Are you Trusting God With All Your Tomorrows?

The Lord appeared to Abraham one day and gave him an incredible command: “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you” (Gen. 12:1).

 Hey Gang:  Does that ring your bell?  What an amazing thing.  Suddenly, God picked out a man and told him: “I want you to get up and go, leaving everything behind: your home, your relatives, even your country.  I want to send you someplace and I will direct you there along the way.”

How did Abraham respond to this incredible word from the Lord?  “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb. 11:8).

What was God up to?  Why would he search the nations for one man, and then tell him to forsake everything and go on a journey with no map, no pre-conceived direction, no known destination? Think about what God was asking of Abraham.   He never showed him how he would feed or support his family; He didn’t tell him how far to go or when he would arrive.  He only told him two things in the beginning: “Go, and “I will show you the way.”

What an incredible thing God was commanding.  He told Abraham, in essence, “From this day on, I want you to give me all your tomorrows.  You’re to live the rest of your life putting your future into my hands, one day at a time.  I’m asking you to commit your life to a promise that I am making to you, Abraham.  If you will commit to do this, I will bless you, guide you, and lead you to a place your never imagined”!

The place where God wanted to lead Abraham is a place He wants to take every member of Christ’s body.   Abraham, in to Bible scholars, is referred to as a “pattern man,” someone who  serves as an example of how to walk before the Lord.  And Abraham’s example shows us what is required of all who would seek to please God.

Make no mistake, Abraham was not a young man when God called him to make this commitment.  He was uncle to Lot, and probably had roots so deep in where he was that he would never just get up, pack and go to a place he had no idea where he was going.  Security of family was always first concern to the patriarch of the family.

It would mean separating his family from their relatives and friends and having to trust God completely to provide for them all.  Yet Abraham, “Believed in the Lord; and (God) counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen 15:6).

The apostle Paul tells us that all who believe and trust in Christ are the children of Abraham. In short, we are a people who please God by trusting him.  And, like Abraham, those who do are counted as righteous because we heed the same call to entrust all our tomorrows into the Lord’s hands as Abraham did.

So, we ask how does his fit into my walk with the Lord today?  Simply stated, Jesus also calls us to this way of living - giving no thought about tomorrow and putting our future into his hands.  In His Sermon on the Mount He taught “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat?  Or, what shall we drink? Or Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”  (For all these things do the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought of the things of itself” (Matt 6:31-34).

Jesus doesn’t mean that we’re not to plan ahead, or do nothing about our future; rather, He is saying, “Don’t be anxious or troubled about tomorrow.”  If Jesus were here with you right now He would say don’t worry about yesterday’s problems, nor tomorrows, there is nothing you can do about either, but you can do something about today – put your problems in the hand of the One who stills the waters.

Blessings,

Gramps

So What's Next? Part Three

 “But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel.  “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you, when you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched.  Nor will the flame burn you” (Isa. 43:1-2).  “For I am the Lord your God!”

Hey Gang:  I believe all who have not buried heir heads in the sand are dealing with deep mixed feelings.  We are being shaken, I mean really shaken.  In a recent article, Jan Markell, who heads a ministry that tracks Signs and Woes of our day, wrote an article: “Things that I thought I would never see”.     

  

She wrote: never, in my wildest dream, did I believe I would see women’s sports curtailed because transgenders can now participate as women, or that Lucifer would be brought back to television by popular demand, or that my tax dollars would be invested in killing babies, or studying why lesbians are obese.  Is this not the fulfillment of Isaiah 5:20 “There will be a day when good is called evil and evil good”.  There is also another verse in the Word that says, “When this kid of smut hits the world, look up for I am coming after my children.

I believe anyone who is locked into Jesus as Lord and into His Word and in contact with Him constantly could make a list: “I never believed I would see items as long as their leg. 

Getting back to the subject of the last morning message.  I warn you again, this is me, Kermit R. Hainley, Hillbilly; my word with two bucks can get you a cup of coffee.  Please check me out. 

I tend to believe with Bill Salus that there is an intermediate step between now and Gog Magog, namely the fulfillment of Psalm 83.  If you have not read blogs one and two of this series, you need to stop, go back and read them now.  I will wait!

