Saturday, March 21, 2009

Trusting His methods

Ok, this is really John's revelation...but it was so good for me, that I had to write it.
Background:
I have often felt frustrated with "last minute" things that are done "by God." Sometimes, wondering---were they from God or did people just make it happen and it finally did. Ok, more than that, let me go even farther and say that I have chatted with the Lord(once or twice) about "why don't you do things ahead of time and prove Your Hand is in things, instead of being so last minute---it does terrible things to "God's reputation" when people think...well, you just have to wait for Him to act and it won't happen til the end." Yes, I did have this conversation with God---nope, He didn't take my advice:)....He didn't need to. I had this conversation before coming to Russia, b/c I felt that everything--well, visas...and invitations and such weren't falling into place until the month before coming...and oh, I almost forgot---our house had not sold---it was on the market for over a year!! Why??? Why did it have to sell in October??? Why didn't God show His hand earlier? Was it because it was His plan all along? Sometimes, these "plans" are called into question when they don't happen earlier---sometimes people may have thought...we shouldn't have come here to Russia b/c everything didn't happen earlier. Were we forcing things to happen so we could come to Russia? Yep, people thought things things and sometimes even voiced their concerns to us, we even wondered about it at times.

Ok, so on to another story---Corrie Ten Boom---seemed to question God's methods too. Her father used the example of not giving her a train ticket that he had bought for her until they reached the station. Why did he wait...she didn't need the ticket beforehand. He had done the prep work, bought the ticket, brought the ticket and yet, still had Corrie wait to get it in her hand. He said that God doesn't give us things until we need them. (By the way, we do the same thing with Katie and metro tokens)

On hearing this story told by John many times this year, I have felt much better about God's ways, but still thought that God should spare himself the "last minute" reputation til today.

We have been praying a lot lately and have both been hearing separately and together and from others that the Lord has our work set out, He will make it clear, and He is doing the prep work for it, but that we are not to worry but to wait, and trust Him. Vague? I thought so, but I WILL follow Him. So, on that note, John was praying and he felt that God said to him this morning...Trusting Me means also trusting my methods. Whoa!!! So, enough said...that's what we are doing!!! Trusting Him and His ways(b/c don't we always say that His ways are higher than ours???? Well, now we get to trust in them too and not knock the way He does things!).


Trusting Me means also trusting my methods.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

His intentions are GOOD!!!

We have all heard that God wants the best for us, but do we really believe it? I do. Look, God specifically reminds His people that He wanted to humble them and test them to do what? To do good to them in the end!!!! Sometimes the way to the good life is hard...but it is so worth it if it is God's good life!!!


Deut. 8:16who fed you in the wilderness with(T) manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you,(U) to do you good in the end.

Manna!

Deut 8:3 And he humbled you and(F) let you hunger and(G) fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that(H) man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word[a] that comes from the mouth of the LORD.


Ok, I just left all the extra letter parts in here from BibleGateway.com...want to post quickly!
This is a scripture I came upon yesterday!! I have heard it in the NT quoted by Jesus, and I have read it before here, but obviously never really got it like I did yesterday! Our trials are to make us realize total dependence on Him. Ok, so maybe to some this is obvious...and maybe it should be? but I have a different perspective on it now...I will praise God through my trials, because I WANT more of HIM!!!