From His Heart

[Judy Harder]

Does Prayer Even Make a Difference?

Jesus told his disciples a story about how they should keep on praying and never give up.  Luke 18:1 CEV

Let's be honest here.  How many times have you prayed and prayed ... and praaaayed about something in your life, only to see no change and no affirmative answer to your prayer?

·         Perhaps you prayed for a sick loved one to get better, and he/she died.
·         Perhaps you prayed for your marriage to improve, and it worsened.
·         Perhaps you prayed for your finances to come up, and they went down.
·         Perhaps you prayed for a lost friend's heart to soften, and it hardened.
·         Perhaps you prayed for a different outcome to the 2012 election, and it didn't happen.

What gives when you pray about something heavy on your heart, something you feel is good and right, and He doesn't do as you requested.  Have you ever gotten discouraged in prayer, secretly wondering if it even makes a difference?

PRAYER MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

To be sure, prayer is always right and always makes a difference, even when the results don't go the way you wanted.

1.  Sometimes we pray the wrong thing, and God says, "No."  He, being omniscient, knows what we need and what we don't.  He knows what is truly good for us in the long run, and what is not.  When we get a direct "no" to our prayers, it is God's way of saying, "You are barking up the wrong tree in this request.  You are asking me for something that would not be truly beneficial to you in your walk with Me."  Remember, God's priority is not to make you happy, but to make you holy.  And as you and I grow in holiness, we grow in happiness and real joy.

Job, who had his share of prayers go awry, said, "I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted" (Job 42:2).  God will not violate His Word and His Will to answer your prayer.  Every "no" from God is an opportunity for us to pray differently.  Even a spiritual heavy weight like Moses got a "no" from God.  In response to his request to go into the Promised Land – even though God had already told him he wasn't going to let him go in – God said,"Enough! Speak to Me no more of this matter" (Deut. 3:26).  Moses had to change his prayer ... and sometimes we do too because we don't see the bigger picture.                     

2.  Sometimes we pray the right thing, and God says, "Not yet."  In this case, the prayer is right, but the timing is wrong.  There is more work that needs to be done in us and in the circumstances around us.

It is important to remember that God is NOT some heavenly slot machine who must pay out if you put in enough "prayer" coins.  Affirmatively answered prayed is not the ultimate goal of prayer.  Communion and fellowship with God is the ultimate goal.  Entering into God's presence and talking with Him from your heart is what He really wants and what will really change you.

How hard is it for the God who spoke the worlds into existence to answer your prayer for finances, or health, or a job?  It's as easy as pie.  But, how hard is it for God to change your life and make you a man or woman of character and Christ-likeness?  That is another matter altogether, and prayer (along with Bible study) is the main vehicle God has given us to make that happen.

3.  Sometimes we pray the near-right thing, and God says, "I've got a bigger and better idea."  Perhaps you joined with the multitudes who prayed for righteousness to prevail in the election ... that Americans would rise up and repudiate candidates who espouse a biblically immoral agenda.  Obviously, that prayer was not answered affirmatively, but it was not a wasted prayer.

God is getting ready to answer that prayer in a bigger and better way.  Jesus Christ, the Righteous Judge, is one day closer to returning to planet earth to set up His righteous rule and reign.  You see, the Bible makes it clear that things get progressively worse before His coming.  But when He comes, all is made right.  In that coming day, His perfect will shall be the order of the day.  Love and joy and peace and safety will cover the land as the waters cover the sea.  I can't wait!             

My friend, if you have gotten discouraged in your prayers ... keep praying.  He is good.  He is God, and He never makes a mistake.  He longs to hear from you and change you as you marinate in His awesome presence.  Jesus said, "Pray all the time and never give up" (Luke 18:1 GW).  Will you do it?


  Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

Facing Marah?

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water.  And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore, it was named Marah.  So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" Exodus 15:22-24

Bitter things.  No one likes bitter things.  But bitter things are part of life.  Life is not all honey and no bees.  Roses do have thorns ... and all people face "bitter waters" from one degree or another.

