What If We Didn't?

 Then Moses told the Lord, “Please, Lord, I’m not eloquent. I never was in the past nor am I now since you spoke to your servant. In fact, I talk too slowly and I have a speech impediment.”

   Then God asked him, “Who gives a person a mouth? Who makes him unable to speak, or deaf, or able to see, or blind, or lame? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, go! I myself will help you with your speech, and I’ll teach you what you are to say.”

   Moses said, “Please, Lord, send somebody else.”           

Exodus 4:10-13 ISV International Standard Version

How many of us can relate to Moses' request? How many times have we NOT done something because we didn't feel qualified? 

How many times have we told God 'no' when in Truth we know our immediate response should be 'Yes, Lord" because we have declared in prayer, "Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven"? Why do we waste the very breath God gave us to refuse Him? How do we take for granted the God-given ability to walk and talk and then use both to walk away from Him while offering Him excuse after excuse?

What if, for one day, we didn't ask God for anything, we just praised Him? What if, for one day, we didn't tell Him 'no'; we only said, 'Yes, Lord'? Just for one day...

Prayer:

Father,

          Change our hearts, O God! Please do NOT send anyone else in our place! Let us fulfill Your purpose for our lives that You have planned for us to do from the very beginning. Put a guard over our mouths so that only 'yes' and 'amen' come out. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Reminder - The Loving Answer

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.
Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT

I have had many conversations with people who do not understand the nature of Almighty God - who He is and what He's about. They're inclined to believe that God doesn't love them because they don't get what they've asked for or because He's not doing what they think He should do for them. I get it. They think being told 'No' is mean or a sign of less than.

However, we're not talking about those times when you have to say 'no' because you don't have the money. I always hated that. I'm talking about those times when saying "No" was the most loving, most motherly wonderful thing I could do. And although they weren't crazy about it at the time, down the road one or the other of them would mention that looking back, they realized it was the right thing to do. They didn't always understand why, but they learned to trust my judgment, knowing that I didn't say 'No' just to be mean, but because I felt it was in their best interest.

How much more then, should we trust a living, loving God who is omnipotent and omniscient and can see the end from the beginning? The One who has the Master Plan and KNOWS it's in our best interest? Sometimes the most loving answer is "No." Learn to trust Him in it!

Prayer:

Father,
           Your Word assures us that You don't withhold any good thing from us. We choose to trust Your judgment and Your decisions, for You are faithful and just. Thank You, Father. Change our hearts. Open our eyes to see You and trust You in everything. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

How Do You Spell...

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32 NLT

They sound the same. Know. No. Yet, we can all agree they are not the same. They aren't spelled the same. They don't mean the same, although, somehow, we have all been guilty at one time or another of No-ing God while thinking we were knowing Him.

Think about it for just a moment. Have you ever argued with God? I know I have. That's No-ing Him. Ever decided to do things in your own time, your own way without waiting on God? That's No-ing Him. Ever refused to forgive? Refused to be loving? Refused to show mercy or grace? Shall we have a combination spelling and vocabulary lesson? Is that K-N-O-W or N-O?

Prayer:

Father,

            Your Son declared to the descendants of Abraham that day that "Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God." We want to listen gladly and obey Your every Word. Teach us, Father. We want to KNOW You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Knowing or No-ing

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32 NLT

In John Chapter 8, the descendants of Abraham are No-ing Jesus the Christ. Read it for yourself. They are very convinced they are right, but they are mistaken. So they erred in knowing God the Father, and they erred in No-ing Jesus who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

They sound the same. Know. No. Yet, we can all agree they are not the same. They aren't spelled the same. They don't mean the same, although, somehow, we have all been guilty at one time or another of No-ing God while thinking we were knowing Him.

Think about it for just a moment. Have you ever argued with God? I know I have. That's No-ing Him. Ever decided to do things in your own time, your own way without waiting on God? That's No-ing Him. Ever refused to forgive? Refused to be loving? Refused to show mercy or grace? Shall we have a combination spelling and vocabulary lesson? Is that K-N-O-W or N-O?

Prayer:

Father,

            Your Son declared to the descendants of Abraham that day that "Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God." We want to listen gladly and obey Your every Word. Teach us, Father. We want to KNOW You more. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* For One Day

   Then Moses told the Lord, “Please, Lord, I’m not eloquent. I never was in the past nor am I now since you spoke to your servant. In fact, I talk too slowly and I have a speech impediment.”

   Then God asked him, “Who gives a person a mouth? Who makes him unable to speak, or deaf, or able to see, or blind, or lame? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, go! I myself will help you with your speech, and I’ll teach you what you are to say.”

   Moses said, “Please, Lord, send somebody else.”           

Exodus 4:10-13 ISV International Standard Version

How many of us can relate to Moses' request? How many times have we not done something because we didn't feel qualified? 

How many times have we told God 'no' when in Truth we know our immediate response should be 'Yes, Lord" because we have declared in prayer, "Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven" ? Why do we waste the very breath God gave us to refuse Him? How do we take for granted the God-given ability to walk and talk and use both to walk away from Him while offering Him excuse after excuse?

What if, for one day, we didn't ask God for anything, we just praised Him? What if, for one day, we didn't tell Him 'no'; we only said, 'Yes, Lord'? Just for one day...

Prayer:

Father,

          Change our hearts, O God! Please do NOT send anyone else in our place! Let us fulfill Your purpose for our lives that You have planned for us to do from the very beginning. Put a guard over our mouths so that only yes and amen come out. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* A Loving Answer

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT

I have had many conversations with people who do not understand the nature of Almighty God - who He is and what He's about. They're inclined to believe that God doesn't love them because they don't get what they've asked for or because He's not doing what they think He should do for them. It makes me wonder what kind of parents they had and what kind of parents they are.

There were times when my kids were growing up that I hated to say "No', but there were just as many times when saying "No" was the most loving, most motherly wonderful thing I could do. And although they weren't crazy about it at the time, down the road (and sometimes sooner than later) one or the other of them would mention that they realized it was the right thing to do. Sometimes, they didn't always understand why, but they learned to trust my judgment, knowing that I didn't say 'No' just to be mean.

How much more then, should we trust a living, loving God who is omnipotent and omniscient and can see the end from the beginning? The One who has the Master Plan and will work all things for our good? Sometimes the most loving answer is "No." Learn to trust Him in it!

Prayer:

Father,

         Your Word assures us that You don't withhold any good thing from us. We choose to trust Your judgment and Your decisions, for You are faithful and just. Thank You, Father. Change our hearts. Open our eyes to see You and trust You in everything. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen