Is God taking too long?

Have you ever felt like God’s plan for you, his prosperous plan, his plan of welfare and peace, just takes too long? Are you going to admit it? I have… Guess what? So did the Israelites! Yep! Way back in the book of Numbers.

So… God had lead Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt. They had been in the desert for awhile and were getting restless. God told them that he had a land for them, he picked it out. All God wanted was a little bit of faith demonstrated from the Israelites.

He asked Moses to send some men out to scout, explore the land. Now these scouts explored for 40 days. They came back and said the land flowed with milk and honey. They even brought back some of the fruit they had found growing. But…they said that the people there were strong and large. There was no way the Israelites could defeat them. Of course when everyone heard the reports, they grumbled and complained about where they were. Why had God brought them to the desert to die?

Have you ever grumbled and complained about what God brought you out of? Thought you would have done things differently? (because your way was working for you) Let fear keep you from doing what God had set up for you? Again, are you going to admit it?

Well, God’s way was questioned. There were two scouts, however, that tried to calm the people. They were Caleb and Joshua. They reported to the Israelites that “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them." (Numbers 14:8-9) The people then turned on the two brave scouts but God stepped in. He was not happy at all. He punished the Israelites by telling them that they would not get to enjoy the Promised Land. Their children would be allowed because they would be wandering the desert for 40 years. These people still didn’t get it. They tried to defeat the Amalekites and Canaanites without God. They were beaten.

Have you ever tried to get to your “Promised land” before you were ready? Prepared? Without God? Aren’t we stubborn?

Later in the book of Joshua, the Israelites have finally leaned on God. The last of the men from the slave days of Egypt had died and their children were about to enter Canaan, God’s land promised to be given to them. There was however, an obstacle… the Jordan River.

Joshua was leading the Israelites now. God gave him a pep talk. “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:5-9) And then God gave his instructions on how and what the people were to do to get across the Jordan. They didn’t have to build anything. They didn’t have to do anything except be ready-be prepared. God told them that when the Ark of God carried by the Levitical priests got near the water to be ready to follow it. God took care of the rest!!! He made the rushing water pile up. He made the ground dry so they could walk across. He did it because he knew the plan he had for them. The whole nation walked across the Jordan riverbed, didn’t get wet, didn’t get covered in mud, didn’t get stuck in the middle. They believed in God and his plan and walked across.

Now you and me- God’s plan is not messy. It is not hard. The Bible says , “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:6) and “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” ( Romans 12:2)

God knows the plan better than we do. He designed it. We just have to be as faithful as he is and follow it.

-Susie Hickman

“Don’t Grow Weary . . . work with all your might.”

I spoke recently with several different members of our church about all of the different ministries that our church offers and how so many of us are involved in one, if not several, of the ministries. I was in agreement with many of those who felt that our church is literally stretched to its capacity in volunteers, workers and helpers. Simply put, we are a church with a true heart to serve our God . . . and that is a good thing!

However, I think we all go through spells where we get tired. We get emotionally tired . . . we get physically tired . . . we even get mentally tired of doing what the Lord has called us to do. We have to become expert managers of our families and our time making sure we keep up with our kids’ soccer games, school events, after school events, hair appointments, car tune-ups, balancing the checkbook, paying the bills, work, meetings, mowing the lawn, cleaning the gutters, lessons, fixing breakfast, packing lunch, planning dinner, shopping, watching TV, keeping up with Facebook, cleaning the house, talking on the phone . . . and it goes on and on. LIFE goes on.

Are you getting tired? You know, that’s ok. But don’t quit!! Rest if you must, but don’t you ever quit!!

In Ecclesiastes 9:10, the Word says “Whatever presents itself for you to do, do it WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you are going.” Kind of an eye-opener, huh?

I coached soccer for many years and with each team, good or bad, young or old, boys or girls (or both), I always told them this: NO MATTER WHAT, LEAVE IT ALL ON THE FIELD. PLAY HARD AND DON’T EVER QUIT! WHEN THE CLOCK HITS :00 , THEN YOU CAN REST. No matter how much we were winning or losing, I told my players to give it everything they got. I also told them that one day, they would not be playing anymore and I wanted each of them to look back and say that they did everything they could for the team.