The Marah story in Exodus 15 is especially significant.  You see, in Exodus 14  God's people had just seen and personally experienced the greatest Old Testament miracle: the parting of the Red Sea and the drowning of Pharaoh and his armies.  The people take the first 21 verses of chapter 15 to rejoice and dance and sing over the great power of God.  Life is good, and God is awesome!  Hallelujah!   

But then something happens that quickly silences their song and steals their joy.  Within three short days, they run out of water ... and when they finally find water, it is bitter and undrinkable.  They are facing Marah, and they begin to grumble, gripe, and complain.

HOW ABOUT YOU? 

How do you respond when you encounter the bitter things in life?  What comes out of your mouth when the car breaks down, or the computer crashes, or sickness comes, or your job goes away, or the finances dry up, or your spouse wants out?  What do you do when you face Marah?

1.  The wrong thing to do is grumble.  The Bible says, "Do all things without grumbling" (Philippians 2:14).  God hates grumbling, and He takes all of it personally.  The people grumbled at Moses ... but Moses wasn't leading the group, God was.  They may have thought they were simply grumbling at a fallible man, but they were really grumbling at the infallible God.  In Numbers 14, they again grumbled against Moses, and God said, "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me" (Numbers 14:27). 

2.  The right thing to do is trust and pray.  Moses didn't grumble, he cried out to the Lord.  He knew that they were in need, and the God who was faithful to bring them through the Red Sea just three days earlier, would be faithful to provide them the water they needed to survive.  Listen my friend, God did not bring you this far to drop you in the grease.  In your Marah, trust and pray.  The Lord is faithful!

3.  The right thing to do is factor in the cross.  God answered Moses' prayer by showing him a tree.  And when Moses threw in the tree, the bitter waters were made sweet, and the people could freely drink.  What does that tell us?  In every Marah, factor in the tree of Calvary, the cross on which Jesus died.  The cross transforms every bitter experience and turns every negative into a positive.  At the cross, all our sins were paid for, and access to the Father was freely granted to all who would believe.  The cross makes all the difference in the world.

No matter what Marah you may be facing today, God can use it for your good and His glory as you factor in the cross.  Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

The cross can enable you to forgive the unforgiveable, love the unlovable, and overcome the insurmountable.  So what are you waiting for?  Take your Marah to the cross, and see God do a miracle.



Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

Rejoicing In Each Day

This is the day the Lord has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it.  Psalm 118:24 NLT

Perhaps you heard the story of Bob, who died and went to heaven. As Saint Peter was showing him around, he noticed a complaint box. "Peter!" Bob exclaimed, "Why would there be a complaint box in heaven?"

Peter replied, "Well, heaven is a place of perfect happiness ... and some people just cannot be happy unless they can complain."

Have you ever met a "church person" who is a chronic complainer? Sadly, churches seem to have chronic complainers in spades. These are the folks who are never happy. The music is too loud, the temperature is too uncomfortable, the sermon is too shallow ... or too deep ... or too long ... or too short. Nothing ever seems right. One Sunday, I greeted a member of my church and said enthusiastically, "Good morning!"
He answered sourly, "Yeah, what's so good about it?" Yikes! Whatever he had, I surely did not want to catch.

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE

Regardless of the situation we may be facing today, one thing is for sure: God made this day, and He wants us to rejoice in it. In Psalm 118:24, a definite choice was made to rejoice. The writer says, "We will rejoice and be glad." Rejoicing is an act of the will.

You and I can choose to rejoice and be glad, or we can choose to grumble, gripe, and complain. Choosing the latter course of action does not change the circumstances; it just sours your attitude and outlook. Choosing to rejoice, however, pleases God and lets your light for the Lord shine among men.

What are you facing today? A dead-end job ... a stagnant career ... financial problems ... marital problems ... health problems ... unemployment ... loneliness ... the blahs? God is greater than your problems. He has a miracle with your name on it. Stop complaining and start rejoicing! You and I serve the risen Savior, who loves us, died for us, rose again for us, and promises to work all things together for good for us.

