Today's Devotional

Faith Becomes Sight

Every morning I get up and read through my email specifically looking for my daily devotion that I get from CrossWalk ministries. Today's devotion spoke deep to my soul and I just wanted to stop and share it with you. I have included just a portion of the devotional today (the part that really spoke to me). I hope you enjoy!

"Have faith that whatever you ask for in prayer is already granted you, and you will find that it will be" (Mark 11:24).

When my little son was about ten years of age, his grandmother promised him a stamp album for Christmas. Christmas came, but no stamp album, and no word from grandmother. The matter, however, was not mentioned; but when his playmates came to see his Christmas presents, I was astonished, after he had named over this and that as gifts received, to hear him add,

"And a stamp album from grandmother."

I had heard it several times, when I called him to me, and said, "But, Georgie, you did not get an album from your grandmother. Why do you say so?"

There was a wondering look on his face, as if he thought it strange that I should ask such a question, and he replied, "Well, mamma, grandma said, so it is the same as." I could not say a word to check his faith.

A month went by, and nothing was heard from the album. Finally, one day, I said, to test his faith, and really wondering in my heart why the album had not been sent,

"Well, Georgie, I think grandma has forgotten her promise."

"Oh, no, mamma," he quickly and firmly said, "she hasn't."

I watched the dear, trusting face, which, for a while, looked very sober, as if debating the possibilities I had suggested. Finally a bright light passed over it, and he said,

"Mamma, do you think it would do any good if I should write to her thanking her for the album?"

"I do not know," I said, "but you might try it."

A rich spiritual truth began to dawn upon me. In a few minutes a letter was prepared and committed to the mail, and he went off whistling his confidence in his grandma. In just a short time a letter came, saying:

"My dear Georgie: I have not forgotten my promise to you, of an album. I tried to get such a book as you desired, but could not get the sort you wanted; so I sent on to New York. It did not get here till after Christmas, and it was still not right, so I sent for another, and as it has not come as yet, I send you three dollars to get one in Chicago. Your loving grandma."

"As he read the letter, his face was the face of a victor. "Now, mamma, didn't I tell you?" came from the depths of a heart that never doubted, that, "against hope, believed in hope" that the stamp album would come. While he was trusting, grandma was working, and in due season faith became sight.

It is so human to want sight when we step out on the promises of God, but our Savior said to Thomas, and to the long roll of doubters who have ever since followed him: "Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed."--Mrs. Rounds.

Barking Dog

Yesterday afternoon I took time to go over to the church and pray. I highly recommend going to the prayer time your church has to offer or take a lunch or dinner break and go spend time at your church at the altar and pray. There is just something about being at the altar and praying that makes a difference for me when I pray. Don't get me wrong praying during my quiet time is always good when I am not being interrupted by the kids, my husband or just family life stuff. Being at the altar is a special place for me. Anyway on Tuesday nights we have designated it as Praise n Prayer. Occasionally we have one other person that shows up besides ourselves. Yes that sounds bad and yes it does upset us that no one comes out. Does it shock us, not really we generally only have 10 people come out for mid week services. Our largest services are our Sunday morning and evening services.

Anyway, the last few months have been rather difficult on me personally. With my gall bladder surgery and my knee problems and now my surgery coming up on Monday I have just been in a funk mentally. So I went to spend time alone with God, just Him and me at the altar. It was so good. In fact I plan to go this afternoon before our midweek service just to pray and give God the praise He so deserves. But I have to tell you sometimes when you are at the altar its not always a nice feel good situation. Sometimes you get rebuked by the Lord and that doesn't always feel so good! That is what happened to me yesterday.

You see behind the parsonage and next to the church is another home and a caged, mean pit bull. Now please don't write me and tell me you own a pit bull and its a sweet loving dog. I know that all pits are not mean. But this one is and has attacked other dogs and has bitten at least one child. Why it has not been put down I don't know, but we are constantly stressing to our kids to stay away from the cage and they are basically scared to even be on that side of the back yard anyway. This dog does nothing but bark mostly at his shadow but he is always barking at something usually at 3 in the morning or some other odd hour of the night. Anyway, what God showed me was rather hard to accept but I realized He was right. You see while I was praying the dog started barking again. It was a distraction to me and it really was bothering me.