Let me encourage you today . . . give it everything you got! Are you tired, that’s ok! Rest if you must, but don’t you ever quit!! Whatever ministry you are called to, don’t let anyone or anything hold you back . . . do it to the best of your ability and do it with all your might. I look forward to the day when my heavenly father can look at me and say “Well done!!”

-Pastor Chris Blackburn

My First Missions Trip

This past week, I had the privilege to go with a group from our church to Mission, South Dakota to do a Vacation Bible School and other outreach ministry on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. To be honest, I was nervous about the experience because I had never done anything like this in my life. I knew going in that I would be pushed outside my comfort zone and that I would be asked to do things that I normally do not like to do. Still, I knew that the Lord had something planned for me that week and I simply obeyed.

The trip had its challenges in the beginning . . . bald tires, a gas pedal that would not work in my car, an air-conditioner that went out on a day when the temperature was over 100. All of it was a distraction from what the Lord was calling us to do. A strong brother in Christ spoke to me while I was getting my car worked on in Indiana, some 800 miles away from our destination that I should not worry, the Lord was in control. Of course, he was right.

Upon arrival, there was the distraction of trying to locate a Nissan dealer to get the piece I needed to make my car . Some 170 miles away in Pierre, South Dakota, we found one. Took two trips and nearly 6 hours of driving and time away from ministry work to get it repaired, but the Lord provided what we needed. As it turned out, I got to spend some quality time with another great friend in the Lord who was able to minister to me about some strong holds in my own life. So, as it turns out, God was in that too.

During the course of the week, we performed eight different outreach ministries at different locations on the Reservation. At one point, one of our blow up games got a massive hole in it. We tried the usual forms of repair . . . duct tape, followed by more amounts of duct tape. Eventually, we came to the conclusion that the game would not work. Yet another distraction that had the potential to limit what we could do to entice the children to come hear the message of the Lord.
Turns out, the Lord was in that too.

What happened was one of the many amazing things about this mission trip. The entire team would pull together to use the talents that the Lord has blessed us with. I learned the art of being 10 again and having balloon sword fights with as many as 8 or 9 kids at one time. Others used the art of taking pictures, or to face paint and make animal balloons, or one of many, many things that were done in just over an hour at each location. Turns out, most of the kids at these outreaches could have cared less about us having three blow up games or two. They just wanted our attention and our love . . . which is what God wanted us to give to them as well. Like I said, God was in that too.

There is much to share about this trip. Some 138 kids and adults were saved that week. Personally, my life was changed with each face and each interaction with everyone I met. We witnessed the beginnings of a miracle for the small church we performed the Vacation Bible School at. Those stories will be for another time and maybe another blog.

What I want to close with is this . . . don’t let the little distractions in your life cause you to miss out on what God has in store for you. There were a few times I would get frustrated or discouraged. When that happened, the Lord found ways to speak to my heart . . . through a brother in Christ who would encourage me or the smile of a child who just simply wanted me to watch them jump on a blow-up game. I rediscovered a peace of allowing God to be in control and trusting Him to take care of the little distractions.

-Pastor Chris Blackburn

A Cheerful heart makes the face cheerful! (Proverbs 15:13)

If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands… nod your head…. shout hooray. If you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it; If you're happy and you know it do all three! Remember this song? We may not sing the song out loud, however our faces surely show it.

Many a happy Spirit-filled Christian has been asked by others, “Why are you always so happy? As I have observed you, you don’t seem to get gloomy and downhearted. What is your secret?” What an opportunity this gives to testify to our joy in the Lord! The secret for some is to get their souls full of joy each day in their time alone with God. (You will fill me with joy in your presence. Psalm 16:11) They do this before they go about their day. They carry the blessing of the secret place into their day’s activities. The first great and primary business to which we ought to attend every day is to have our soul happy in the Lord.