Now that you are up to speed, let’s quickly move on to a conclusion.  If, and again I repeat “if” Salus and your truly are right, then Israel will have a very large piece of land.  Strange as it may seem, but then again when you consider the Author of this entire operation, NOT SO STRANGE, the boundaries are very similar to the boundaries given to Abraham of the covenant land God said would be eternally Israel’s.     

They would suddenly be a very wealthy nation and since all their hostile neighbors would be no more, they would have peace, for a wee-bit of time anyway.  But, it would also salivate the taste buds of the bear from the North, really tick off the Mede-Persian beast from the South, and fire the boilers of the Gog – Magog confederacy.   After fighting a war against the local neighborhood hoods, their arsenals might be a wee bit-thin and vulnerable.

The question that is being waged today on many fronts: How does all of the present signs fit into the time of the rapture?  If the Psalm 83 prophecy is a coming event, will it be before Christ comes for His body? Or will the believers see this war with wide angel lens.  Something to think about.

I pray you have enjoyed this series as much as I have enjoyed writing it.  Not sure where God will take me next.  Tune in and see.

Blessings,

Gramps

"Do you Love Me More Than These?"

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore, also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us” (2 Cor. 1:20).  “Behold if God loved us, should we not love one another”.  (1 John 4:11).  Jesus, our Lord, who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can be freed from the bondages of our sin and death said, “There is no greater love than to lay down your life for the brethren”.  (John 15:13).

Hey Gang:  I am presently exchanging letters with a young man, twenty-one years of age. He has reached the obsolete pits of the Michigan Prison system called Marquette Branch Prison.  I would ask that you add him to your prayer list.  To gain this achievement in the prison system requires a diligence in being a “bad sort of hombre” and not learning from previous incarcerations in lesser secure facilities.

It is interesting to me that at the same time we are preparing to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Eagle Village, this young man crossed my path.  His story is one I have heard thousands of times, in my fifty-plus years of working with kids who made bad decisions in their lives.   I long ago placed the name “the empty eye syndrome” for I see an emptiness in the eyes of the hearts of those who seek something that will fill the vacuum in their chest cavity that is just the size of God. 

His first letter, in response to my first letter to him, was filled with “I am a total failure and there is nothing you can do for me”.  I am here, in a Maximum Security Prison where violence is the only thing respected and will be here for fifteen years or longer. 

The theme of his letter was wrapped up in one sentence: “I’m a convicted class A criminal doing 15 years minimum in prison.  I’m a gang member, and have tattoo’s on my hand, head and face.  I am lost and I don’t know where to go.   But he followed his comment with the solution to his problem “I love God but I struggle to see how He’s helping me.” 

In my return letter to him, I first agreed there was nothing I could do to change him.  That was the sole responsibility of the guy he greets every morning in the mirror.  And I shared the story of a man in similar circumstances locked away in a secure facility in Georgia.  One night, he received a visit from Jesus who told him, “When I created you I had a plan for you but you have failed to fulfill that plan, you have left “Holes in Time”.   

I wonder how many holes in time I have left in my 84-year walk through his life?  I pray daily that someone filled hose holes that I failed to fill.  That night Frank Constantino gave his life to Jesus and began to prepare to become a hole-filler right there in the prison.  We know that nothing is impossible for God and He certainly knows how to open prison doors.  He did it for Paul and Silas; he did it for Frank, God opened the prison door many years before his sentence was fulfilled.

Paul wrote: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will reap”.  (Gal 6:7). We taught families and staff- this works both positive and negative.  My challenge is to seek the Lord’s guidance in changing this young man’s attitude from ‘I am a failure and my life is over’ to “I can do all through Christ” for whom nothing is impossible for.”

How about you?  Are you a Johnny Appleseed with the Word?  Our Church is raising money to send kids to camp. I am a great believer in kids going to camp because it is a proven fact that more kids are saved in camp than in church.  One of the fund-raising projects is pop cans. When I was delivering my stash of said product, I found a group of people sitting in the lobby of the church in total silence.  So, I said, “good morning, is this not a beautiful day that God has given us?” Then I shook a few hands on my way out the door.  I noticed as I left, people were talking to each other and several were even smiling.  

