Tabitha, I appreciate you making me feel welcome. It means a lot that you will keep praying for my son!
Cletus, What you shared is not only interesting, but powerful. Could you expound on it a bit more? I think it could be a faith builder for me.
What can God not do? besides of course, sin. He can keep His people alive thru circumstances that defies all logic which is...
Most people who die in the desert do so within the first 36 hours; another quarter within 48 to 50 hours, and nearly all within 70 to 80 hours.
three days is 72 hours. they should have all been dead, well nearly all. but thats not what happened is it? that is not what God did. He kept them alive despite whats normal.
consider Daniel in the lions den... Lions are not picky eaters. they are opportunistic hunters and will eat any animal they can. even porcupines.
consider Joseph. sold into slavery by his own family. and God raised him up and Joseph ended up keeping a famine from killing many. and what was Josephs saying to his brothers... what you meant for evil... God meant it for good.
that is the mind set we need to be of... what Joseph said.
The Book tells us we are to have our mind renewed. We tend to trust what we see and our actions and emotions often reflect that instead of walking by faith, instead of standing on The Word, Gods promises.
we must trust God is bigger than our circumstances. we must trust The Good Shepherd will lead us to still waters, and green green grass. something i just learned not to long ago about the still water part... sheep wont drink water thats a current, it makes them nervous. anyway, there maybe some wolves along the way. there maybe some rocky terrain to cross... But God does not stop being and doing what He Is or does. Faithful and True is He. never not once changing. no compromise.
there is a scripture that i hear quoted with pride often:
Psa 95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
Psa 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
again, i posted two verses, and in the second there is that word again... provocation. but the scripture i wanted to focus on is verse 7. we are His sheep.
you ever been to the circus? lions tigers and elephants can be seen doing tricks taught to them by a trainer. dogs are trainable. even some cats. ever been to sea world? shamu, the killer whale and others, even dolphins all doing tricks. but you aint never seen a sheep doing tricks. aint no sheep trainers. why? sheep are dumb. and when a circumstance comes that is unpleasant for the sheep, that stresses them out... what do the sheep do? they sulk up and start crying, "BAA BAAAAA BAAAAAH BAAA... and they will do this for hours. and that is us. we look at the problem. we focus only on that, and we cry out baaa.... baaaa... baaah!
simply put... this is a test on you and your son.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Pro 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
Pro 3:10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
even if what you do not want to happen happens, is God still God? yes. in the valley, and on the mountain top. and whats on the mountain top? snow, rock? whats in the valley? in the valley its lush and green. only in the valleys do things grow. embrace your valley, hope in The LORD. because when the thing you didnt want to happen does happen... but God brings you thru it a different way, later in life you look back... and you wouldnt trade it or have it any other way... because all His ways are perfect.
what we must do is stop bleating like a sheep, and start operating in faith, and when our faith is weak we must ask for Him to help our unbelief.