A heart bubbling over with joy makes your life more attractive to the unsaved, is a powerful witness to Christ’s grace, and makes a more lasting impact on others than almost any other aspect of your Christian life. Measure your own life’s testimony by your joy. Ask yourself…. Is my spirit singing the song today?

- Elaine Wood

Being Content...

A few days ago, I passed a billboard at a church near West Virginia that had posted “For The Person Who Is Praying For Snow, PLEASE STOP, God Has Heard You!”. I think this sign is funny, but it does reveal a little about each of us during this very difficult stretch of winter weather.

I think most of us have had our fill of snow this winter. We are all a little tired of shoveling snow and having to stay indoors being restricted to our homes because the roads are not safe to travel, especially in the evening hours. Parents are getting more impatient with each day as schools continue to announce that they are closed. We are bothered by long lines at the grocery store to buy milk, juice and bread . . . and are even more disturbed to find they have run out of these essential items. Snow shovels break, and then we discover the local hardware stores no longer have snow shovels in stock. As the frustration of winter and the severe weather continues to build, we even suffer from cabin fever. If you are like me, you are longing for spring days with sunny skies, moderate temperatures and a renewed spirit that usually comes with that season of the year.

However, we should examine ourselves during these kinds of trials. To some, this kind of weather may not seem like such an ordeal, but to others, it is the worst time of year. Are we struggling to be happy in these dreariest of days? Or, are we “content”? Paul wrote a letter to the people of Philippi giving them the secret to being content regardless of their circumstances. It is in this scripture that we can examine our own hearts and emotions during these hard winter months.

Philippians 4:11-13 says “I’m not saying this because I’m in any need. I’ve learned to be content in whatever situation I’m in. I know how to live in poverty or prosperity. No matter what the situation, I’ve learned the secret of how to live when I’m full or when I’m hungry, when I have too much or when I have too little. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

So, despite all of the limitations that 18-36” of snow can bring and the problems that come with all of the recent bad weather, ask yourself this question . . . am I content? If not, stop looking at the weather forecast for good news. Instead, open up The Word of God and read what He has done for you and what He promises to do for you! Pray and ask God to speak to your heart. Pray for those who are in need. If nothing else, look for ways to be an encouragement to others by giving them a quick call, write a letter or even offer to help shovel a driveway.

In the meantime, if YOU are the one praying for all of this snow . . . you can stop, He HAS HEARD YOU!!

In Him,

Pastor Chris Blackburn

REMEMBERING MRS. JEAN RATCLIFFE

As most of you are probably aware, Mrs. Jean Ratcliffe went home to be with her Beloved Savior last Sunday. I read a statement recently that said, “No one can argue with a changed life.” When it comes to following God, no one can argue with the fruit that Jean’s life produced. She was a person of passionate prayer, worship, and study of the Word. I never observed an ounce of regret, bitterness, or pride in her life. She lived out the message of the Gospel as well as anyone I have ever known. Her integrity was spotless, her compassion genuine, her relationship with Jesus contagious. When she arrived on that other shore last Sunday, a resounding shout of joy was the first thing she heard; a cry of love that conveyed the passionate love of our Bridegroom King singing over His beloved child. As she opened her eyes, free from the pain and limitations of this life, the Savior gently took her hand in His and said, “Welcome home.”

The purpose of this blog is to encourage others to live a life of faithful obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Let the life and memory of Jean Ratcliffe be a living epistle that propels you into an intimate relationship with Jesus.

-John Spraker

The gifts and the Gift Giver...

I am writing this blog entry wearing earplugs and shooting muffs. With the computer in the most traveled room in the house, it is hard to concentrate. The longer I tried to think of a grand theological thesis to make you say, “Man Tim is really able to hear God,” the harder it was to shut out all the goings on of the house. Yes, I was coming along with a great message on “responding to problems not reacting to them.” But the harder I tried to expand upon the topic the more difficult it became. Even now in one room a lonely keyboard is playing “Another day in Paradise”on a continues loop, in another room one girl is playing “run around the room like a crazy person” and the other is drying her hair. The only thing that would make it complete is if Mollie (our newfoundland dog) was nudging my arm wanting attention. Life has a way of bringing focus to our feeble minds. We strive so hard to express the greatness of God that we miss out on the little things that make it all real. Sometimes I put so much into making every word correct in one of these blogs that I make myself crazy. Maybe I need to run around the room a little?

