Ask -Seek-Knock

It is encouraging to know that Jesus never taught us to do anything that He has not done first.

He asked: And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. Luke 23:34 ESV

He sought: For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:10 ESV

He knocked: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 ESV

The more that we ask, seek and knock in the same way that Jesus did, the more we will find the answers Jesus received!

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you Matthew 7:7 ESV

From the Rising of the Sun

These last 2 years we have faced the greatest tests to our faith as a family. It began as an automobile accident in which someone rammed the back of my wife’s new car at a red light. Nancy experienced months of pain in her hand and her car which we had just made the first payment on was crushed. We were angry and frustrated but God was working in ways we could not have imagined. Because of the pain and suffering in her hand and her loss of work my wife decided to seek legal help to recover damages. Immediately the lawyer requested a complete MRI of both Nancy’s neck and lower back. While no injury was discovered, the images revealed a mass that turned out to be stage three cancer.

From then on each month brought with it new problems and pains followed by surgery and months of Chemotherapy. Together we faced despair, discouragement and even anger, and yet God was drawing us closer to Him and to each other. It has not been a straight line road to victory but we have grown so much along the way. The Bible tells us that from the rising of the sun all the way to the end of the day; God’s name is to be praised. Both at the times when things are bright and sunny, as well as when shadows begin to lengthen God is good and worthy of praise. He has ordered our days, our steps and even our every breath. I confess to having thanked God very little and yet I have learned to trust Him more. I do appreciate the prayers of those who have followed us through this time. The last tests came back to us this week that Nancy is now cancer free and we are deeply thankful. God has been teaching and working behind the scenes of our lives in ways far beyond anything we could ever think or even imagine. It has all been His grace and grace alone. God has chosen to walk on a path over waves to come to us in the chaos and darkness of our storms. Now we know more than ever that to the final setting of the sun He will always be worthy of all our praise!

 

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Chance of Thunderstorms

Our local National Day of Prayer event was moved at the last minute by thunderstorms being predicted for exactly the time of the meeting. Because not everyone gets their updates via Facebook a lot less people than hoped for showed up at the alternate venue. We started late. One of the pastors got lost and things seemed a bit shakey. But when we get disorganized and off of our perfectly planned program God delights in surprises.

The Latino worship group from the church where we did meet was great and deftly moved us between Spanish and English during “How great is our God” one lay pastor who does prison ministry filled in for the missing pastor and passionately prayed for the police and first responders. While we lacked in attendance there was no lack of sincerity in our cry to God for our community our nation and our churches. Holding hands in worship and prayers at the end put an exclamation point on God’s presence and made me hungry for more!

Then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
Isaiah 35:6 ESV