Reread the scriptures of the morning again, “There is no greater gift than to lay down your life for the brethren.”

Why?  Dr. Luke wrote: “Give, and it will be given to you.” Luke 6:38) Give and God will bless you in the same measure”.  In Malachi 3:10, God says, “Test me now in this”.     

Blessings,

Gramps

Hey Gang:  Don’t leave any holes in time today!

So, What's Next Continued

“O God, do not remain quiet; Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still.  For behold, Your enemies make an uproar, And those who hate You have exalted themselves” (Psalm  83:1-2).

Hey Gang:  In the Gramps Morning Message, July 14 ,we looked at the common verbiage coming out of many sources that the next big event to transpire is the Gog  Magog Confrontation.  My concern with this theory is Ezekiel tells us is the invasion occurs when Israel is at peace, secure with no walls and prosperous.   At this point in their development, I find none of these things to be true.  The potential for great wealth was recently discovered beneath the land in the form of black gold – OIL.

The second concern is the Gog Magog invasion being next, is that I find none of the countries who are Israel’s immediate problems, ie., those who butt up against Israel’s borders, seem to be missing from the federation of nations mentioned in the Gog Magog confederacy.  

It was intriguing to me that Israel’s most observable opponents, since they became a nation, on May 14, 1948, are not listed in the Ezekiel 38 nine- member consortium of nations

I also mentioned that I found a book’ titled, Isralestine by Bill Salus, agrees with my hypotheses that something seems to be missing in this picture.   Hey, isn’t it great when you find someone you believe is a lot smarter than you, who agrees with you!

After much study and research, Bill came up with the hypothesis that Psalm 83 solves the problem.  He learned that, if you take the ancient names listed in the Psalm and translate them into modern day names, they are the very nations that border against Israel. 

The nations I am referring to are Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt. And what has evolved out of those entities are Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinians, and a whole barn full of smaller sheikdoms that could be added to this list.  If one tenth of the monies the have been expended for weaponry had been invested in the hurting people of these nations, they could all be living in palaces. 

Now we move from Bill Salus theory to how I feel that it is all going to shake down.  Keep in mind my predictions and two bucks might get you a cup of java at the nearest hash house.  My prayer is this will build a fire deep in your soul to do some serious digging and check me out. 

Now, let me begin by starting a disclaimer and using the word ”if” to begin:  Asaph goes says, “Deal with them as with Midian, As with Sisera and Jabin at the torrent of Kishon. (Psalm 83:9 -end of chap and then Judges 4). 

Well, folks, I have done it again.  Ran out of space. When I get into digging. I tend to get wordy.  Sorry about that but I want to make sure you get as fired up as I am about the wondrous gift God gave us in the form of His word and prophecy.  He did say, I don’t want you to be unaware of what I am doing. Matthew 24-25.

So. with your forgiveness I will return to So, What’s Next at least one more time.  In the mean time, get off by yourself and do some digging.

Blessings,

 Gramps

Have You Checked Your Wardrobe Lately?

 “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature”  (Rom. 13:14). 

Hey Gang:  In my high school years I was privileged to play drums in a pretty good dance band called the Stardusters”.   As I have mentioned before, I was a backward sort of chap who tended to stay in the shadows most of the time, but when I was playing a gig, I was something special. 

Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday night I would put on my maroon cardigan jacket, my blue pegged pants, my Mr. B. Shirt and suede shoes and step out from the shadows.  I was one cool dude!

BUT, at the same time there was an emptiness that continued to bug me deep down inside, when the drums were in their cases and the chic cloths were in the closet.  How many know that when the dance is over there is always the feeling of emptiness that follows until the next dance?  I soon learned that the fancy threads did nothing to fill that vacuum that is just the size of God.

Paul addressed the clothing issue when he tells us to “Clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Would Jesus wear a cardigan jacket, pegged pants, Mr. B. shirt and suede shoes.  I think not.  The world’s fashion dictates the way we dress.  We dress to impress. To be accepted was very important to me, as it is with most folks.

