybe it is the Christmas Season, or perhaps the cold dreary weather, but I am aggravated. I was informed that the church I attend is not planning to have service on Christmas day because "no one will come." Then I read on CNN.com, that several so called mega churches are canceling service because "people don't want to be there, and it is Christmas." I thought we were Christian aka Christlike, but apparently I was wrong.


We claim to be Apostolic, Believers, Anointed, but the very reason we celebrate, or at least the reason we claim, isn't important enough to acknowledge the reason we even have a Christmas Day!


Now I realize Jesus wasn't born on Christmas Day, December 25, but HE was born. This is the only day the majority of the world even acknowledges His existance, and that is the day we choose to cancel church service? Can anyone tell me why? I remember growing up and talking to my friends about God, but most of them wouldn't come on a normal sunday, but they all made a point to be in a church service somewhere on Easter, and yes Christmas Day.
What has happened to us? What has happened to our beliefs? What has happened to our respect for our creator?


The liberal world is busy even trying to remove the word Christmas from the season. Let's call it a holiday season, we don't want to offend those who don't believe. Hogwash. Remove Christ from Christmas and all you have is fat women, and rude men running over each other in greedful exasperations early in the morning at Walmart, for that one item that there is only one of, and it is on sale! I seen reports of people being trampled in stores, while trying to find some stupid present that was overpriced made by some cheap labor force overseas so that the retailer could fatten his already bulging wallet. And yet, the calm time in the Shopping Storm has always been the fellowship, the drama, the music, and the cheer, and peaceful thoughts of religious diligence and real love for Jesus Christ in our church worship. And we are throwing it out, because people might not show up.


It is idiotic to call ourselves Christian, when we care more about the gifts, than the Giver of Life.
He made Himself of no reputation, but we have to have designer clothes, and XBox, maybe a new car, and a massive credit card bill we will still be paying off in 2010.


See, the first time Jesus came it wasn't a big crescendo. No one really knew, but a couple shepherds, and a few wise men from the east. They weren't even of His own nationality, but they had studied stars, and papyrus scrolls, and they knew something was going on that was important. He couldn't even get a room at a hospital or a Motel 6 to be born in, but a stable. The King of ALL eternity, born in a cow trough. No bells, no party, probably not even any baby gifts, just a bit of cloth wrapped around his body, while a couple sheep looked on. And this was after the prophecies had foretold his birth, even to the city, but even then people were so busy with their lives, they didn't care or realize that He came for them.


Zoom forward a little more than 2000 years, and we are back at the same place. If He came back on Christmas Day, would we even know it? Oh yes, I know we think we are saved. We think when the rapture happens we will be like rockets out of this pathetic world, leaving the horrible heathens behind. Thing is, when God created the earth, He said it was good. We are the ones who screwed everything up. This earth is pathetic and dying because of the inhabitants, not because of the creator. We want Him to save us from the misery, pain, sickness, and all the trouble we bring on ourselves, so that we can be "like Him."


"Like Him?" We don't even know Him! The Bible says some have entertained angels unawares. And most of us have read the accounts of the disciples at Emaus, they didn't even realize who he was until He did something. And how about Thomas, "Lord, if its you...." "Thomas, look at the scars on my hands, stick your hand in my side." Yet somehow in our pompous, self righteous Christianity we think we would know Him?


I mean put yourself in His place. You have been gone for a long time from "home." Where would you come? To the place that is "your house," of course. We call our churches houses of prayer, house of worship, even the house of God, but we treat them like recreation halls, and marketplaces. But when He came home, the doors were locked; everyone was somewhere else. "Those that look for Him, will he appear a second time..."


We have become so organized and choreographed with what we call worship, that if the service don't fit with our plan, we are lost. So instead of being there for the lost who may show up, we close the building down. If even Jesus showed up at our church, on His day, of all days, no one would be there.


We make a big deal of the trumpet, the great white horse, the return of the saints, and somehow gloss over the "thief that comes in the night," when no one is prepared. He came the first time without a lot of fanfare, it wasn't on the news, no fancy hall, no party, what makes us think it will be different the second time?