We minister in a body of believers with many talents. Some you can see and others that only come out when no one is looking. Each gift is given so that we can minister to God and the body. From time to time we fall into the trap of seeking to please the body more than God. Whether it is purposeful or not. We all want to know that what we are doing is being appreciated. That we are making a difference, changing lives, or the way people think. Understand that if you are able to function in the gifting that God has given you, there is no need to strive to please any other man. The reality is that our actions have little to do with the gift and a lot to do with the giver of the gift.

Well the house is quiet now, yet I am still wearing the plugs and muffs. I guess it wasn't the noise and commotion that was causing my lack of concentration. Maybe I just needed to quiet my head a little. P.S. I was the one who turned off the keyboard.

- Tim Ratcliff

Keeping our Resolutions...

Happy New Year! Have you made a New Year’s resolution? Many people have. Yet most of them will not fulfill the goal that they set during the first minutes of the new year because they are trying to succeed in their own strength. Human strength has its limits. We grow weary. We lower our standards. We give up. However, in Christ 2010 can be your best year yet. I pray that you will know more and more of Christ’s amazing love for you this year and that you will allow Him to lead you on the amazing journey of life. May the following verses be an encouragement to you.

“I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit--not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength--that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. “(Ephesians 3:16-20, The Message Bible)

-Anna Spraker

The Lonely Broken Reindeer...

Only a few of you may know this, but my husband is really Clark W. Griswold. If you don’t know who that is, you should rent the DVD of National Lampoon’s ‘Christmas Vacation’. Or, better yet, save yourself the money and just drive by our house to experience it firsthand. Each year at Christmas time, Chris decorates the yard and house with thousands of twinkling lights and all the decorations he can fit onto every tree, bush, gutter, porch, fence and empty spot on the lawn. He really does an outstanding job of spreading Christmas cheer to the neighborhood.

As we were dragging out the decorations last night, out came the metal framed reindeer, you know, the kind wired with white lights whose heads move up and down? There were three reindeer lying on the sidewalk, their lights falling off the frames and tangled up, their heads disconnected from their bodies. Clark, I mean Chris, called from across the yard “Plug them in and see if they work and see if you can get their heads on!” Then I remembered that one unfortunate buck’s head had broken several years ago. I tried unsuccessfully to fix it, gave up, and let it flop to the ground. As he was watching, Chris called “Throw it away!”

For several years we have dragged this same broken reindeer from the basement, plugged him in, remembered his head was broken, and hollered at each other “throw him away!” He was repeatedly carried back to the basement to be thrown back on a lonely shelf in a dark corner, hoping that one day I would have the time and know how to fix that deer. A cheap lawn decoration, useless in its purpose, ignored in the hope that one day it could be salvaged. I cannot bring myself to throw it away. Maybe it’s just the pack-rat in me; I prefer to think it is a symbol of Christmas hope.

We do a lot of things to celebrate Christmas each year; we celebrate the birth of our Messiah, the One who saves us. I hope that broken reindeer can be fixed – but Jesus is THE hope of the entire world. He came to fix those who are broken, to save those that have been given up on. Those who are lonely have, in Him, a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Those who are not fulfilling their purpose in life can find their purpose in Him. To those who feel forgotten or neglected, He promised that He would never leave or forsake them. For those who live in darkness, Jesus can be their light; He is THE light of the world. That broken reindeer will probably still be sitting there on that lonely, dark shelf next Christmas, waiting to be salvaged and repaired. However, those who are broken, lonely, living in darkness, tangled up in sin can turn to Jesus today. We can rejoice during this Christmas season that our Messiah came to save us: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

What are you Thankful for?