Now comes the question: how can I dress myself with the Lord Jesus Christ?  To begin with it has nothing to do with threads and a whole heap to do with attitude.  When I am trying to impress folks by saying “Hey, look at me”, we are on the wrong track and I was firmly entrenched on the wrong track.

Then an amazing thing happened to me, as I was nearing gradation.  I was seeking to find out what was the next step for my life.  Most of our gigs were in bars and night clubs.  On that particular night we were playing at a bar that catered to coal miners and loggers, way up in the mountains.  It may sound strange, but we kept the Star Spangle Banner on the music stands readily available for at some time during the gig, there would be arguments between the factions followed by fights!

And God said, “Is this what you want for the rest of your life”.  From that night on I endured the gigs and looked forward to running out the scheduled reservations.  On the night of the last gig, I packed up the drums for the last time and never opened the cases again.  Perhaps, if there had been praise bands back then, I would still be drumming.

The Bible challenges me not to gratify the desires of my sinful nature; ie who am I trying to impress? What reasons am I doing this?  But to “Seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).  We are warned that we can become so wrapped up in self that we no longer see the sin in our lives.  

That night I made a vow to the Lord that I would retire the cardigan jacket, pegged pants, Mr. B. shirt and suede shoes and try the Armor of God on for size.  My challenge to you this morning: take a hard look at your wardrobe! When you put your threads on this morning make sure the Armor of God is in place - You are entering the mission field.

Blessings,

Gramps

So, What’s Next?

“And you will say, “I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates” (Ezek. 37:11). 

Hey Gang:  Have you wondered what is the next big event that will happen in the Middle East?  You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that, prophetically, the table is being set for something profound to happen. 

The Bible prophesied that the land promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:7) would be given back to the Jews (Isaiah 41:8-11; Jeremiah 23) and there would be a growing Aliyah (going-up or return of Jews to Promised Land) of olim (immigrants to Israel) from around the world back to the land of their heritage.  Amazingly, after­­­­ nearly 2000 years, the miracle! The Nation of Israel was reborn on May 14, 1948!

The Bible also prophesied that one day Jerusalem would be returned to the Jews. (Psalm 137:4-6). This, too, happened on June 7, 1967.  Are these not profound fulfillments of prophecies! And, since that is so, will not every prophesy in the Word be fulfilled totally as stated? 

So, what is the next great event?  Only God knows! But He certainly has given us clues about is to happen and hints of that become more clear each day.  Most writers of prophetic news would have us believe the next event is the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 and 39- that a great invasion of Israel by the forces of Gog and Magog are on the horizon.

There is no question the collaborators of that coming event are cozying up.  Nations that never had much time for each other are throwing their gauntlets down and joining forces with people they really do not like or trust.

And, I confess, I was in among those who believed the next event would be that invasion f Ezekiel 38 and 39 until I got more serious and began to dig into Gog – Magog prophesy.  After looking at a map showing those nations that are part of the Magog confederacy and comparing that map to the news of the day, I felt there was a gigantic hole in the ‘Gog Magog Next Theory.’  

My first concern with the ‘Gog Magog Next Theory’ was Ezekiel 38 and 39 that says, Israel was living securely:”… the invasion would be against a nation of unwalled cities.”   It also says the nation invaded -Israel “… was fat and happy with great wealth” and the “purpose of the invasion was to take spoil.”

Israel certainly is not a wealthy nation today and they are not living in security.  

Seondly, none of the countries that are Israel’s immediate neighbors – who today are armed and ready to annihilate and complete what Hitler started -are listed in that prophecy.  Why was Gaza, with their constant harassment of Israel not mentioned?  Where was Lebanon and Hezbollah with their 150,000 rockets all pointed at Israel?  Where was Jordan and Syria and all of their neighbors?  All conspicuous by their absence in the 

'Gog Magog Next Theory’. 

And then I came across a book titled Isralestine by Bill Salus, who believes there is an intermediate step that must happen before Ezekiel 38 and 39 will be fulfilled.

I will share next time what Bill had to say about the missing link in the ‘Gog Magog Next’ story and also a very probable solution to the missing link.  In the mean time you might want to read Ezekiel 38 and 39.  