I am more inclined to believe He will come the second time like he came the first, more like the hide and seek game, than the charging army. Instead of royal robes, and a calvacade of horses and chariots, He would appear in the midst like he did after His ressurection. How would you feel if you came home for Christmas, and your loved ones were all gone somewhere else? Think He feels different? Showing up after all this time, and it wasn't important enough for His own people. It is a shame isn't it? But let's lock our church doors, and make sure the lights are off and make sure we are busy with candy, punch, extra ham and potatos, and of course that pie... we don't want to be open for the one who may show up wearing rags, homeless, dirty, and hungry; I mean that would mean we would have to leave our comfortable warm fire, and our games, and "you don't know, that one may not even show up. And then we would have wasted all that time."


So, let's get our Christmas Celebrations out of the way early in the month, and hand out our candy canes,oranges, and peanuts at the beginning so we won't be caught off guard on Christmas.


"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment." Matthew 25:40-46


I think we need to be in church on Christmas, even if we are alone, but if your doors are locked, how about stopping by a nursing home and singing some carols, or perhaps shoveling someone else's sidewalks, or take a food basket to someone you know is hurting. It is what He would do!
If He returned on Christmas, what would you be doing?

God Bless Us, Everyone! Help Us to KNOW YOU!

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The Difference Between Being Broken and Being Useless

My heart tonight is heavy. I have been looking around to see if it is just my perception or if it is almost too late.

Christianity has become so commercial. What used to pass for holiness, is now considered passe', and what some used to recognize as sin, is now looked at with an unoffensive eye. Those who at one time were the holy rollers, and the mighty workers for God, have somehow lost sight of what is important. Even our preachers, like the word says, are preaching, or doing, listening, carefully manuevering through the tithe-payers, rather than doing "thus saith the Lord."

I have pondered the meaning of the scripture, "I looked for a man to stand in the gap, and found none." I do not believe that everyone has lost their fire or their zeal for God. I believe some have hidden their talent and their anointing, rather than face the ridicule of others. And I believe still others have had their talents buried for them, because they don't fit with what is popular.

Preachers! Wake Up! "Watchmen, what of the night?" "What meaneth the bleating of the sheep?" The difference between being broken and being useless needs to be addressed.

In many churches, gone are the days of intercession, of all night prayer meetings, of fasting til we see results. Instead they have been replaced with programs, singing groups, special events, and other activities to "reach them where they are at." Where are the hungry souls? They still exist! Brokeness is an act of contrition, of deepening one's walk with God to the point where, no matter what happens, "I must touch Jesus!" Somehow I must get across to him the needs of those around me. I cannot be who I am called to be, without first being broken. I have to get rid of the parts of my life that are a hinderance, and a stumbling block. I have to commune with God and learn from him.

The boy David, knew how to talk to God. He knew how to be a help to those around him. He also knew how to fight the battles alone. He didn't have help when he slew the lion or bear, save God. He wasn't even backed up by the army of "saints" when he slew Goliath. He went into battle alone, and without all the trappings of what others expected for him to be "right."

But he was more than just a warrior. He knew how to sing praises, and he knew how to get God's attention. A man after God's own heart. Sure he was human, and he made mistakes, but he knew it wasn't about him. To many people, the ones making the most noise, or being upfront in the action are the ones who make a difference, and the ones that are important. However, the bible doesn't see it that way. "He that is first shall be last, and he that is last shall be first." "Create in me a clean heart, and a right spirt." "They that hunger and thirst after righteousness, shall be filled." Many passages tell us exactly what to do, but there are also many that tell, that we have hardened our hearts and wont listen.

