Lost Expectations

“’For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’” John 3:16-18

“For many people there is a large gap between what they expect from their Christian faith and what they actually experience. From a steady diet of books, sermons and personal testimonies, all promising triumph and success, they learn to expect dramatic evidence of God working in their lives. If they do not see such evidence, they feel disappointment, betrayal and other guilt.”* The Holy Spirit within us and His perfect Word are our only source of the Truth, we just have to read it and submit ourselves to the Truth to know:

“Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the Truth shall make you free.’” John 8:31-32

Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: For Chandler. For Kevin’s son. For me with a difficult situation & thanksgiving at one judgment made. Praise: David for great health now! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Thanksgiving for Reg and for Carla and Paul. Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie (responding to chemo). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (many life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.

*Disappointment With God, by Philip Yancey

Proof of the Pudding

“And God sent me before you to reserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Now therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt. – And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Genesis 45:7-8, 50:20


‘Disappointment With God’ is a book of theology about the nature of God and why He sometimes acts in puzzling ways and sometimes does not act at all (well that we know or see)! Yet, we live in a world where seeing is believing, where the proof of the pudding is in the eating of it. Yet, God does not have to prove anything or demonstrate His powers in any extraordinary way for His children to remember just how much change His love, forgiveness and grace has changed our hearts’ desires and futures.

“And we KNOW that God causes ALL things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: For Kevin’s son. For me with a difficult situation & thanksgiving at a judgment made. Praise: David for great health now! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Thanksgiving for Reg and for Carla and Paul. Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie (responding to chemo). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (many life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.

Why? Why? Why?

“’Why is light given to him who suffers, and life to the bitter of soul; who long for death, but there is none, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures; who rejoice greatly, they exult when they find the grave? What is light given to a man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in? For my groaning comes at the sight of my food, and my cries pour out like water. For what I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet, and I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.’” Job 3:20-26


“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord the Spirit. Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we receive mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame,” II Corinthians 3:17 – 4:2a


Well what WAS Job’s sin and what does it matter for us? According to Philip Yancey’s book, Job’s sin was a self-reliance that cannot perceive grace. Job defends his righteousness and is proud of it. And when he doesn’t get his way, Job stomps his foot at God and says, “I quit!”


“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before hand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10



Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene


PS: New Request: For Kevin’s son. For me with a difficult situation. Praise: David for great health now! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Thanksgiving for Reg and for Carla and Paul. Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie (responding to chemo). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (many life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.

Perspective

“Thus the heavens and the earth were completed and all their hosts. And by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.” Genesis 2:1-2


“Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? If I ascent to heaven, Thou art there ; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Thy hand will lead me, and Thy right hand will lay hold of me.” Psalm 139:7-10


Do you interpret God’s love by your circumstances or do you interpret your circumstances by God’s love? Now that is a key question you find throughout this wonderful book. (“Disappointment With God”, Philip Yancey) So think about it for a moment and consider your perspective.


Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: For Kevin’s son. For me with a difficult situation. Praise: David for great health now! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Virgil’s family as they grieve his loss. Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie (responding to chemo). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (many life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.

Memories & Lessons

“So the Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant. But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day, and it attacked the plant and it withered. And it came about when the sun came up that God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, ‘Death is better to me than life.’ Then God said to Jonah, ‘Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?’ And he said, ‘I have good reason to be angry, even to death.’” Jonah 4:5-8

Things happen in our lives that seem to make little sense. People come into our lives, help us grow and we love them and then sometimes they just drift off again. And then sometimes they drift right back in with messages that help us refocus, like this one I got yesterday from someone who needs prayer for his son.

“It has been a while since I have replied back to you. I have been getting your devotions for over 11 years now! Amazing that they came to me by accident from someone's computer who I received when taking over his IT position way back when. And now I am married with 3 kids. I am busy.”

But not one thing happens that escapes the watchful care of the Lord, even the stuff that doesn’t make any sense at the time. Next week I will start a new series around Philip Yancy’s old book, Disappointment With God. If you haven’t read it, you likely will want to.

Oh and if you have just one hour to spare, take time to think of just ten strange things that have occurred in your life that have taught you key lessons for His service!

Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: For Kevin’s son. For me with a difficult situation. Praise: David for great health now! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Virgil’s family as they grieve his loss. Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie (responding to chemo). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (many life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.