As Thanksgiving approaches I find myself not thinking about the things I'm thankful for, as the holiday implies but thinking about all the things I've got to get done. Cooking, cleaning, cooking some more; crazy deadlines I've got because I can't balance everything I want to do with the amount of time I have to do them in. Is sleep really all that important? Don't get me wrong, I love this time of year: the cooking, the cleaning, the crazy deadlines, but when it starts to weigh me down (read consume my thoughts and give me that sinking feeling in my stomach) that is when I know I have problem. So tonight I am giving myself a good shake and making myself concentrate on what I'm thankful for:

A wonderful husband who is my best friend.
Family who are so understanding about my life.
Friends who know who and what I am and still like to hang out with me.
A little dog who I am crazy about.
A Church family who I dearly love.
And most importantly: A Heavenly Father who is crazy about me.

This is my list, what's yours? Let's hear from you RWC! What are you thankful for? Leave your list in the comments section and let me know, even if it is about your little dog.

-Allison Laster

A Work In Progress...

For the past week I've has a nasty sore on the side of my tongue that has made it nearly impossible to talk. Yes, Ryan has been speechless. I know you don't believe me. Let just say Sammi and I are awesome at charades now. The pain was so bad my doctor actually prescribed me vicodin. It actually made me sick. Fun times X 2.

Anywhoo, I'm getting off topic. So I've been incapable of speech for the past 5-7 days. Guess what fell smack in the middle of those days...my birthday. Yeah. So since I haven't been able to spend much time enlightening those around me, I've had ample time to attempt enlightening myself. Moving on.

All that to set the stage. My wife is ridiculously incredible. I mean, she is really all that God ever intended a woman to be. She's great. That's had me thinking about God. About his goodness. And now we have hit the body of my thoughts... I've been in searing pain for 7 days...those seven days reaching out as far as they can in every direction from my birthday, grabbing every ounce of fun they can touch. I spent a lot of time mad at God. Seriously. On day 2 of my microcosmic Job experience, I receive my rejection from both grad schools I applied to.

Now, I believe in a God who is as concerned about the big stuff as he is about your athlete's foot. I think he is intimately concerned with everything in our lives. So why doesn't he do something about my suffering. I'm not saying he should end all my suffering. That's just not rational, right? But if he can heal (which I believe he can, I mean, how can he be a deity if he can't fix small problems like health? that's like a mechanic who is incapable of changing spark plugs. "You know, you'll appreciate the character you gain as a result of that misfire in cylinder 3. Trust me.")

So if all this is true, then where is he when I'm having the worst week of my life? He's in my wife. I have to tell you, I love Sammi so much it hurts. I don't know exactly what that phrase means, to be quite honest. I just know that it encapsulates what I feel. So sue me, I have ‘cliche’ tendencies. So I love my wife recklessly. I really do. But this past week has shown me exactly how wonderful she is. It's shown me how much she loves me and what she's willing to go through just to help me be happy.

If I didn't have big bumps in the road, and little bumps in the road, I would become so recklessly wrapped up in my own narcissism that I would never emerge. I would really and truly be Gollum, forever clasping the 'precious' of my own ego. It's those bumps that make me lose my grip on my precious, and as I chase it, attempting to clutch it once again, I bump into reality which is at once terrifying (how horrible I am) and beautiful (how gracious God is towards me).

I don't say this to give anyone a pat answer to suffering. I am not saying that you shouldn't get angry at God. I would never say that. You must express your emotions, or they will find a way to express themselves, no matter how violent the street they choose may be. But it is in the midst of expressing those emotions that you are given a choice: do circumstances dictate what you believe about life? or does what you believe about life resonate so strongly within you that it adjusts your perception of reality and anchors you in the midst of the terrifying parts of life?

Sometimes pain is used to bring good. I don't like that fact. But it doesn't change it from being true. My pain over the past week has shown me a lot of great things. i wouldn't want to relive the pain, but I also wouldn't want to give up what I've learned. This may be oversimplified. As a matter of fact, I know it is. And you have my apologies if at any point this has caused you pain. That was no my intention. Consider it a work in progress...just like all of us.

-Ryan Lytton

Who Can I Trust? Who can I put Confidence in?

