by Carol Roberts | Aug 7, 2015 | Encouragement
When the wait for answered prayer is long and all signs seem to point to the opposite of the truth, that’s when we put our trust in God. Waiting is a reminder that we are not in control but God. It is reason to give praise because our perfect God has taken our concerns into His loving arms and He is in full control, not us. We sometimes do not understand but He does.
During the wait we get to know Him. We grow into His likeness and show love to one another.
The wait is never wasted as long as our focus is on Him. He has a work to be done in and through us. A friend said things beautifully long ago: occupy while waiting.
KNOW
GROW
SHOW
During this time others can know Jesus Christ, His love, His attention and His care through what He does in our lives.
Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what He has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.
by Carol Roberts | Aug 6, 2015 | Hope
The body of Christ consists of all His people. Each person is important and completes His big picture. While it’s easy to look at some people and think they are more important because they are more visible, it is not true.
Let’s take the pipe organ for example. There are numerous pipes large and small. They are all lined up in a way that is beautiful to see. What if one was missing. The empty spot would be noticed most of all, no matter how small of a pipe. Just because it isn’t the size of one of the gigantic pipes in the back doesn’t make it less important.
What about sound? What if one of the middle sized pipes thought it wasn’t important so it decided to not play? That middle pipe feels that because it’s not cute enough to be small and in the front or glorious enough to be big standing tall in the back it is not important. Then time comes to play the beautiful hymn, “How Great Thou Art” and his note is missing. How offensive it would be to a worshiping crowd to hear, “then sings my ……… my savior God to thee.”
There is no such thing is an unimportant person. Each talent is unique and paints God’s big picture. There is a flip side where people want to serve and are turned away.
What if a person is told that because they are an instrumentalist and not a vocalist they do not fit the format therefore their talent is refused. What if a person is a good vocalist and their talent is turned away because there is a set group then asked to stand behind the set group in the choir. What happens when a very gifted vocalist comes to audition for a solo in the Christmas pageant and told all solos are done by those same select people? Surely this doesn’t happen in a church. If so, it will not be long before the church consists of only these select people and all others silently leave.
The church body consists of all God’s people and there is a serious need for each one. Where there are no needs, there is no room to grow.
1 Corinthians 12:14-16 New Living Translation
Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?
by Carol Roberts | Aug 5, 2015 | Encouragement
You smell the hickory smoke rising from barbecue being cooked for hours or even days? The aroma is a constant reminder that a good barbecue is coming. When the dinner is finally ready it is well worth the wait. Tender, moist, flavorful barbecue that only time can produce. Imagine that same meal cooked in the microwave for just minutes. It may smell good but it’s tough and stringy with the flavor poured only on the outside. What a disappointment.
The same concept applies to prayers. Days, weeks, months or even years go by. There are gentle reminders along the way that God has not forgotten. Much love, thought and details are penetrating each aspect of our prayers. This includes the slow progress we see and the spiritual things we never see. God knows each small detail. When the answer comes it is worth twice the wait. What if we speed things up a little or want things right now. We phone a friend or manipulate things with people in order to get everything quicker. It may give a quick temporary satisfaction. However it sifts like sand through our fingers without much hope of a second chance, especially in relationships or job promotions. An unprepared heart will only be a replica of the real thing if God isn’t allowed to finish His great work. WAIT
Psalm 62:1-2
I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from Him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken.
by Carol Roberts | Aug 4, 2015 | Hope
The past is full of great memories. The places we went to school, the people we met along the way, first dates or achievements are some of the things people ponder. Some past things are not pleasant to ponder such as lost loves, moving away, failing marks in school or numerous other things that didn’t quite work out. The interesting thing about memories is that many times they are about the things that pleased or hurt us. Rarely do people think about times they made God happy or helped another person along the way.
Pondering the past is a place to visit in our minds and emotions but only as a visit. Today’s choices will be tomorrow’s memories. Past experiences that are pleasant are a spring board to want to achieve more today. Unpleasant memories are stepping stones that encourage us to step ahead to something better. The absolute best goals are the ones that include serving God and others. Pleasing God and serving others achieve the type of rewards that are forever and no one can take them from us.
Philippians 3:12-14
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
by Carol Roberts | Aug 3, 2015 | Encouragement
There is healing, encouragement, peace and comfort in the living waters of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we trust Him more and more we are like ships on a journey that He guides and directs. There are days of blistering heat, raging storms and high waves along the way but the obstacles are no match to the love of Jesus Christ. No matter what we face, the living water is lifting us up.
When we see things unfold for the purpose of Jesus Christ it’s worth the trip. There are times when we face many obstacles and God calms one of them. That is encouraging because He can be trusted to take care of the next one. Other times we pray for something and our neighbor gets the exact blessing we are trusting for while we still wait. That is encouraging because God isn’t done yet and we have not been skipped over. Then comes the time when others rejoice while they watch our blessings come. Whether we are the ones rejoicing with others or others are rejoicing with us, Jesus is Lord. When God raises the rivers of flowing blessings all boats float.
Psalm 138:2-3
I bow before Your holy Temple as I worship.
I praise Your name for Your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for Your promises are backed by all the honor of Your name.
As soon as I pray, You answer me; You encourage me by giving me strength.
