Don't Be Left Wondering...

Wow! I don't know about you, but when I saw this photo, it just really did something for me inside.  I am sure that there have been many times that I have prayed and believed God for something and just because it didn't come as soon as I thought it should, I just stopped praying and believing.  And LOOK!  Do you ever wonder if you stopped and gave up on your dream when you were right on the brink of your miracle?  Do you ever just think back and wonder?

I'm reminded of the story in 1 Kings 18:1-41 there was a severe famine in Samaria, when the word of the Lord came to Elijah telling him to go present himself to Ahab and He will send rain. vs 41 Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, fell on his face, and prayed for rain.  Six times he told his servant to look toward the sea, but there was no sign of rain.  And this is when most of us give up. We stop praying because we can't see any tangible difference with our natural eyes.  We allow our circumstances to get between God and us instead of putting God between us and our circumstances.

But Elijah, he held his ground. He stood on the promise God had given him.  I think Elijah would have stayed and prayed ten thousand times if that is what it took, but between the sixth and seventh prayer, there was a subtle shift in the atmospheric pressure. After the seventh prayer, Elijah's nearsighted servant strained his eyes and saw a small cloud the size of a man's hand rising from the sea.

What if Elijah had quit praying?  The answer is, he would have defaulted on the promise and forfeited the miracle. But Elijah prayed through, and God came through. The sky turned black; heavy winds blew across the barren landscape; raindrops fell for the first time in three years and it wasn't a light drizzle; it was a terrific rainstorm.

It's easy to give up on dreams, give up on miracles, give up on promises. We lose heart, lose patience, and lose faith.  And it often happens so subtly that we don't even realize it.

Take the time to think back now on some promises God has given you.  Are there some that did not seem to come through as fast as you thought they should have and you just gave up and stopped praying?  Is there some dream that God has placed in your heart that needs resurrected? Is there some promise that you need to reclaim? Is there some miracle that you need to start believing for again?

The reason some of us give up too soon is that we feel like we have failed if God doesn't answer our prayer. That isn't failure. The only way we can fail is if we stop praying. SO KEEP PRAYING so you are not left wondering, (just as this photo shows), whether you might have given up right on the brink of your miracle.

Without a vision, your miracle dies.  Keep seeing it and believing it! Never give up on what God has promised you because He will always come through, for He is true to His Word!

LYRICS to Verge of a Miracle by Rich Mullens 

 "Clung to a ball
That was hung in the sky
Hurled into orbit
There You are
Whether you fall down
Or whether you fly
Seems you can never get too far
Someone's waiting to put wings
Upon your flightless heart

You're on the verge of a miracle
Standing there
Oh you're on the verge of a miracle
Just waiting to be believed in
Open your eyes and see
You're on the verge of a miracle

Here in your room
Where nobody can see
Voices are loud
But seldom clear
But beneath the confusion
That's running so deep
There is a promise you must hear
The love that seems so far away
Is standing very near

You're on the verge of a miracle
Standing there
Oh you're on the verge of a miracle
Just waiting to be believed in
Open your eyes and see

When you've played out
Your last chance
And your directions
Have all been lost
When the roads that you look down
Are all dead ends
Look up
You could see if you'd just look up

You're on the verge of a miracle
Standing there
Oh you're on the verge of a miracle
Just waiting to be believed in
Open your eyes and see
You're on the verge of a miracle"

Choose Life

I was sitting at my desk one day and logged in to my Facebook account. I began taking one of those silly quizzes that they have on there. Even though I considered their quizzes to be silly, this one in particular, I knew God had used to speak to me. This quiz asked, “What road sign are you?”

After taking the quiz, the result for me was, “fork” - you know, the sign meaning... A fork in the road. And this is what it read:

Fork: You can't go anywhere if you don't make a decision. You question where each road will take you so much that you're not even on the road. You've pulled over on the shoulder as others race past!!

Wow! This spoke directly to my heart. The very situation that I was struggling with at that time and still am, was exactly the result of not making that decision that I know that would change everything for me. I've lived with the fear of making the choice because of past failure. I was tired of failing so instead had chosen to just stay in that dark place of depression.

Although fear was overtaking me, I still so desperately wanted a change. I still hung on to that little spark of hope and knew God was speaking to me and so I decided to do a search on the phrase “fork in the road” and came up with this:

… a fork in the road is a metaphor, based on a literal expression, for a deciding moment in life or history when a major choice of options is required.