Blessings,

Gramps

Be A King's Kid Warrior For Christ

“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).

Hey Gang:  Have you checked out your plans for eternity?   You do know there are options on where you will spend eternity?  Last week the obits reported that the oldest person in the world is no longer the oldest. The story of her last moment said, “She had a smile on her face, for she knew where she was going.

Chaplain Roy, of the African Missionary Retirement Home described those at the Home, who had gone on to be with the Lord, as “People who finish well -prayer warriors.” 

In the two most frustrating year of my life, when I waited for Eagle Village to become a reality or totally burst and set me free, I was truly blessed to have a nosy old land lady who lived twenty-five feet from where new were living.  I do not recall a day when I did not hear her making her way up the steps to our front door.   

  

I use the word nosy in a way of honor, for in the two years of waiting she walked with me through a huge portion of the Bible and made it live.  On those days when the discouragement was especially heavy, she tended to stay longer and remain silent.  I thought she remained silent, but such was not the case.  She was in touch with Abba Father on my behalf.

In the early years of the Village we were truly blessed to have a core of prayer warriors by the name of Jeanette/Grandma Kleiner, Grandma Rockey, Grandma Beery, Grandma Hainley.  My dear sainted Grand ma once said to me, “Some of us are called to be prayer warriors and cover you with God’s power and love, and some are to be drone bees who pray on the fly”.

I confess I was never much of a prayer warrior.  O, that does not mean that I did not pray periodically, but not with the fervor that Paul talks about when he said, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; and let your request be made known to the throne room of heaven”.  In other words, set the table for your talk with God by rejoicing.  Shut the world out for a season and get really close to the Lord, get silent and listen.    

There was always two days in the summer that we looked forward to with great anticipation, the beginning of Summer Camp and the ending of Summer Camp!  Most sane people who run camps for children run for five days and take two days to recoup and prepare for the next group.  But our camp was a wee bit different – many of the kids spent the entire ten weeks of the camp season with us, and our moto for the camp was “If this child can function in any other camp, do not take a bed for those who need our program”.

My pick up, which we used for just about everything, was gasping in its final days of life so replacement was a necessity.  Our local dealer had a promotion going- buy a truck and get two airplane tickets to anywhere.  At the same time my board president reserved a week for us at the Christian Retreat Center in Bradenton, Florida. So, I called my parents, who had never set foot in an aircraft, and said, “ere are tickets, meet us in Florida!”

I was amazed when they readily agreed to take me up on the offer.   My mother, at that time was not in the best of health and, on the day we had planned to go to Disney World, my dad showed up at our trailer door and said, “Mom is too sick to go.”  I said, “You go bring her here and we will pray for healing and go and enjoy our day at Disney”.  I was truly amazed when he did as I t. old his to do.  To make the story short, he did indeed bring her.  I prayed for her and she was relieved from the infirmity and we enjoyed the day at Disney. BUT there was also another move of God in that trailer on that morning. 

My dad, an angry man from child hood, had very bad shoulders from his coal mining days.  I ask him if he would like me to pray for healing.  To my amazement he said, “YES”.  When I reached up to put my hands on his shoulder, God moved them to his head and out of my mouth came these words, “In the name of Jesus I demand the spirit of anger leave”.  

  

The spirit of anger did indeed take a hike that day!  My mother was killed six months later in a car accident, but she said many times, that six months was the best years of her married life; she had learned to love my dad again .

So, my friends, God’s power is available to us through the Holy Spirit, the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus Christ, and the Word of God. Put your full armor on and be a King’s Kid Warrior right now. Obey the nudges of the Holy Spirit!

Blessings,

Gramps

Wha A DAy That Will Be!!!

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words" (I Thess. 4:16-18).

Hey Gang:  I believe all, who have their head screwed on and their brain active, would agree there are very ominous clouds gathering over our world, And the Word tells us that the days ahead are not going to be times when we want to be here.  But, as I read the Word, I find so much more to rejoice and sing praises for -BUT we have to dig them out!

