WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAM!

No, I have no idea where these things come from.  It just came to my mind when I was thinking about a pronominal event that took place yesterday.  I want to share this story with Eric Wimer's permission (Upword Living Bookstore and Coffee House - downtown Auburn)!

A family situation was weighing very heavily on my emotions and so I was seeking God for an answer.  "What am I missing here?"  After lunch with a dear friend Wendy O., I went to a viewing at one of the local funeral homes.  Afterwards as I was driving through town, I felt a prompting to stop in at Upword for a cup of coffee.  I do mean prompting, because I argued about how I needed to take my pity party and go home.

 There wasn't anyone around except Eric and he was picking up trash and hauling it outside.  Unusually friendly today, he asked me what was I doing today.  So we talked a minute about "life and the things it brings our lives."   Eric has no idea how he ministered to me yesterday and I thank him for a whole new brain cell has attached itself to my spirit.  He began talking about how some people view their prayer life as asking for God's will in things.  We will tend to say, "Well, Lord willing I will be healed, or Lord willing I will be here next year."  I agreed.  He went on to talk about confessing what you want or need in a given situation.  He perked my ears, because I knew somewhere in the new testament was the verse. . ."Call things NOT as though THEY ARE!"  Where was that.  His example blew my mind.

He talked about the time he had a kidney blockage that required a $40,000. procedure.  He had no insurance and no money.  His prayer became this, "Okay Lord, I can't pay the $40,000.00 so 1) you will have to bring me the money from somewhere, or 2),  You do the Healing or 3) It will have to be my time to go, because I do not have any means to do it.   He boldly stated that God healed him and he has not had another anything with his kidneys.  So you do the math.  Another time he felt that God was calling him to go on a missionary trip.  He was young and just newly married, and there were bills to be paid and he was the only income.  It would also cost so much to go on the trip.  It came down to the last few days.  He again confessing that he believe the money would be there.  Not only was it there to pay the bills ahead but the money for the trip.

Witness Protection Program, you ask?  I honestly felt like I had gone somewhere else in the country for several hours.  This young man gave bold witness that God has a PROTECTION PROGRAM for us if we will but only use it.  We do need to be free to witness to people how we have been changed by God. It was clear, it was bold, it was what I needed to hear.  I got it.  I went home and looked it up.

Romans 4: 17 -

NIV Version -    - - -The God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

It caused me to examine how I was praying about the family situation.   And I realized that how I needed to confess my belief.   And how I needed to change my attitude.  I realize that this has been a controversial aspect for some, so let me be clear.  In my examination, I saw how I prayed and had a negative attitude at the same time.  Na-uh! That won't work.  Think about it.  It jelled for me.Thank you Eric for your bold beautiful witness.  Jesus expects us to follow suit.

HAVE YOU FINISHED WHAT GOD SENT YOU TO DO?

John 17: 4 and 5  "I have glorified You down here on the earth by completing the work that You gave me to do.  And, now Father, glorify Me along with Yourself and restore  Me to such majesty and honor in Your presence as I had with You before the world existed."   Amplified version

Jesus is speaking here about completed work.  How we should apply this to our life is very simple.
I DO NOT want to be ashamed when I stand before Jesus someday and not have done everything He gave me to do.  I listen to some people who wonder what are they supposed to do,  and even say to me. . ."How do I know what He wants or wanted from me?"  "I didn't get a letter from Him,  I didn't hear Him say anything, I did the best I could with what I have." 

What was the work Jesus had to do while He was here?  To bring the world at that time to know the father God, know themselves and know their enemy.  To teach them the truth.  The truth will set you free.  The truth was and is - That Jesus Christ came in the flesh, died for us so we could live free of sin, and then rose again on the third day.  That there just isn't anything in life as authentic as living your life for Jesus Christ.  Loving others and teaching them the truth.  Will there be some who don't want to accept the truth and turn away, yes!  It is still our job to inform them.  Changed lives show the living Jesus Christ.

The other point that must be noted here.  Did you see (if not - then look at it again) that He gives us the power to complete His work whatever that is.  The Holy Spirit is sent to complete our work with power and guidance.  He will show you the truth if you look for it, seek it, speak it, live it, show it, be glorified.

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT LIFE. . .

from a feral cat named Bandit!

Strange thing to blog about today, but I just have to do this.  I have only respected and adored a few animals in my life.  One of which Dakota who is still here at age 13 l/2.  And, this silly wild cat I named Bandit.  I named her that because of her face and how she stole all my ideas about how to treat wild animals.  My assumptions and structure, and belief system went right out the window.  Yet, this interesting character liked me and trusted me.  I could rub her back just before I put her food down.  But that was it.  I used to watch her from afar.  She roamed the three mile area.  She has probably had batches and batches of kittens.  Suddenly in February she came up to the house and ate some left overs.  And, the rest is history.  She brought three generations with her this year.  Teeger Babe.

He grew up and is almost a year old now!

Then she brought three more into the area.  Two calicos and a little tiger.  Then 3 weeks ago, Cutie Pie!

I admit I got really honked off about all this delivery system.  And, what difference does all this make now, you ask!  It's just me understanding that she trusted me, and wanted to bring me her family whether I liked it or not.  She got hit yesterday, and dragged herself to the house an under the deck.
It breaks my heart, but I know its where she wanted to be.  I took care of this beautiful animal.  Some idiot years ago must have let her out.  I could see such regalness in her face and eyes and she came home to end it.  I wanted to tame her, fix her, bring her in.  But she taught me life is not predictable, or assumed.   That nature has its own protocol and even though she came close, it was too late, but she knows its not too late for her family.  Cutie Pie has a home, Teeger Babe has done what she couldn't do, made up with me.  I brush him every day and he comes by name.  The other two gals are like their mom - oh well.  Now you know I need counseling, right?  Thanks for letting me share this with you.

LIKE THE SHEEPDOG, AM I?

One of my favorite bookmarks has the picture of a sheepdog on it!  I always liked those dogs, but at the same time it drove me nuts to figure out how do they see?  I even tried taking some yarn and throwing across my face to try and imitate what they see.  The caption under this sheepdog's picture is. . .   "We walk by Faith, not by Sight."

Perfect Illustration for how I feel today.  I read some things this morning on how God did let some of his leaders know the future before it happened.  Noah for one, Moses for another.  Moses was even told, go to the Pharaoh and here,  say such and such.  However, he won't believe you.  He has also given us gut instincts paired with emotional feelings and experiences.  We get indications that something might be coming.

          Hebrews 11: 1   Now Faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of proof of things (we) do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.)

So, there you have it.  God sometimes reveals to us what He wants us to know, and sometimes He just gives us a heads up.  Our commitment then needs to be walking by Faith through the "bangs" of life.  Get it.  Sheepdog "bangs".  We can't see, but He walks us through it.  All things work together for good.  Each one of us has some events in their lives that creates a high need to walk by faith.  If we could see, we might not want to see it all.  I always go back to Deut 31: 8.  He goes before us, and He marches with us through anything. We need to remember He never fails nor forsakes us.  We don't have to be depressed, discouraged and unnerved.  Yes, it is the toughest thing some of us do.  We can be told tomorrow we have cancer.  We can be told next week, that someone we love is terminal.  We have a nation of people about to be out of work because of decisions we had nothing to do with.  We have many scenarios in each family that we struggle with.  Grab on to God's hand Isaiah 40.  Read it all.  And, finally, as often as we can. . .let's pray for our national leaders that God will circumvent the bad headed our way and bring the truth.  The truth will set us free.