F4S: March 2009

Sunday, March 29, 2009

What Do You Do While You Wait To Hear From The Lord?

Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. —Isaiah 40:31

Are you feeling like you need strength to go on? Have you been so busy spinning your wheels in the desert sand and now you’re wondering which end is up? Hey, I’ve been there before, but I’ve found that it’s better to ignore my feelings.. ignore all those fruitless ones pressuring me, and simply steal away for prayer early.

Ever have a lot of questions for God and feel like He is just staying silent in your life? Do you feel that He is far away and callously indifferent?

Ever cry out: “What’s the hold up here?”

It's hard to live with time quickly passing you sometimes huh?

Man, most Christians have been there at some time before, but God can also speak to you as well.. when the time is right. He does love to keep His kids informed, rather than in some mysterious fog. He wants no one religiously ignorant.

Most of the time when the Lord speaks to me (and I don’t mean in some audible booming Red Sea kind of voice like I’m some hyer-special person..) is when I am prayerfully reading the Bible (Heb. 10:7). That’s where He wants to meet with all His children regularly.

Questions: What requests have you laid on the Lord that He has not yet responded to you about?

How do you deal with that delay? Do you feel that He doesn’t love you?

Is your focus too much on your immediate feelings or needs.. or on some frustrating troubles.. or on personal relationship issues that all seem to be blinding you to the greater purpose that God is still working out?

Are you still on the shelf or in God’s waiting room so to speak? Will you choose to trust Jesus in your circumstances and simply remain patient?

Sometimes our merciful God does not answer our immediate supplications and requests in the affirmative, because He has something greater that He is working on ..in store for us ahead. Please know that God will answer every prayer of a sincere Christian. And "No" or "Wait" are also valid answers that He can give people when that is what is best for them. Believe me; He knows exactly what you need and when you need it. He knows the number of hairs (on lack of hairs) on your head. Yes, God is absolutely certain about what is primo for you each day!


I sought the Lord, and He heard me. —Psalm 34:4

We can know that God is watching, always present, everywhere,
And with hope and joy and patience he is waiting for our prayer.
—Roworth

Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! —Psalm 27:14

Read the entire Devo! Maybe you need to Give your life completely to Jesus!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Say No To Isolation-frustration

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. —Proverbs 18:1, esv

It's interesting to see how Jesus started His earthly ministry as He walked along the shores at the Sea of Galilee ..fishing.. but not for fish. He really had His Father and people on His mind and that's why He wouldn't live isolated. He'd get alone to pray regularly, but He also wanted to be out where the hungry people were. Do you remember when He came across Simon and his bro, Andy?

Yup, it was along the Sea of Galilee--that was one place where He called everyday fishermen to become His reverent and relevant disciples ..for life. He told them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men" (Mk. 1:17). This Friend of sinners saw what they each could become, and how they could be used of God once sin was dealt with. How encouraging for any of us!

And this same God calls each of us to closely follow Him, and also to fish as we infiltrate society rather isolate away from needy people.

I was once told about a church far away in an old Canadian fishing town. The place where it was located on the jagged edge of the frigid Northern Atlantic Ocean was originally chosen by the leadership due to the fact that this was where countless fishermen congregated, traded goods, came ashore to socialize and visited with their families who lived there.

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Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Chicken Dinner, Henry, And His Cowboy Cheerleader Friends

Ever been caught in a very funny situation that you hadn't seen for awhile? Henry, a typical beer-chuggin' single yuppie Dallasite with a sense of humor and I were grabin' a bite to eat downtown here tonight, and just ran into some 30 Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders all decked out in evening gowns and "out on the town" for a banquet (..again.. yes, it's been almost a year since I last ran into these ladies out doin' PR stuff).

In fact they all are still here. Now Henry (who ain't drinking tonight..), "out of the blue" started talking with Trisha and just blurted out "I L-O-V-E YOU and I still want a date with you young lady!"

Okeee.. yeah, this statement kinda caught me off guard and made me snicker some—you've gotta know Henry. Funnnny a lot--he's worse than me! But he's never ever discouraged by anything daunting. And get this.. Henry actually knew these two sisters, Cheryl 23 and Trisha 24, from San Benito Texas and he had in fact just seen both of them two days ago.

And then Trisha responded to him with a "Sure, Henry, a date", and then she slapped him on the shoulder as she made her way to go sit down for her meal. And believe me, interminable Henry was quick to get one of his business cards in her hand so she indeed wouldn't forget him. Now what does this have to do with anything? It doesn't.. I'm sorry. Probably shouldn't even be writing about such a non-edifying meal around our baked chicken and green beans, but thought you'd like to laugh a bit too. Just pray for my bud, Henry. LOL! Pray for me too that I can always be what I ought to be. Hope he ain't lustin' right now, but I am glad he likes girls instead of guys. Praisealuya!

Now some of my international friends might be scratching their heads about now, going huh.. Cowboys?.. Cowboy Cheerleaders? I've been asked about them by young Europeans before. I always say: Hey, you really don't need to know, but you do need to know about the Lord. If you miss Jesus, you miss everything you need most! The Bible says, "Do not give your strength to women..." (Prov. 31:3). Yup, why not get all hyper-spiritual on em when I don't know how to explain the need for cheer leading women in white cowgirl boots and not much cow-atire beyond that? It really is kinda hard to explain about em to other cultures. Well you just had to have been there. Comical!!!

Fish4Souls.org

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

God Is Alive And Faithful!

What have you been up to lately?


Been prayin' for a few friends who have lost their jobs and been out of work for months.. and it wasn't even their faults. They were good workers. I also had a doctor's appointment today and was grateful when I went down that long list of things that go wrong with people.. asking me what evil thing has happened with me.. and I didn't need to check off a bunch of boxes. Thank you Jesus for health--please help me take advantage of that for You. I appreciate it! I also just ate a big salad (doctors always seem to motivate me to eat right for a day or two) and now I'm gunna go work out. Have you yet been given fullness in Christ, who is the head of the Church and over every power and authority? Why not--He's there to bless you with this?


God is Faithful Even When We are Not!


His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. —Lamentations 3:22-23, nkvj

Ever think about how long Noah was cooped up in that boat with all the animals? Man, I wouldn't want to be hangin' out with those hairy creatures that long. It was 371 days after the flood waters started to flow and, "God said to Noah, 'Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives'" (Gen. 8:15, niv). How come? He said that because He is faithful, trustworthy, and caring. He loved and still loves Noah's family, just like He does yours. It was a great day for celebration! God was there the whole way to see Noah through the deep waters!


Perhaps you have turbulence all around you. You might not be in deep waters, but what God did for Noah He will do for youhe'll bring you through!


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