… a figure of speech referring to the need to make an important decision.

AGAIN … this spoke to me deep inside and as I kept researching and reading, eventually I was led to a poem and its analysis, which I found very interesting. The poem was written by Robert Frost titled, “The Road Not Taken”.

Robert Frost claims he wrote this poem about his friend Edward Thomas, with whom he had walked many times in the woods near London. Frost said that while walking they would come to different paths and after choosing one, Thomas would always fret wondering what they might have missed by not taking the other path.   Well, at least they had chosen ONE.   Here is Robert Frost's poem.

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth'

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverges in a wood, and I -

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

The analysis of this poem can be taken differently for each individual, but one thing is clear and that is that choice is inevitable (incapable of being avoided) but you never know what your choice will mean until you have lived it.

And if you are a Believer of Christ, then you need not worry about which path you choose but just make sure you choose one, because as God's Word says in Proverbs 19:21, we can have many plans in our heart but it will be God's purpose that will prevail. Don't worry about the path NOT taken, just choose ONE.  No matter the path we choose, GOD will use it to get us to the place He wants us to be to fulfill His purpose for our lives.

As far as my personal situation, there have been many times that I have come to that fork in the road and done nothing because of the fear of failure once again. At this point, I saw that yes, I had left the road completely and pulled off to the side and my life was going no where. So many were passing me by, experiencing that which brought fulfillment to their lives. Me, I felt empty, sitting alone on a deserted road, where an occasional car might drive by and just kept going. No one to help … or would I even accept their help if they even attempted?

There were so many things that I loved doing but couldn't, all because of health issues. I'm limited even now of what I can do. This keeps me from enjoying life with my family, and even fulfilling what God has for me. The sad thing is, I know the answer. I know the road to take, but can't seem to stay on it once I begin.

I don't understand! Where is my strength? Where is my sense of direction? Where is my “want to”? Do I want to die? NO, I want to live. I want my health back! I want to live life to it's fullest! And I want to help others do the same. I want a life worth living.

Help me Lord to understand. Help me Lord to get back on the road. Help me to understand that its not the road you take, its just making that choice to choose ONE. By not choosing any, I will never know what could be. I must choose one! It is my testimony that will make a difference in the lives of others. Where is my testimony, Lord? Where is my “want to”? I must make a choice. I must choose LIFE.

TODAY … at this very moment … I CHOOSE LIFE! 

 (hahaha - sounds like my own personal psalm, doesn't it?)

When times come and you find yourself at that 'fork in the road' where a choice is needed in order to bring a positive change in your life, and you begin to experience fear – fear of making the wrong choice, or fear of failing, so then you neglect to choose at all, the truth is, by you deciding not to choose either road, you've actually made your choice. You've chosen to go nowhere. You've chosen to stay in that deep dark place you've lived in for years – that place that keeps you bound – that place that only leads to death. Do not be afraid – step out and make that choice today. Make that choice that leads to LIFE – that Abundant life promised to you – a life where so many opportunities await you! Get back on that road of opportunity of growth and life that leads to ministry and freedom for you and others.

TODAY … at this very moment … CHOOSE LIFE!

If you are viewing this from email, visit the website to listen to, "Choose Life" by Big Tent Revival

Choose The Right Road

I remember on December 16, 2012, a friend at church sat down and began sharing a vision he had. He was questioning why people would want to thank God for trials to get them where they are at in God? He said God gave him a vision of two roads, one going straight and the other was a squiggly road where someone is constantly going off and back on the road. His message was that a person does NOT have to go through a bunch of trials (going off the trail) to get where they need to go in God. It IS possible to stay on the straight road IF we keep focused straight ahead (on Jesus) and not let the distractions pull us off track.

I do totally agree here and I have found Proverbs 4 to be a great source to read concerning this and can be of help in aiding you into keeping on the right path. Proverbs 4:11 says “I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.” Read the whole 4^th chapter of Proverbs.

But even though I agree with this, I also know that the Bible says in James 1:2 to count it all joy when trials come, which means that there are going to be many who can't keep that perfect track record of staying on the straight and narrow for whatever reason. Many distractions or trials are going to come, it says in John 16:33 but for us to take heart because He has overcome the world.

Our journey of life is made up of many different roads or paths that we come to and there are decisions that must be made before we can go on. We must choose the right road. There will be times where you will be unsure of what to do, and even after seeking God, you can't seem to get answers, or maybe you've got so much going on around you and it just seems so hard to hear.

