A Funny As In Odd. . .

"When You're Down to Nothing, God's up to Something."

"Worry looks around, Sorry looks back, Faith looks up."

A friend sent this to me, and I liked it planning to use it in a future posting -- although today was not my intent but something strange happened.

When I got up this morning and turned on my computer & amp; web browser, my homepage didn't come up. It was acting as if the Internet were down or I wasn't connected to broadband. One thing I've learned is that if your homepage doesn't come up, try a different site as it may be nothing more than the homepages server, so I checked my blog site and sure enough the system was working. Now the strange or weird part of all of this, the above caption is what came up as if I had posted it. Wow, odd, weird or maybe a sign from God. :)

I had been searching, seeking the Lord for something to share, I guess that this must be what God had in mind for me to share today.

"When your down to nothing"

How does God get your attention? Does He have it when your down to nothing? Often times we react to things in ways believing we are "right" or doing the "right thing" only to learn in the end that the results were not what we had intended or hoped. I'm quite sure that everyone has experienced this many times and would be able to offer an interesting story or two.  At church, we've been studying the book of Ephesians. I enjoy studying at home it's an excellent book a favorite of mine.  As noted in my last posting.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." 2:10

This isn't about attaining salvation by works, it's the good works you will do after you have received the free gift of salvation. The good works God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. It seems to me that you can do this the easy way or the hard way. Why is it that a lot of us choose to do God's work the hard way?  On a previous post Beyond The Fog part 2 - I wrote: "We lack the patience needed to allow God do what He does best, and in reality, we delay moving forward."  Simply meaning we step out on our own to do what we believe we should be doing even thinking our way is better easier, familiar. Thus, making it much harder on us in the long run. Sometimes reaching that place where, "when you are down to nothing." A friend commented on my use of the word "allow," in which I believe he misunderstood where I was going with it. He responded, "We do not have the capacity to allow or disallow the Lord to do anything He desires." Yes, this statement is true; however, we still have free will still choosing to do things our way or God's way. Our way means making stupid decisions or choices, running in circles, hurting ourselves, family and friends, sometimes ending in failure or at best a less than desired outcome, it doesn't necessarily mean we still aren't blessed, or God isn't working. By not seeking God for His divine direction, we make it that much harder to get where God wanted us to be to begin with. As stated, we really can't allow or disallow what God desires -- we just make it harder on ourselves.  (timing also is everything as we are growing)

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass. 1 Thessalonians 5:24

"God is up to Something."

God has already made provisions for us, that we will be able to walk according to His will and purpose.  To me it's like planning a trip to the beach, there's a number of ways to get there, each with its own pros and cons. Whether you drive, take a plane or train the destination is still the beach -- the question is which means of travel is the safest, easiest and fastest? In the same way we're able to choose the direction or means of getting to God's appointed, predestined, destination with or without His help. Our prayer should be:

"Dear Lord, let us not step out on our own, help us to trust you for our every step, with your Holy Spirit as our guide, in Jesus' name, Amen and Amen!"

Why is it that when taking a trip on an airplane we're able to trust the pilot.  Here is a man or woman we've never met to safely fly us to our destination? If you felt the pilot needed help, are you qualified to sit next to him and control the aircraft? Then why don't we offer our God the one in whom we are to be closer to than a friend the same respect? Yet, we feel we ought to jump in and help God with the controls. God will get us to His destination regardless of the choices we make -- like taking the controls and flying the plane into the ground.  :)

"Worry looks around"

We shouldn't worry, we can go to Him for help anytime.  At times I've also allowed myself to look at the overwhelming number of tasks in front of me. Without going into details, the size and number of things I have looked at to do literally put me to tears. I know I can't do it all myself but I know I can through Him. I know I must trust Him to get me through. I can't look at what's around me, or let the mire that I'm in, keep me from seeing God and His many blessings. I believe God is continually answering prayer, and is working through His Holy Spirit on my behalf. He's answered our prayers often even before we utter the words. It's not all that uncommon for us to not see the answer(s) even when its right in front of us. He is - for He has already predestined where we will be. And, if we don't see the answer right now should we stop believing? NO Unbelief and its thought come from Satan, why should we listen to Satan? Worry is the opposite of faith. For it is written that: 

"Without faith it is impossible to please God," Hebrews 11:6

"By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear (reverence) built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith." Hebrews 11:5-7

During one of my recent web searches I came across this article -- Is Worry a Sin? by Dr. Larry Ollison, Ph.D.. (updated 4/20/20)  It's worth a moment of your time reading, especially if this post hits a spiritual nerve or two.

"Sorry looks back"

We are not to live in the past. When a person is unhappy, they tend to look back for what was once a happier time; a time when she or he was as happy as a child, forever wishing things remain the same. Sorry looks back means holding on to the negative events of our past. An example might be not getting that job you thought should have been yours and being angry or bitter that it went to someone else instead. Another example is the inability or unwillingness to let go of the loss of some material/worldly object of sentimental value or desire. Missing departed loved ones is a normal human response, but holding on and not letting go of the pain and grief of the loss might not be healthy in moving forward.  Past hurts or regrets over the poor choices we've made along the way can create bitterness and unforgiveness. Being sorry for the "what could have been(s)" those missed opportunities- being stuck can keep us from sharing the Gospel or saying a kind word or two. Even causing us to lose focus on the opportunities right in front of us. How about being sorry for not forgiving a person that hurt you? Any of these examples, and there's many more, represent sorrow for the past and are bad places to be. Paul tells us,

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus said in Luke 9:62 "No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Philippians 3:13

"Faith looks up"

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 KJV 

Faith is the belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.  Praise God that "Everyone is given a measure of faith." Romans 12:3 How we grow more in the Lord and strengthen our faith is simply stated in Romans 10:17 "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The time you spend reading and meditating on God's word the better you'll know Him. The closer we are to Him, the better we'll know His voice and the easier it becomes to have full faith and trust. Our faces and eyes should be focused upward toward the heavens; looking to the Lord. He's able to work best through us when our focus is on Him and not on our circumstances. Remember our victory is in the Lord. I strongly suggest reading all Romans chapter 8.

Things that I write about are from my experiences or from what I've observed. Sometimes bad things happen to God's faithful and we don't always know the reasons why or understand the reason. It may not even have anything to do with ones walk (what your doing or not) like Job he was counted as righteous. I've experienced bad things that after careful, and prayerful review, didn't have anything to do with my walk, but were just one of the many bumps along life's journey. In this, as in previous posts, I've discussed how God allows us free will to make our own choices. Let's move forward in the Lord and not hinder our walk by stepping out of His covering or purposes. God gave us a mind to use; we can start by using it wisely.

Above all God loves us; He showed us this love through His mercy and grace by sending His son Jesus to die for us that we have forgiveness through Him. It is because of His love that we're able to go directly to Him any time with our prayers in which you do not have to go through anyone else. God gave us a direct line through Jesus. Amen from me ~

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Now for a real funny.

This was also sent from a friend via email. . .

A new pastor was visiting the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door. Therefore, he took out a business card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the back of it and stuck it in the door. When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, "Genesis 3:10". Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock." Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked."

Remember when the funniest jokes were the clean ones? They still are!

"A cheerful heart is good medicine"

(Proverbs 17:22)

Now, pass it on!God Bless!!