This morning I read a neat article in the ‘Israel My Glory’ monthly newsletter rand it rang my bell.  The thing that caught my attention was the very first sentence in the article, "Imagine someone loving you so much He wants you to live in a place He has prepared for you in His presence forever.  His name is Jesus; and as the troubles and trials of life oppress us, we need to remember what the early believers knew:  Jesus is coming for His church".  Now if that does not ring the cockles of your heart you best check to see if you have a pulse.  

Several months back our Pastor, whose message theme for the morning was "Expectations", used an interesting illustration that we should all take to heart.  The Word is very clear: one day we will all stand before Father God. How would you answer God's question, "Why should I allow you to spend eternity with me?  Something to ponder as your go through your day.

Getting back to the subject at hand, what an awesome reality for the Believer/Christ follower is a day is coming, and most Bible guru's believe that day is near, when the believing church will be caught up - snatched away, to be with the Lord.    The early church believed so strongly that Jesus would return during their life- times that they greeted each other with the word 'Maranatha', meaning "O Lord, Come" (1 Cor. 16:22). 

Jesus said, “Listen up sheep, I do not want you to be unaware of what is going to come when it appears that everything that can be shaken is going to be shaken, "If (notice that little trigger word - "IF") “IF I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:3).

My mother was known as a traveler.  It was said that she should have been buried in her 1963 Pontiac because she spent large portions of her later years traveling from one coast to the other.  My bride and I adopted her modus operandi and made a vow that we would see as much of this great country as we can before we became too infirmed to drive.  We have seen fabulously beautiful places like the Grand Teton Mountains, Ice bergs of Alaska, 

Jerusalem – the Holy City, but I assure you, not one of them is even a teeny-weeny bit as wonderful as the heavenly home prepared for the His Church, which is also called the Bride of Christ.

So, my brothers and sisters in Christ make sure your lamps are full and your eyes focused on the One who said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”  Have you got your wedding dresses or tuxedos prepared for that day when we, God's children, will be invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Blessings,

Gramps

Success - Even in Storms

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4).

Hey Gang:  When it comes to storms, we all have a common denominator and can say, been there and walked knee deep through a swamp filled with alligators.  I believe we could all agree that storms are as much a part of our lives as breathing.  Whether we like it or not, we will experience storms, not necessarily on sea or in the wilderness- but in everyday life.

In Matthew 14:22-27 the disciples found themselves on a very dark night in the middle of the Sea of Galilee in the midst, of a raging storm.  The Sea of Galilee, which lies between two mountains, has a reputation as being very unpredictable and can go from calm to violent within the 'blink of an eye'. 

The disciples were seasoned veterans of the sea and knew the potential violence of the Sea.  What were they doing in the middle of the sea at the fourth hour?  Matthew was there, and the experience certainly made an impression on him. Why?  Because "Jesus, their Rabbi had ordered them to "get in the boat".  

Do you think they were in a panic?  Sometimes sails and oars are of no use.  We just have to throw our human devices and human strength to the wind and put our trust in the Lord.

Have you ever seen a miracle in the midst of the storm?  Many years ago, we had a garbage dump where we buried the refuge from the Village. One day the sun’s rays hit a piece of glass just right and a fire resulted.  First the fire burned in the hole and then worked its way out of the hole and began to creep up the hill toward the woods and two of our residential units.

We grabbed what we could find and tried to beat the flames out, but our efforts were no match for the power of the wind and the fire edged ever closer to the woods and houses.  Suddenly the fire jumped, and I found myself surrounded by flames. In fear and terror, I dropped the rake, raised my arms to the heavens and yelled, "Lord, stop the wind!" 

Not only did God stop the wind, He reversed the path of the fire and it burned its way back down the hill and into the pit! By the time the fire department arrived the fire was out, cold out, no smoke!

So, my buckaroos and gals, take it from this old salt: there are going to be times when your strength and might will be no match for the storm that you are experiencing.  But also keep in mind that Jesus was on the mountain praying for His disciples and came to the disciples at the darkest hour.  His first words to them, "Do not be afraid".  

Do you feel like you are in the midst of the fire?  Notice, in Matthew 14:33 the purpose of this training exercise for the disciples: "And those who were in the boat cried out "You are certainly the Son of God".

Blessings,

Gramps