These questions each of us have to consider. Is our trust and confidence in money, government, job, bank, family, CDs, money market or leaders?

Our Trust and Confidence must be in God and His Word!

Malachi 3:5
“For I am the Lord, I change not.”

Hebrews 13:8
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever.”

Psalms 119:89
“Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven.”

Psalm 118:8,9
“It is better to Trust in the Lord then to put Confidence in man. It is better to Trust in the Lord then to put Confidence in princes (rulers or authority).”

Proverbs 3:26
“For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”

Proverbs 14:26
“In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and His children shall have a place of refuge.”

God and His Word are Trust and Life!
Thanks for continuing to read this blog…

Numbers 23:19
“God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent. Hath He said and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken and shall He not make it good?”

Nahum 1:7
“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that Trust in Him.”

Jeremiah 17:7
“Blessed is the man that Trusts in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is.”

Proverbs 3:5,6
“Trust in the Lord with all then heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

Psalms 34:4
“O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that Trusts in Him.”

Hebrews 3:14
“For we are made partakers of Christ in we hold the beginning of out confidence stedfast unto the end.”

Trust means “to flee for protection, to confide in, have hope, make refuge”
Confidence means “trust and hope also assurance and security”

It is clear to me Who we can Trust and put our Confidence in.

Love in Christ,
Jean Ratcliffe

For Wives and Mothers... An Encouragement

This was put on my heart for wives and mothers to encourage them.

A Strong Woman versus a Woman of Strength

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape…

But a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape;

A strong woman isn’t afraid of anything…

But a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear;

A strong woman won’t let anybody get the best of her…

But a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone;

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids them in the future…

A woman of strength realizes that life’s mistakes can also be

God’s blessings and capitalizes on them;

A strong woman walks sore-footedly…

But a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls;

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face…

But a woman of strength wears grace;

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…

But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey

that she will become strong.

The Hidden Woman

A woman once fretted over the usefulness of her life. She feared she was wasting her potential being a devoted wife and mother. She wondered if the time and energy she invested in her husband and children would make a difference. At times she got discouraged because so much of what she did seemed to go unnoticed and unappreciated.

“Is there something better that I could be doing with my time?” she would ask herself.

It was during one of these moments of questioning she heard the still voice of her Heavenly Father speak to her heart. “You are a wife and mother because that is what I have called you to be. Much of what you do is hidden from the public eye. But I notice. Most of what you give is done without remuneration. But I am your reward.

“Your husband can not be the man I have called him to be without your support. Your influence upon him is greater than you think and more powerful than you will ever know. I bless him through your service and honor him through your love. Your children are precious to Me … even more precious than they are to you. I entrusted them to your care so that you may raise them right for Me. What you invest in them is an offering to Me.

“You may never be in the public spotlight. But your obedience shines as a bright light for Me. Continue on. Remember that you are my servant. Keep on pleasing me.”

The High Calling

If God has called you to be truly like Jesus… He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put on you demands of obedience that sometimes will not allow you to follow other Christians. In many ways He will seem to let other good people do things He won’t let you do.

Other Christians, even ministers, who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull strings, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do these things. And if you attempt them you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others can brag about themselves, about their work, about their success, about their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing; and if you begin bragging, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making great sums of money, or having a legacy left to them, or in having luxuries, but God may only supply you daily, because he wants you to have something far better than gold, - a helpless dependence on Him – that he may have the privilege of providing your needs daily out of the unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and keep you hidden in obscurity, because he wants to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade.

God will let others be great and keep you small; he will let others do work for him, and get credit for it, but he will make you work and toil without anyone knowing how much you are doing. And then to make you more precious still, He will let others credit for the work which you have done; this will make your reward ten-times greater when Jesus comes.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch on you, with jealous love, and rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign who has a right to do whatever He pleases with His own, and needs not to explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealings with you.

God will take you at your word, and if you absolutely see yourself to be His slave. He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot say or do.

Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand back, or closing your eyes in ways that others are not disciplined.

Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of Heaven!

- Edith Osterbauer