I Smell Smoke...

Today’s passage touches my heart like none has before.  I wish we were sitting down having coffee so I could share this entire story with you.  I will do my best to pretend. 

It was almost 5 years ago when my husband, a pastor in a mainline church, was confronted with a dilemma. You see, he was being tested. God was giving him almost daily opportunities to serve him, or make the people happy.  It just so happened, the “people” were church folk and powerful ones at that.

Continually as the tension of our situation grew, Steve would ask me, “What should I do?”  I would simply state, “Do the next right thing.”  Steve would remind me that the next right thing could cost him his job as pastor of this church we have come to love.  I would simply smile and say, “Do the next right thing.”

It didn’t take long for those powerful church people to put Steve’s “feet to the coals”, if you will, and he did the next right thing.  He stood up for the gospel of Christ and proudly stated that he would not waiver. My husband was fired that day.

That evening we were doing our nightly devotion with Evan, our 6 year-old-son, and I kid you not, the very next devotion in his Bible, was the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walking in the fiery furnace.  Our son, who passively listened to the stories every other night started to cry.  Steve and I gently asked him what was wrong. 

Evan replied, “But I don’t want to walk through fire.”  Evan had NO idea what had just happened and how Steve and I were feeling as if we were now having to walk through the fire.

We smiled at Evan and calmly said, “Don’t you see, Jesus rescued them.  God isn’t asking you to walk though actual fire for him, but life won’t always be easy and we may wonder where God is.  This story helps us to remember, God is with us and as life gets hard; we can trust that He will be right there.”

Our words were enough to calm Evan's anxious hear that evening.  We’ve needed to reassure him over the years, as the flames seemed to be licking our heals.  But, our testimony has been constant, "God is here and He can be trusted."  

Looking back, I have never been so afraid and so proud all at once.  My world was caving in and I was now waiting for God to rescue us from the fire. And I am excited to say, HE HAS! 

It has been a hot fire.  The fire seared us on every side, but I can honestly say that the only thing the fire burnt were my bindings.  Praise Jesus!  What I thought might kill us, God used to destroy the things that tied us down.

You can trust him like that too.  If you are confronted with some life-altering choices, can I give you some advice?  Just do the next right thing.  Then, trust God to be there no matter the cost.

Read today's passage here Daniel 3:26-29

or

Read the whole story here Daniel 3 

God's Up to Somethin' -- Acts 11:4-18

Do you remember a VBS t-shirt imprinted, "God's up to somethin'?" I have repeated this phrase to myself many times when something in my life has taken an unexpected direction. It reminds me to keep closer to God and wait for something new to happen.

Peter knew God was up to something when he experienced a dream. The people around him, his fellow Jews, weren't open to the fact that God could change the rules, turn old things around and upside down.

Peter's reaction: "...Who was I to think that I could oppose God?" (vs. 17) He did the faithful thing by adapting and following what God's Spirit revealed. He opened to God. He trusted God. This gave him the strength and courage he needed. He led his fellow Jews into a new way of thinking. God is no longer just a God of the Jews. Now everyone is a child of God.

When God is up to something, new things can happen. We may or may not expect them. We may or may not be ready. But we know we can trust God to give us what we need to see our way through change.

What an awesome journey when we take on the courage to embrace something new God puts in our path!

Let's welcome the entire VBS t-shirt imprint: "God's up to Somethin', Count me in!"

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Read today's text on Biblegateway, Acts 11:4-18

Some Doubted...?

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Matthew 28:16

But some doubted… Wow, what hard words to understand. How could some of the eleven remaining disciples doubt after all they had been through? They have seen the risen Messiah. They have touched him, broke bread with him, some have fished with him again. I’m not sure what they doubted, maybe they were on overload. Too much has happened this past month to process. Maybe they doubted that Jesus should be leaving again. The job before them was too big.

Whatever their doubt, it doesn’t seem to stress Jesus. He sees the big picture. He went ahead and commissioned those standing there, assuring them that, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” It’s as if he is saying, “You know me, we have spent lots of time doing this work already. Now trust me and keep doing what we’ve been doing, and oh yeah, I am with you ALWAYS, to the very end of the age. When you need me I’ll be right here.”

Let’s trust God for that today.

Read today entire passage on Bible Gateway Matthew 28: 16-20

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