Eating Worms

“Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.’ And the Lord said, ‘Do you have good reason to be angry?’" Jonah 4:3-4

“’If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be knows to you, ;O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.’” Daniel 3:17-18


“And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw; and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me, yet not My will, but Thine be done.’” Luke 22:41-42

Jonah was pretty mad at God and he was pretty discouraged and wanted his own way. His arguments with God before, during and after the salvation of Nineveh are classic. Here we find Jonah “eating worms” (feeling sorry for himself) and trying one last time to try to tell God how to run His world. Sometimes we can slip into that if we are not careful to remember who our Father is and how much He loves us.

Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: New Request: For me with a difficult situation. Praise: David for great health now! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Virgil’s family as they grieve his loss. Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie (responding to chemo). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (many life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.

What a Waste !

“But it greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, ‘Please Lord was not this that I said while I was still in y own country? Therefore, in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that Thou art a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.’” Jonah 4:1-2

You can just FEEL the passion in Jonah’s words back to God as he pouts over the situation as he sees it. Could it have been that this “salvation” was not so much for those in Nineveh but for Jonah or both? God IS mysterious in His ways and we can never imagine how much He loves us and has only the best for us, if we will only relent our will and give Him our heart without doubt. Now that is not easy, is it? He is waiting!

“’For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.’” Jeremiah 29:11-13

Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Praise: David for great health now! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Virgil’s family as they grieve his loss. Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie (responding to chemo). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (many life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.

Changing God's Mind

“When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.” Jonah 3:10


What a novel thought that the God of all knowledge, past, present and future, could be open to listen to our hearts. Yet, that is JUST what His love affords us, the privilege to sit in His lap and pour out our hearts to Him, when all seems lost or confusing and frightening. Now that is grace and true love!

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” I John 4:10

Jesus said: “’For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.’” John 3:16

Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Praise: David for great health now! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Virgil’s family as they grieve his loss. Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie (responding to chemo). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (many life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.

Who Knows !

“Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the ashes. And he issued a proclamation and it said, ‘In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: ‘Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from the wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God my turn and relent, and withdraw His burning Anger so that we shall not perish?’” Jonah 3:5-9
We do not control God by our actions or behaviour anymore than a child controls a good parent. Yet God looks at our hearts. Our outward behaviour may look compliant, but it is our heart that demonstrates our attitude. And the King of the Ninevehites was wise to acknowledge this, yet hope in God’s love and forgiveness. All it takes is to ask Him!
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9
What a way to end the week!
Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene
PS: Praise: David for great health now! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Virgil’s family as they grieve his loss. Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie & his family (brain surgery & possible stroke). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.

How Long His Arm !

“’I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, but Thou hast brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer came to Thee, into Thy holy temple. Those who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness. But I will sacrifice to Thee with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord.’” Jonah 2:6-9



Ever have a time when things seem to be "a series of unfortunate events"? Where one after another circumstances piled up and seemed to just sit on you? There are many reasons things seem to get out of hand and out of control around us. Sometimes it’s something we’ve done or left undone; sometimes we’re just in the whirlwind of someone else’s’ challenges. Yet, no matter how dark or difficult; or how easy it is to slip into fear, there’s one thought to comfort us: This world and those around us remain in His loving control. Bad things happen to good people. God is powerful enough and His arm long enough to reach out and stop them. Most of all, He loves us so much it “hurts” Him when we are in the midst of difficulties. Look back right now over your life, you learned the most significant lessons during times you saw things grim.


“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication; with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7


Take care to understand His Word. Your servant and friend in Christ, Darlene

PS: Praise: David is so much better! Leslie is growing stronger from chemo. Both Nancys growing stronger & more patient (one with chemo - the other recovering from serious head trauma). Pray for: Tim & Barb (need work & encouragement as they wait). Virgil’s family as they grieve his loss. Freddy (to come home & see his mom). Eddie & his family (brain surgery & possible stroke). Rachael (for hope & clarity of purpose). Adrian (life changes); Isaias (family safety & his mission work in Philippines). Haiti survivors. God’s grace on USA. Billy & Michelle (recovery). Wisdom for doctors caring for Doris, David, Poetry, Gary, Adrian and Jack.


(( Hurray for God giving me patience enough to fix the database! Need prayer updates please.))