Take time right now to praise Him for this day and the challenges in it. Remember, the greater the difficulty you have, the greater the opportunity for Him to work mightily in your life. When a complaint comes to your lips, replace it with praise. You will be amazed at the difference it will make in you!


  Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

Taking the Long Look

"...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  Hebrews 12:2-3


School.  It can seem sooo long, can't it?  When I went back to school in 1996 to get my seminary degree, I remember thinking as I looked at the degree plan for an MDIV: 92 semester hours ... wow, this is going to take a long time.  About halfway into the degree, it started to seem like I would NEVER finish.  A big part of me wanted to throw in the towel.  But, after nearly 5 years of not giving up, semester after semester, I finally graduated in December of 2000.  And it was so worth it.

What seemed like an endless, grueling experience at the time is now just a pleasant, distant memory.

KEEPING PERSPECTIVE

Are you facing some long and arduous days right now?  Perhaps you are in school and silently wondering if you'll ever finish.  Perhaps you are taking care of preschoolers, wondering if life will always be this exhausting.  Perhaps you are going through some serious problems in marriage and family, or business, or ministry ... and starting to doubt if things will ever get better.

In the grinder called life, it is easy to lose sight of the finish line.  It is easy to lose the forest because of all the trees.  But God reminds us that the way to overcome the especially tough times in life is to keep looking forward.

How in the world could Jesus endure the cross?  He kept the joy before Him.  He kept seeing the finish line and the tremendous payout on the other side.  You and I need to do the same.

SNAP SHOTS vs. END SHOTS     

We all have a tendency to see life in a snap shot.  Whatever we are experiencing right now is our current reality and sets the stage for our happiness or our sadness, depending on the circumstances.  Taking an "end shot" to offset the snap shot is a much better way to live.

God is using all the unpleasant circumstances in your life and mine to mold us and make us into the person He wants us to be.  Tears and heartaches are NOT wasted; they are used to teach us to depend upon Him.

When all is said and done, the real test of a disciple is not ingenuity, creativity, or some unknown intangible.  The real test is simple obedience, to be faithful to do what the Lord has called you to do until He calls you home.  And the fuel to do what He has called you to do is to keep your eyes on the Lord who stands at the finish line.  The little couplet says it best, "Though the pathway to glory, may sometimes seem dreary, it pays to serve Jesus every day."

God is at work in you and me.  Let's not lose sight of the bigger picture of what He is doing and what He has in store for those who are faithful until death.


Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

Don't Forget That I'm Here Waiting, Lord

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He might exalt you at the proper time. . ." 1 Peter 5:6

Waiting on God.  It's hard to do, isn't it?  Although we know that because God is perfect, it is impossible for Him to ever be late, it sure seems like that at times.

My middle daughter, Amy, is graduating from the University of Texas in Austin this weekend with a double major in Business Marketing and Studio Art.  Like all graduating seniors, getting a good job was high on her list of priorities.  And Amy had to learn to wait on God and keep trusting Him, even when nothing seemed to be happening and worry and fear kept beating on her door.  I believe her story will be an encouragement to you as you wait on Him.

For the bulk of the semester, I spent time worrying about my future. I worried that maybe I'd graduate without a job ... that maybe I would get only one offer and it would be horrible ... that I'd have to move back to Texarkana and wait tables like some end up doing ... that I'd dread that post grad question of "What are your plans?" because I wouldn't have any.  With every job rejection, these negative and horrible thoughts were confirmed.  I would think, "Okay, God, well this company doesn't want me either. Thanks." I would.  Just being honest over here.

I was so concerned about it ... all my life I had always done school ... then more school. I never really pictured what's after college.  I thought that I'd get married and then be off the hook, in a sense.  I couldn't picture what the future held and instead of thinking of great things for it, I would think of dismal situations.

Well, on Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I received a wonderful job offer from a really great company, Aon Hewitt.  I accepted the position, and start work in The Woodlands, Texas in February.  Praise the Lord! 

Looking back, the Lord had everything orchestrated!  He had a plan much bigger than my small ideas about life.  He was in total control, and He must have said all along, "Amy, My daughter, please wait on Me! Trust Me for the blessing and the abundant life I have promised you."

