Can you sit for a while?

A friend of mine sends me these devotionals and they
minister to me everyday. It's scary, but it shouldn't be,
that they are always applicable to my current situation.

Read and enjoy, and then be willing to spend some time
sitting still in the presence of the living God!!

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Genesis 15:1-21 (emphasis on v. 12)

Whenever God gives a vision to a Christian,
it is as if He puts him in "the shadow of His hand"
( Isaiah 49:2 ). The saint’s duty is to be still and listen.
There is a "darkness" that comes from too much
light-that is the time to listen.

The story of Abram and Hagar in Genesis 16 is an excellent
example of listening to so-called good advice during a
time of darkness, rather than waiting for God to send the light.
When God gives you a vision and darkness follows, wait.
God will bring the vision He has given you to reality in
your life if you will wait on His timing.

Never try to help God fulfill His word. Abram went through
thirteen years of silence, but in those years all of his
self-sufficiency was destroyed. He grew past the point
of relying on his own common sense. Those years of silence
were a time of discipline, not a period of God’s displeasure.
There is never any need to pretend that your life is filled with
joy and confidence; just wait upon God and be grounded in Him.
(see Isaiah 50:10-11 ).

Do I trust at all in the flesh? Or have I learned to go beyond all
confidence in myself and other people of God?
Do I trust in books and prayers or other joys in my life?
Or have I placed my confidence in God Himself, NOT in His blessings?

"I am Almighty God . . ."— El-Shaddai, the All-Powerful God
(Genesis 17:1 ). The reason we are all being disciplined is that we
will know God is real. As soon as God becomes real to us, people
pale by comparison, becoming shadows of reality. Nothing that
other saints do or say can ever upset the one who is built on God.

I am Jacob...Wanna Wrestle?

I recently read a Charles Stanley devotional from
www.crosswalk.com and it spoke a mountain into my life.
You see, I was recenty accepted into Keynote,
Campus Crusade for Christ's music ministry.
I'm in the process of raising my support, and upon reaching 100%
I'll move to Indianapolis and begin my service.
I must confess that I've been wrestling with the thought of going.

There are times when I don't want to leave Houston, First Baptist,
and all that has been familiar and comfortable to me the past 12 years.
I've also been asking myself the following questions...
"Did God really call me here or did I selfishly manufacture this process?"
Anyway, this devotional came to my inbox today, and it spoke volumes to me.
It's always amazing how God's timing is never late, but always perfect.



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In a fish’s belly, Jonah recommitted himself to the Lord’s purpose. But the popular Bible story about the consequences of disobedience doesn’t end with Jonah obeying God. The book actually concludes with him acknowledging why he didn’t want the job — and with the Lord chastising him for his selfish reasons. You see, Jonah was afraid that the Ninevites, who were a threat to the Jewish people, might actually repent, and then his merciful God would not destroy them. The reluctant prophet admitted he wanted to see them wiped out: “Therefore in order to forestall [their salvation] I fled to Tarshish” (Jonah 4:2). When the Lord relented, Jonah’s trip became a success to everyone but him.


Believers resist doing God’s will for many reasons — fear, feelings of inadequacy, etc. Sometimes, although we don’t like to confess this, we say no because we dislike the probable outcome of obedience. As Jonah did, we also can lose sight of spiritually important things and focus on our own desires and comfort.

Our unhappiness with what we think might happen is not a reason to resist God’s plan. If the Lord calls us to act, He will take care of the end results. Our job is to obey.

What form of selfishness is keeping you from obeying the Lord? Maybe you are too angry with your spouse to work on your marriage or too hurt to welcome back a repentant child. But we are not to be ruled by our feelings, no matter how strong they are. Obedience is required of you. The final results may surprise you, particularly how blessed you will be for having followed God.