I hear it stated a lot, “You better make sure it's God telling you to do that?” My question is, Or what?! Is God going to strike you down? No. Is He going to leave you? No! Is He going to stop loving you? NO! His Word says He will never leave you and nothing can separate us from His love. We are all going to make mistakes and we have! And God has not left us or stopped loving us!

People who constantly make that statement are putting fear in you. Do not be afraid to make a decision for fear of it being the wrong one. Letting fear dominate in this way causes people to become indecisive out of fear of making a bad decision. Making a bad decision is better than indecisiveness.

By making a decision, you force an outcome. If you hadn't acted, those unknowns would still be unknowns. The sooner you decide, the sooner you get moving and the sooner you find out if it was a right or wrong decision. Taking action sometimes means taking risks. Never be afraid to take risks. There is not anything unfixable with God, for He works all things out for the good.

People are so afraid to even make a choice, fearing it will be the wrong one, thus resulting in indecisiveness, and end up going nowhere. Keep in mind that a wrong decision is so much better than indecision. We may make wrong decisions and there also may be some consequences for those wrong decisions but God will never leave us and He can work with our mistakes as well, and turns them into something to work for our good.

The Bible says in James 1:8, that a double-minded man, one who can't make a decision, is unstable in all his ways. And he can't expect to receive anything from the Lord.  This person is not going to get anywhere in life as long as he stays undecisive. Nothing will ever change for him.

“Do not be defeated by wrong choices you have made in the past. And don't let past decisions define who you are in the present. Each moment provides a fresh opportunity to draw near to Me and enjoy My Presence.” In Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Do the best you can with what you have where you are. Success is not circumstantial. We usually focus on what we're doing or where we're going but God's primary concern is who we're becoming in the process. We talk about “doing” the will of God, but the will of God has much more to do with “being” than doing. It's not about being in the right place at the right time; it's about being the right person, even if you find yourself in the wrong circumstances. Success has nothing to do with how gifted or how resourced you are; it has everything to do with glorifying God in any and every situation by making the most of it.

I will end with this quote and share a personal situation on this topic in the next writing.

We need people who are more afraid of missing opportunities than making mistakes – people who are more afraid of lifelong regrets than temporary failure – People who dare to dream the unthinkable and attempt the impossible. – Mark Batterson

Connie J. Schmoll

Take Your Place

Last month I shared with you a word that the Lord had spoken to me about we, as Born again believers who have God's Spirit living in us, have a miracle within us for somebody else and that we needed to step out in faith and let God use us!!  Just as in Acts 3:6, Peter was an example of this. He said to the lame man, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I  have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."  And if you read Acts 3:1-8 you will see that this man was expecting to receive something from them. So, somebody out there could be waiting on us just to pass by and give to them whatever God has laid on our heart or placed within us for them!

I wanted to share more on this thought today by sharing a devotional that was written by Kenneth Copeland, titled "Take Your Place". 

Ephesians 5:1-2  Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 

Let us be imitators of God,
Connie Schmoll

TAKE YOUR PLACE

The more you fellowship with God around His Word, the more you will know the "power out-flowing from His resurrection."  You will develop joy.  You will develop faith.  You will start developing God's own characteristics ... just by fellowshipping with Him.  You will begin to understand who you really are in Jesus.

I remember one day I was reading the story in Luke 8:40-48, of the woman with the issue of blood who touched the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed. I had just read the story many times and pictured myself as almost everybody in the story...just experiencing how it would feel to be someone in the crowd or even the one who was healed.

Suddenly God spoke to my spirit and said, "Read that again and this time picture yourself as the one wearing the garment."

I was stunned, "Lord," I said, "How can I do that? I can't take Your place!" 

"That is just what is wrong with the Body of Christ," He told me. "That is the reason the world does not know anything about Jesus.  You identify with everyone except ME.  But I sent you to be My witnesses, to imitate ME, to stand in MY place...not everybody else's!"

So, I read that story again.  This time I pictured myself in the role of the one with the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Instead of crawling up to touch the hem of His garment, I was the one wearing the garment, freely giving what God had given me.  After all, the Bible does say, "Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ."

Do you know who scares the devil most of all? Believers who have found out they can do that. Believers who instead of begging for a little touch from Jesus, are letting His very life flow out to others.

Come on, give the devil a scare. Fellowship with your Father around the WORD and start discovering who you really are today.

Written by
Kenneth Copeland

Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.