God cannot, and will not, use a vessel that is just for show. Sometimes we start off in the right attitude and with good intentions, but we get sidetracked by circumstance, or our own perceptions of what is good or not. Instead of really seeking God in prayer for direction, we try to make it happen, and we lose the humbleness of our hearts. My heart is so burdened tonight for someone, they have heard, and yet they remain unchanged. We have let our lives get derailed by a trial, or a test, or just because of our lack of committment. Hardened in our hearts and fill with our own imaginations and beliefs, we lose sight of what is really important.

Saul was such a person. Sure he was king, and he had been put in charge of God's people, but he let circumstance and others opinions cloud who he was meant to be. He failed because he listened to the wrong voice. He forgot to be humble, and use the gifts of God like he used to. Choirs have to be choreographed, the preacher has to preach so long, and we can't forget that special offering we were going to take for the new thing we need for that one deal. Sound familiar? We don't use those that don't fit the image of what we want to portray. If some slip by the wayside its ok, as long as we don't offend those who seem to be moldable. Rather shouldn't we be looking for the hunger more than the manner of personality? Are we jealous if God chooses to use someone else? Do we do everything we can to see that change doesn't occur?

That is the difference between being broken, and being useless. When our position, or our perception become more important, than our impact in changing lives to see God, reagardless of who we think they are, then we are useless in God's sight.

Saul was so afraid of the abilities that God had given David, that he refused to see him for what he was. Oh sure, when he needed something from David to appease his own ideas, he was friendly, and welcoming, but when it looked like David may get some attention, he had to stop it. He tried many times to kill David. I guess he felt that if David wasnt' there, he would still be in charge. However, God had already made his decision. Saul had lost his committment, and had become useless. He listened to what the people said. Eventually, he even consulted a witch.

There is a place and a committment to God that each of us must find, and no one can make it happen for us. No one else's prayers and good works can keep the backslider from going to hell. Sure, we can extend God's mercy, and pray he gives them time, but it is a one to one consecration, and humbleness of spirit that matters. Sometimes we get caught up in homiletics, and in choreography, or "tradition" that we leave God entirely out of the picture. It doesn't matter if we grew up in a "christian" home or the world. Our relationship with God is the only thing that matters.

Trials will come, and test will shake us to our very core, but they are not brought to weaken or destroy us, but rather to show us where we need work, or even as a reminder of how strong He really is, if we are leaning on him. We need sometimes instead of the jump and shout, to find a place of solitude and desperation in touching him. A hunger, and a reaching, that stirs and breaks us to our very soul. Yes, we can lean on him. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding, and he will direct thy path."

When the children of Israel went up to do battle against the Midianites, they were few in number, and God wouldn't even let them use a sword. A trumpet, a pitcher, and a lamp was their only weapons. And yet when that pitcher was broken, the light shown out to their brothers around the camp, but it also destroyed the will of the enemy, and fear came upon them and they fled or were killed by their own Midianite warriors. A broken vessel led the way to victory. Something we would think as not any good, and would throw out, God used for his glory.

Jesus was broken for us on the cross, and he was submissive to the pain and suffering, and ridicule, and he saved us. What would happen to us, if we allowed ourselves to be broken?

Are you willing to be broken? Or will you end up being thrown out, because you are no longer useful? Lord, let me be broken, for you!

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In Whom Doth Your Strength Lie?

"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright. Save, Lord: let the king hear us when we call." Psalms 20:7-9

It is easy these days to rest on our achievements, and to forget that we are simply weak vessels meant for the master's good pleasure. We can read in many passages of scripture where men of old began to rely on their own strength and wisdom to get them through life, and in most instances, they failed.

We have read the story of Samson and how he brought great misery to the Philistines; until one day his weakness, and his self-reliance cost him his sight, his strength, and his dignity. Yes, god did allow him to regain his strength for one last victory, but have you ever wondered what the story of Samson would have been had he kept his vow, and his dependence on God. Truly, he would have been a mighty man.

Many instances of reliance on one's own intellect and strength are mentioned in the bible; but in all, pain, discouragement, and failure were soon to follow. Sure, many times these men with the best intentions meant no harm, but God required strict obedience to his word.

Disobedience to the word, brought much destruction on God's people. We can read several instances where the children of Israel lost battles simply to disobedience. Achan's hidden wedge of gold cost many lives, and eventually his own. Intermarriage with the Jebusites, brought weakness into the camp. Saul spared Agag and some of the cattle, because of "the people." A broken covenant stripped Samson of his power. In 1st Samuel 17:24, we read how a backslidden nation forgot the strength of God and became cowards. Even the apostles were rendered helpless over satanic forces because of their unbelief.

Where doth your strength lie?

We need to keep in mind that our strength cometh from the Lord, and only through Him are we able to stand. In these days of fancy singing, incredible slideshows, computers and other forms of "religious use" technology, it is easy to rely on the program and forget God. All the new methods we use in our daily lives makes it sometimes easy to forget that without God there is nothing! It is very easy to put our trust in our job, our family, our friends, our bank account, or even our own self. However, these things are perishable and finite. He alone is omnipotent and everlasting.


Often it takes being broke, destitute, and discouraged, before we figure out we need to rely on God to see us through. It would be a lot easier if we would give Him glory, and depend on him, as the word says we should, in times of plenty, than to wait until we are in bad shape looking up from the bottom of mess and we are in need desperately. He is as strong in times of prosperity as He is in poverty. Who do you think is prospering you?

Reliance on God is a choice. And it is one we all have to make in our own daily and spiritual lives. We can read how after crossing into Canaan, Joshua exclaimed, "As for me and my house, We will serve the Lord."

In Matthew 8:24-27, we read, "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

Where does your strength lie?

The choices we make now will ultimately affect us later on. There are times we don't rely on God's strength because we think it seems impossible or too easy an answer. I am reminded of the story of a man hiking in the mountains and came to close to the edge of a cliff and fell off. Screaming "HELP!" as he plummeted down the face of the rock, he managed to grab onto a branch growing in a crevice in the cliff. After catching his breath and realizing there was no way to climb back up the sheer wall, he prayed isn't there someone who can help me? Several minutes of sweating desperation went by when he heard a voice. "How can I help?" Although he was unable to see the individual he explained his predictamint. "By the way, who are you?, he asked. The voice replied, "I am God! Do you trust me to help you?" "Of course I do!" "Then let go of the branch, and I will catch you." After several minutes went by, the man again shouted, "Is there anyone else up there?" His trust in the strength of God, was not enough to cause him to let go.

Now I know this is a ludicrous example to test our trust in God, but it is very accurate most of the time. We are often more content to keep our problems, and do things our own way like we always do, rather than trust God to see us through. 1st Corinthians 1:27 states, "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty."

Many passages of scripture relate the relavance of simple things being made mighty through the hand of God. Naaman was cured of leprosy simply by dipping seven times in a muddy river. The walls of Jericho fell by armored tanks and rocket propelled grenades. (Really! That is what our feeble minds would allow us to believe.) The camp of Israel simply marched around the walls, and on the seventh day, they shouted, and the walls crumbled to dust. And the Midianites were defeated by breaking a couple pitchers, showing a few oil lamps, and the blast of trumpets. They were so confused, they fought each other thinking they were being attacked. Yet, we think we have to invest all this money, training, time, and worry to accomplish the tasks laid before us. When we come to terms that God is our strength, and that he will supply, "all things are possible." Remember he fed five thousand with one little boy' lunch, and he saved us all with one act of obedience of his crucifixion on the cross. We simply have to follow and obey. Where does your strength lie? The psalmist David knew, and he wrote, "Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." (Psalms 31:24) Where does your strength lie? We all like to quote passages scriptures of strength when we feel weakhearted, but it is the word of God for ALL times.

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

The Name of the Lord is a strong tower! In Whom doth your strength lie?

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WARNING SIGNS!!!

Last December, we all heard about the great and powerful Tsunami that rocked the coasts of India, Sri Lanka, Africa, and many other countries down near the Indian Ocean. Thousands were injured or lost their lives in an instant. The whole earth shook. The devastation is still being talked about. Today I read an article on CNN that this Tsunami Earthquake was the strongest ever recorded and affected the whole planet. Is this the endtime?