I wanted to share my story because I know there are things in all our lives that we are WAITING on the Lord for.  Believe me, I so have them!  But if God provides in one area, why do we have trouble believing He will provide in the others?  Didn't He say he would fulfill the desires of our heart?  Didn't He say He came that we might have life, and have it abundantly?

Don't be like me in your situation.  Wait on God with confidence and assurance.  Think back to your history with Him.  Has He ever failed you?  Have you ever walked alone?

No matter what you may be "waiting on" today, know that you can trust Him.  Romans 8:32 says, "He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Himself up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?"

Thank you, Amy.  I couldn't have said it better, myself.

May God minister His grace to you as you wait on Him to open doors and work miracles.  Remember, God is working behind the scenes to prepare both the person and the place ... so confidently humble yourself under His plan and His timing.  He WILL exalt you when the time is right.  How do I know?  Because he promised!

Love,

Pastor Jeff Schreve

[Judy Harder]

Abandonment Issues?

"Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU."
Hebrews 13:56

When I was a kid growing up, my mom and dad separated for a space of two years. It was terribly hard on my mom, and it was hard on us kids. Since I was only 10, I didn't understand all the issues in play. All I really knew is that my mom was crying a lot, and my dad was moving out. My mom felt abandoned, and so did we.

Have you ever experienced that terrible feeling of abandonment? Many who have gone through the horrors of divorce surely have. The fear of abandonment is a genuine enemy that tries to embed itself in your mind and heart, stealing away your sense of peace and safety. When you have abandonment issues, you tend to feel like you must perform, or else the rug just may get pulled out from underneath you.

Perhaps you have struggled with the fear of abandonment. The devil tries to make us believe the lie that if we fail and falter in our walk with Jesus, He will leave us, just like He left Samson. The devil always moves in for the kill when we blow it big time.

In our major failures, Satan will whisper, "Look how you sinned! Do you think God is going to have anything to do with you after this? Of course not! God is holy ... and there is no way Holy God can even stand the sight of sinful you anymore. There is no point in going to church or reading your Bible or praying. God is finished with you. You are on your own now, pal. Start singing, "Alone again, naturally." Have you ever felt those words come your way? I certainly have. And although they FEEL like the truth, they aren't even close.       

I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU

God makes it clear in His Word that He will never leave those who know and love Him. When you and I receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, He comes to us through His Spirit to live in us FOREVER (see John 14:16-17).

Furthermore, the Lord speaks specifically to the fear of abandonment in Hebrews 13:5. The Greek construction of that verse has five negatives in it. Although not good English, the repetitive negatives make for great theology. The Lord literally promises to "never, never, never, never, never leave us or forsake us."

Hebrews 13:5 in the Amplified Bible puts it this way:

For He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]

FOR YOU

Perhaps you have been feeling forsaken and abandoned. Perhaps you have believed the lie of the devil because it matched up so well with your feelings. Remember, truth is not what you feel. Truth is what God says.

If you have blown it recently in your Christian life, confess it to God and repent of that sin. Bring your sin out of the shadows and let His blood wash it white as snow, and claim Hebrews 13:5. Although you and I fail and falter, God never stops working on us. Paul said, "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

Praise God for His presence and His grace. Praise Him for His matchless promises to never leave you and never stop working on you. Wow! What a Savior!
 

[Judy Harder]

A Fresh Start to a New Year

The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness.  "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I have hope in Him."  Lamentations 3:22-24

Have I ever told you how bad of a golfer I am?  Well, it is true.  I am inconsistent off the tee box, can't chip to save my life, and putt like Herman Munster.  That mixture of problems typically results in bad scores.  Sometimes I just give myself an "F" for "fun" on the scorecard.

I remember one day I was playing golf with a friend.  It was a typical day for me on the course, a few good shots and a lot of bad shots.  After we made the turn for the final nine holes, however, something happened.  I started to play better!  It was like a scene from Invasion of the Body Snatchers.  I am sure my friend was wondering, "Who are you and what have you done with my friend Jeff Schreve!"  I was on fire!

