Faith

You can do it!

/ pastorpete51 / 9 Comments

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9

Six years ago, while my wife Nancy was battling cancer, I remember sitting for hours in hospital rooms and doctor’s offices, feeling anything but strong; and not courageous at all. I was overwhelmed, alone, and exhausted. When we go through those times, some of us look to the Bible character of Joshua as a tremendous example of courage. Yet I wonder if during those days when Joshua was mourning the loss of his friend and mentor Moses, if he was feeling particularly courageous. Do you suppose that he ever felt weak or afraid as he faced the task of leading more than a million people into the promised land? You better believe he did! Just think, if he never felt that way, then why did God command him not once, not twice but three times to be strong and courageous?

    Whether you are in a crisis or are just facing problems beyond your control, remember that we serve a God who gives us hope that is not based on own courage and strength, but in Him. We can have hope in His promise that the enemies we face are no match for our Him! He is not disappointed by our weakness, nor impatient with our faltering steps. Like a good father teaching His child to walk, God stretches out His arms today and calls to us, “Take another step! You can do it! Be strong and very courageous: because no matter what you face, I will be with you!”

Father, I ask you to quiet my heart so that I can hear your voice and trust that you will be with me wherever I go.

Will You Bake a Cake Today?

/ pastorpete51 / 12 Comments 
And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward, make some for yourself and your son. 
 1 Kings 17:13 NKJV

If you wonder how your small contribution in a world full of big problems will make a difference, you are not alone. When we are in trouble, like the woman in today’s verse, sometimes God comes to our aid in unexpected ways. Maybe that morning, when she saw Elijah coming up the road, she had hopes that He was coming to help her, but instead He came asking for her to do something for him. His request reminds me of our, “Junk mail.” People who we don’t even know, ask us for money for their important projects or needs, and they want us to respond right away! But why was God asking her to bake a cake for a stranger, when she was the one in need? That may seem strange, but sometimes God does the same for us. When we are too busy, He brings us a troubled neighbor. Will we give them a smile, a hug, or a word of encouragement, even when things in our own life seem to be falling apart? The things we give in those situations are the offerings that are most precious to God. Elijah didn’t ask her to bake him a cake, because of selfishness, but because he was following God’s instructions. In fact, Elijah might have felt ashamed to be begging from a widow and she might have been offended by his request. But as they both obeyed, God blessed them, and they both received not only food through the famine, but they also had their story recorded in God’s word, and it is still encouraging us after three thousand years! Remember that your story can encourage someone today. God just may ask you to give away something that you have saved for yourself. Are you willing to give what you have to others even when it seems so small? Are you ready to bake a cake today?

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God Answers Prayer

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment 
And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”  But He answered her not a word …Matthew 15:22-23a

Did it ever feel like God wasn’t paying any attention to you? That is undoubtedly the feeling that this woman experienced in today’s verse. She cried. She begged. She fell to Jesus’ feet. But nothing she could do or say seemed to touch the Lord. Her story reminds me of the Bangladeshi people I met on a mission trip to Northern India. They could only find work breaking up gravel from the river banks in that city, because they were Muslim and not Hindi. Most of the local people would not hire them and so they were forced to take the lowest, most menial jobs. The way they were treated was a lot like this woman at first appears to have experienced. Yet, though she didn’t realize it at first, Jesus made His only mission trip abroad in answer to her prayers. 

So if it seems as if Jesus is not listening and no one else seems to care if our prayers will be answered, we have to decide whether we will continue to believe or go away? Will we continue praying or will we give up? For all of us, there comes that moment when we must decide what to do with God’s silence. This woman who appeared to have no religious background, no friends and no encouragement, gives us a wonderful testimony, of humility and patience. She shows us that not only is God listening, but that He also cared enough to send Jesus on His long trip to earth, just for you!