There were news broadcasts, inquiries in senate and foreign governments about where were the early warning devices. If they had been in place maybe the loss of life would have been less. Perhaps, but there were also many articles related to the disappearance of birds, even elephants from the areas most affected. Sounds to me like there were warning signs.

In these days of technology, sometimes we overlook the obvious. I also remember hearing that when choppers flew over one island, they were met with a naked man shooting arrows at them to keep them away. It was a primitive place, where they lived on what they knew and didn't want outside influence. And in that place there didn't seem to be as much damage from what we could tell. Not as much littered buildings on the beach, no signs of bodies. Apparently they paid attention to the warning signs they saw.

We hear the reports all the time of global warming, shifts in our ecological balance and as Christians sometimes we ignore those as being of humanistic value or even fodder for the endtime war mongers. We sometimes think of the world as this immoral, ugly place for sinners. We live here too. We are as inept at keeping our world peaceful and clean as anyone else. Don't believe it. Ever get bugged by the lady who presses in front of us at the supermarket and she has more than ten items? Or how about the older man who drives so slow, when we are in such a hurry? Do we get upset?

It is the endtime. There are warning signs everywhere if we pay attention. Wars, well duh, famines, pestilence (thats bugs eating crops), earthquakes in divers places, changes in the enviroment. We can look at the corruption of our politicians, and even those who claim to be religious. And even a new pope? Scary! Yes, I know he doesn't necessarily mean the antichrist is coming soon, but the television shows seem to think so. Oh and I don't want to get started on television. It serves its purpose I suppose, but what is with all this reality junk? Think about it.

In the times of the early persecution of the church, the Roman coliseums were filled to capacity with people watching "Christians" and others no doubt be beaten by gladiators, (hmmm, boxing) and eaten by Lions or being forced to do things against their will. To the victor goes the spoils. Sound like anything you may have seen on TV? Voyeurism? How about now we have cell phones that can take photos and transmit in seconds, to anyone, anyplace? One question. Why?

However, I digress. It does sound very similar to the early church but in a more technological way. We don't have to go anywhere anymore to get our fill of food, entertainment, or even to work. The bible says in the last days "knowledge will be increased."

Get tired of waiting in the fast food line? Does that microwave you bought last year seem to slow to nuke the overcooked prepackaged sodium infused dinner that you got at the local supermarket for a dollar and change? Or how about the length of time it took for this page to load on your high powered pc that you can't live without when mostly what you do is play games or chat. Sound familiar? The bible says in the last days, "for the elects' sake the days shall be shortened."

Shall I go on? Wars, earthquakes, weather patterns, volcanoes. The list could go on and on. Effeminate, trucebreakers, lovers of money, ok now I am being petty right? I mean, things change. Life is different than it used to be. Yes it is. Although the bible does say, "as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the son of man." But party on dude!

WARNING SIGNS!!!

(Disclaimer: If you are easily offended, do not read beyond this point, I will make you mad.)

How about we take it to the church. Lets deviate to hem lines. I recently was told by a friend of mine that the former church they attended got a new pastor. Previously, this particular church had all night prayer meetings, four services a week, the pastor was conservative, and no rings were allowed and women were not allowed to wear skirts with slits without sewing them up, and the skirt hem had to be below the knee. Ohmygoodness! The church was holy, and had a reputation for soul winning. A new pastor came in and decided one service a week was enough as the church couldn't afford his salary and the lights, and they had to make a cut somewhere. Oh and also the slits, well, "maybe they aren't so bad." I mean, we live in a progressive era, and contemporary songs, and clothing is easier to come by. Guess where the attendance went. It was great for a couple weeks, but little by little the older people began to drift away, and they took their kids with them.