We got to the last hole.  If I shot par on that hole, I would have finished the back nine with a 40, my best score ever for nine holes.  Unfortunately, as I stepped to the tee box, the body snatcher left me.  The old Jeff was back, and it wasn't pretty.  I hit tree after tree on my way to a quadruple boogie.  UGH!

You know what I needed on Hole 18?  I needed a "do over!"  I needed my friend to say, "Jeff, that was a bad hole for you.  Let's not count it.  Let's play it again!  You need a fresh start to this hole."

GOD'S FRESH START FOR YOU

A New Year is God's way of saying to you, "Here is a fresh start!  My love is new for you to embrace.  My compassion is fresh for you to experience.  My faithfulness is great and will never fail you."  How cool is that!?

Do you need a fresh start?  Was 2012 a tough year?  I know it was for many people.  Did things happen that really messed you up?  Did you make some bad decisions that really cost you?  Did you get a quadruple boogie on the last hole, so to speak?

Don't despair!  Don't throw in the towel and quit!  God still loves you, and He still has a wonderful plan for you!  You can have a "do over" with the Lord.         

Listen, my friend, the past is history.  You cannot change it, but you can surely learn from it and move forward.  Accept the Lord's love, compassion and faithfulness.  Those things from God are not just for other people, THEY ARE FOR YOU TOO!

2013 will be a great year IF, IF, IF you will live life with your eyes on Jesus, walking by faith and not by your feelings.  What God says IS TRUE!  Take Him at His Word!  Tee up again, and replay Hole 18.  He wants you to.  And this time, the results are going to be so much better!

Happy New Year!

[Judy Harder]

Spiritual Amnesia

They quickly forgot His works.  Psalm 106:13

How good is your memory?  The older I get, the worse mine becomes.  Things that used to stick to my mind like glue, now easily float away like dandelion petals in the wind.  UGH!  A man in my church once told me, "I don't have Alzheimer's ... but I do have Sometimer's."  Sadly, I can relate.

While many of us may have trouble remembering things like people's names and what we were supposed to pick up at the grocery store, it is important that we don't forget what great things the Lord has done for us.  It is imperative that we don't allow ourselves to contract the faithless disease known as Spiritual Amnesia.

FORGETTING THE RED SEA MIRACLE?

When God delivered His Old Testament people from Pharaoh and his armies by parting the Red Sea, that was, without question, a magnificent, stupendous, over-the-top, unforgettable miracle.  The people were in awe of God's power and sang His praises BIG TIME (see Exodus 15).  Amazingly, their praises lasted only a short time, however.

Within three days, God's wilderness wandering people ran out of water, and they began to grumble and gripe about it.  The Bible says, "They quickly forgot His works."  Are you kidding me?

How could they possibly forget the parting of the Red Sea, the greatest of Old Testament miracles?  How could they forget that God was in their midst?  How could they forget that He would see them through?

How do you and I forget the very same things!  Ouch.

YOU NEED TO JOURNAL

What is the way to prevent Spiritual Amnesia from taking root in your life?  Journaling!  As we begin a brand new year, let me encourage you to begin the discipline of journaling.  Write down God's miracles and God's answers to your prayers.  Write down the date of the problem and the date of the answer ... and review often how God has met your needs.  Don't forget His works.  Record the details and rejoice in what God has done.

Many live life silently singing to the Lord that Janet Jackson song, "What have you done for me lately?"  Don't let that be true of you.  Remember what He has done.  Remember His impeccable track record.  And remember the words of Paul when he spoke of the Lord's works, "Who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope.  And He will yet deliver us ..." (2 Corinthians 1:10).

The One who has delivered will yet deliver.  So keep trusting Him and keep reviewing His awesome work to date in your life.  Listen, if He can part the Red Sea, He can provide water in the wilderness ... and He can handle your problems too.

Love,

[Judy Harder]

Got Hope?

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.  Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart  take courage; yes, wait for the LORD.  Psalm 27:  13-14

Hope.  It is such a powerful thing.  Without hope, people dry up and die.  But with hope, people flourish, even in the worst of circumstances.