That is when the Lord showed me that my focus has not been on Him the last few months. I wanted to argue but realized it was the truth. He showed me that satan is just like that barking dog. He barks and barks and barks and instead of believing on the promises of God, praying and reading His word I have been letting the barking of satan dictate my life. You see satan does all he can to distract us by barking. Those barks (noise) can come in any form he can imagine and he is not that imaginative he uses the same tactics all the time. His favorites to distract me are: financial problems, health related problems, self esteem issues, my weight, past hurts, ect.

What God showed me is this: satan is going to keep barking!

We have to decide if we are going to listen to his lies

or are we going to listen to God's promises?

As for me I am taking a stand and plan to use God's word as ear muffs to block the barking of satan. I plan to stand on God's promises and not satan's lies. I am a child of the King of Kings, the Creator of all things, The Alpha and Omega. His Word tells me that the steps of a righteous man/woman are order by Him and as long as we are following Him and seeking after Him for direction then whatever comes our way is not a surprise to Him and we can rest assure that He has a plan to get us around, over or through the difficult times. Sometimes you have to walk through the fire - He will be there, you'll not be burned! Sometimes you have to walk through the waters (floods) - He will be there, you'll not be drowned! For He is always with His children!

There is a song we use to sing in church it goes a little like this:

Whose report will you believe?

I will believe the report of the Lord.

His report says I am healed,

His report says I am free,

His report says victory!

So who do you plan to believe today?

Do you plan to listen to the barking dog?

Or like me do you plan to listen to God's

promises and make your stand?

"Take this child...and nurse it for me." - Today's Devotional

I want to share today's devotional from The Word for You Today.

"Dr. James Dobson writes: 'I attended a wedding in a beautful garden setting in which 150 colorful helium balloons were released in to the California sky. Within seconds they were scattered across the heavens - some rising hundreds of feet, others cruising toward the horizon. They all began from the same launching pad, were filled with the same helium, and ascended in the same conditions. Yet within minutes they were separated by a mile or more. A few balloons struggled to clear the upper branches of trees, while the show-offs became mere pinpoints of color on their journey to the sky. How interesting, I thought - and how symbolic of children.'
Parent, you help determine how high your child will rise. So: (a) Create the right climate in your home. The words you speak, the order you establish, the music and television programs you allow, are molding their character and their future. If you're too busy to notice these things - you're too busy! (b) Give them the right mentors. Ruth followed Naomi. Timothy followed Paul. Your children are going to follow someone. The question is, who? Your best defense against destructive influences is offensive teaching, and a Christ-like example. Read God's Word to them each day. Pray over them - and with them. Do it! Don't be shy. The molester and drug dealer are not shy! Speak up! You can't improve on the words of Pharaoh's daughter,
given to Moses' mother as she saved her son from the waters of the Nile that would have consumed him. "Take this child...and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages." Parent, you have no greater responsibility! And if you do it right, you'll have no greater reward!"

My Comments on this devotional:

WOW! What a call to stand up and speak God's word over our children! Dr J Dobson is a very wise man! My friend Michele adopted a brilliant young lad and she has been going through the trenches with and for him. She does what this devotional says....she prays over him, speaks God's word over and to him and this summer began to see a big change in him. Praise God! God's word is truth & light that breaks the darkness. As she has been speaking this over her son and into his life, light has been invading that darkness in his life. This little boy has gone through and lived through more things than most, all in the foster care system. My friend stepped up and took him as hers. God has and will continue to honor her patience, persistence and faith in Him and her son. I believe that when this little boy is completely healed which is coming very soon - he is going to stand before his church, his family and the school he attends and will give God all the glory for (1) healing him of his past hurts, (2) give thanks for a mom in the trenches, (3) be able to attest to the love and mercy that God has for him and others out there that have gone through the same things he has.
Our God is a big GOD! A solid foundation to stand on (like the Rock of Ages) is what our children need to succeed in life. We are responsible for helping them have that foundation! My dear friend Michele, you are giving Marcus that foundation! Stay in the trenches, stay on your knees fighting for Marcus and bringing him before our Heavenly Father, and and don't you give up! God has a mighty big plan for Marcus and for you! Remember: Staying Patient, Persistent and Faithful towards God and Marcus will prevail over all those dark moments that he is continuing to fight. We love you!