Now I realize no one likes a pastor who beats his saints over the head, and preaches hellfire every service. And yes sometimes it does appear we are able to reach the "youth" if we get down on their level. However, what does it do over the long term? No one knows. But the bible does say in the last days we will have "preachers having itching ears, preaching what the people want to hear." In the past few years in pentecostal circles we have lost some of what made us who we were. We sing more contemporary songs, we wear nicer clothes, drive fancier cars, live in bigger houses, work more to pay for all these things and miss church more.

Gone are the all night prayer meetings in most places. Gone are the weeks of revival services, anointed music by anoited apostolic musicians who can play the piano, not have to use a karoke sound track. Gone are the burdened for the smaller city with a church that meets in the back of someones converted garage. We watch for the doctors and lawyers, we don't have time for those on welfare, or those barely getting by. We want the rich. Gone is the vision. We are just to busy, and the love of many have waxed cold. Thats bible too.

WARNING SIGNS!!

Jesus said in the last days perilous times would come and that men would become lovers of themself more than lovers of God. We get more wrapped up in the church building program, and the politics of religion than we do in the ministry of the word. I am not saying we need more preaching, but we need more REACHING!

We have gotten to the place where if the songs are not choreographed to match the planned sermon, or if one of the praise singers, or piano player, is missing we feel like God can't move.
God doesn't need a fancy choir. He said to make a joyful noise. It isn't the hours of preparation, but the dedication of the heart. Worship comes not from our intellect but from our soul.

Many churches have the service so timed to be out at a certain time, there isn't even room for God. What happens in your church when there is a tongues going forth? Do you wait for the interpretation or go ahead with your planned announcements? Oh, no! He's rocking the boat.

Absolutlely I am! Jesus gets tired of repetitious worship! No? Read the bible. He called it vain babblings of whited sepulchures. I am not meaning to be angry and mean, but God desires real praise that comes forth from our hearts, not out of some book somewhere. He also requires humbleness of spirit. "A broken and contrite spirit I will not deny."

WARNING SIGNS!!

So what are we to do? There has to be change! The bible says, "when you see these things, look up redemption draweth nigh." There is hope.

I heard a message preached last January about the lost. "When you go after the ones that no one wants you will get the ones everyone wants." So true. Jesus put it another way when he talked about the marriage supper. The master sent out the servants to bring the invited guests to his table. After a while when they didn't show up he sent more servants, and still there were empty seats. One came that had not on the wedding garment, its true. But the wedding garments were laid out, it was easy to find them. The guest refused the garment, and he was made to leave. But then the master sent them out again. "Go into the highways and the byways, bring the halt, the lame, the blind, (those no one wants) that my house may be full."

We used to sing a song "My house is full but my field is empty." So relevant to today isn't it. We wander around not sure what to do with empty pews. Many churches have set aside the scriptures and the way we used to do it in favor of some fancy marketing plan, or program. We work on our building program, talk about how big our church is gonna be some day, when Jesus is standing outside the door to our hearts wondering why we wont let him in?

WARNING SIGNS!!

Yes it is the endtime. Jesus is coming as a thief in the night. He wont have a pre advance marketing campaign on tv and news papers or even the internet. He sent us one before we were even born. He wrote it all down. The Bible! Early warning signs. He told us "go ye into all nations" but he meant go next door and invite a neighbor to church. Also if you notice in the bible, he didn't always speak with thunders and lightnings. He didn't make a lot of noise. Didn't publicize himself. Just went about doing good, and speaking in a still small voice.

SHH! Hear that? Warning Signs! Ready or not here I come!


[Disclaimer: This article is not meant to depict any particular church, pastor, or group. But if you are apostolic or pentecostal, and you feel angry, or offended, or hurt, or discouraged, there is hope. If, it sounds like you or your church, call a fast day, or a good old fashioned round the clock prayer chain. It will make a difference. You can make a difference. Make waves. Elijah did. Paul did. Peter did. Jesus did. God Bless You! Don't lose the vision!]

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Waiting On The Lord

The hardest thing we as Christians face is not our trials, and not our needs, or even our discouragements, but it is our ability to be patient and trust the Lord.