The students at P.S. 121 Elementary School in East Harlem were kids without much hope.  Their home lives were difficult at best, and the statistics showed that 75% of them would never even finish high school.

In 1981, millionaire Eugene Land went to that school, his alma mater 50 years previous, to speak to the 6th grade class.  His prepared speech was a challenge to the kids to work hard and get an education, but he sensed that challenge would merely be empty words to those who had no hope.  So at the last minute, he changed his speech and told the 59 youngsters in the class, "Stay in school ... and I'll help pay the college tuition for every one of you."

At that moment, hope was born in their hearts.  One student said, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me.  It was a golden feeling."  Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school.  Roughly 60% of them graduated from college.  Wow!

What made the difference?  Hope!

THE GOD OF HOPE

In the Bible, God is called, "The God of hope" (Rom. 15:13).  No matter how bleak and black the circumstances, He can turn it all around in an instant and give beauty for ashes.  King David knew this to be true; and used that truth to conquer the stifling feelings of depression and despair.

Are you struggling today?  Are the problems of life sinking your ship?  Is the candle of hope beginning to dim against the dark backdrop of your current reality?  Are you losing hope for a spiritual breakthrough, a better marriage, a fulfilling job, a happy family, or a brighter tomorrow?

Get your eyes off your problems and put them on the God of hope.  The goodness of the LORD is right around the corner for you.  Don't throw in the towel because your deliverance hasn't yet arrived.  Wait on Him with confident expectation (the meaning of the word hope).  He is never late and never in a hurry.  He is always right on time, and He has a miracle with your name on it.

So hope in Him!


Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries

[Judy Harder]

Rise and Shine!

You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Matthew 5:14-15


If you had to put living the Christian life into a nutshell, what would you say about it?  No doubt we could come up with many good answers from Scripture, but I really like this one simple answer from the Sermon on the Mount - "Rise and shine."
     
Without question, Jesus Christ is the light of the world.  He said so Himself (see John  8:12 .  And when we receive Him as Lord and Savior, we become His light to this darkened world.  As bearers of His light, we have a clear cut assignment: Rise and shine.  Don't hide your light under a bushel basket!  Put your light on the lampstand so it can illumine the whole house.

WHERE LIGHT IS MOST NOTICEABLE

Have you ever turned on a flashlight in broad daylight?  It is hard to see if it's working, isn't it?  The beam from the flashlight gets swallowed up in the sunlight.  But, if you turn on that same flashlight in the darkness, the beam is easily seen, and it makes all the difference in the world when traversing a dark pathway.

Perhaps God has placed you in some dark places.  Perhaps you are working in a dark place where people routinely take God's name in vain, tell dirty jokes, and make fun of holy things.  Perhaps you are in a family or a school where you are the only one interested in following Christ.  Perhaps you are physically in a dark place, sick and infirmed and wondering what God's purpose in this affliction could possibly be.

The natural response to dark surroundings is to run away.  "I don't like this, Lord.  Please get me outta here.  Put me in the sunshine."  But God says, "My child, I need you in this dark place.  I have put you there to rise and shine!"

DO LIKE PAUL AND SILAS

Paul and Silas found themselves in a dark place.  They were put in an inner prison in Philippi, beaten and bloodied and fastened to the stocks for the crime of preaching the gospel.  They were in a dark and nasty place, surrounded by vicious, godless criminals.  The Bible says, "But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them" (Phil. 16:25).

Did you catch that?  They were letting their light shine in a very dark place, and everyone there took notice.

I don't know what darkness you are facing today, but God does.  He wants to use you in that dark place to make a difference and shine for Him.  Perhaps you need to stop praying, "God get me outta here," and start praying, "God, help me to shine for you in this dark place.  Help me to act and react in a way that would cause people to see that You are the One who can give a song even in the midst of the suffering."

Where is your light today - on the lampstand or under the basket?  No matter the difficulty, God has commissioned us to rise and shine for Jesus until He calls us home.  Will you be faithful?  Will you rise and shine?


Love,
Pastor Jeff Schreve
From His Heart Ministries