It is not the difficulties we face, or even the struggles we go through. Our biggest struggle in our daily lives is not our pain, or the hardships, but rather it is our lack of determination to wait on the Lord to answer.

Jesus knows our needs. The Bible says, "He healeth ALL our diseases." Yet when we are faced with difficulty, we somehow doubt that the scriptures apply to us, and we try to fix it ourselves. There is an old cliche that says, "God helps them who help themselves." Let me be clear God does expect us to live our lives, to be somewhat self reliant, but he doesn't expect His children to stubbornly push thru every trial alone. He doesn't want us to rely on our own abilities to solve every situation, and when an outcome that we don't expect arises, to just accept that it "must be God's will."

Too many times we limit the ability of God to move because WE don't allow HIM to do it. We all face circumstances to which we struggle to understand. Why does sickness prevail? We pay our tithes why are we not getting ahead? The Bible clearly states, " My God shall supply all your needs." Yet, we find ourselves looking around at what we have and seeing someone else with a new car when we are driving the same one a lady in the church let us have for $500. We compare our lives with others and attempt to believe that maybe we need to get another job, or perhaps our aunt was just diagnosed with cancer, and we are searching out all the surgeons we can find to help "fix" the problem.

Is God a man that He can lie? His word is immutable. He cannot lie. The Psalmist says, "while I was yet in my mother's womb, HE knew me."

Our circumstances, our lives, our hardships, our souls, bodies, families, health, finances are in His hands, "if" we leave them there. Therein lies the problem.

There used to be an old song we sang with fervor in our churches. "Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there." It still applies. He knows about your lost brother, about your mothers' diabetes, and about that friend at work whose house just burned down. He knows our cries in the night, and He hears our prayers.

It has almost become cliche to say when problems arise, "I'll pray about it." Sometimes we do use prayers as a crutch for getting out of a long conversation with some who seem to perpetually have needs. Sometimes a little common sense would help us all. However, part of waiting on God means communing with Him. Really talking to God about it, watching and waiting til the answer comes. We are so busy in our lives, that sometimes we do not wait for the answer, or we expect that the answer isn't coming. I have heard many people say recently, "it never changes." Yes it does.

The Bible says "his mercies are new every morning." It is not his lack of ability to make things happen but rather our lack of patience. The apostle Paul really knew what he was talking about when he said in our "patience, possess ye your soul." We as a generation need to slow down, listen for the voice of God, and be willing to wait.

Take some time and talk to an elder in the Lord. We all have them in our churches. Those who have lived for God their whole lives. Have you ever noticed they are slow but caught in worship. That tear streaming down their cheek. That slowly uplifted hand. That patient understanding when we are doing our holy ghost calisthentics to the new beat of a contemporary song. And yet when the "Old Rugged cross, Amazing Grace, or He's Coming Soon, is sung, you will see a glimmer in their eye a hush in their spirit and a praise come out of their lips. The old songs still move the spirit. But, we have to hurry up, because we have somewhere else to be, our kids have to get up in the morning for school, and we just have to make it to the fast food place before we put them to bed.

SLOW DOWN! Waiting on the Lord is not a matter of our timing but HIS! He knows the end from the beginning, He knows where you are, even knows how hard you got that last hair in place before service and yet its still not quite right. He Knows!

He wont fail. His word says it cannot return void. And for those of us with unbelief, he even said "even if we do not believe, he remaineth faithful, he cannot deny himself." 2 Tim 2:13

Your answer really is on the way. It is not a cliche song. It is coming. Remember the old song, "hold the fort for I am coming, Jesus answers still?" I realize that may be before some who read this articles time, but its still true. He's coming! All he asks is for us to wait on him. Doesn't seem to hard. No big sacrifice, no blood offering, just wait on Jesus.

One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible says, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, (so true) but when it comes it is a tree of life." Victory is around the corner. Wait on the Lord! In due season we will reap, if we faint not. Wait I say on the Lord!! God Bless You!

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