When King David was just a boy and faced with the challenge of a giant he was mocked and ridiculed by his brothers and asked how he planned to defeat such an adversary.  Without hesitation, David replied, the same God who allowed him to conquer the bear and the lion would see him through this challenge.  He stated that the battle was not his, but it was God’s.  1 Samuel 17:37

God is big enough to handle His battles without me getting in the way.  He has seen me through many tough situations and has never let me down.  When will I learn to rest in His promise and just simply take Him at His word?  One day at a time.

The lack of prayer from believers indicates a vicious cycle has been established.  Christians fail to pray because they’ve not seen their prayers answered.  Since they can’t see an almighty, eternal God work, they cease to pray.  That is unless there is a dire need and even then most Christian’s faith falters.

I’m concerned that when believers pray they are not expecting to “see” God answer their prayers.  In my opinion, the gesture of closing one’s eyes while praying carries over to their expectancy of their prayers being heard or answered.  In other words, we keep our spiritual eyes shut and never see God work regarding our petitions.

I think many Christians would respond like Rhoda, the young servant girl in Acts 12:1-17.  When she heard Peter rattle the gate outside the home where Jesus’ followers were gathered praying, she ran to tell everyone Peter was there.  She forgot one minor detail though; she failed to open the gate and let Peter enter.  She was shocked God had actually answered their prayers.

When we pray according to God’s will we too will be shocked at His response.

I learned that the older I get the less frazzled I become.  Maybe they have worn me down.  I have learned that the things that embarrassed or frustrated me don’t seem to matter any longer.  I have learned that the longer I know them, I love them greater.  I have learned what my parents withstood raising me and six other siblings.

I was shocked that my first child didn’t come with instructions.  The day I drove her and my bride home from the hospital was a day I’ll never forget.  I was so scared that I would hit a bump or another car and damage her.  I was a nervous wreck for a long time.  I love my wife dearly, but I remember not wanting to leave for work because I wasn’t sure one adult could handle the task of child rearing.

I suppose the greatest thing of all that I learned as a new daddy is that my Heavenly Father knew what I was going through.  I have learned over the years to take His perspective of my children and transpose His heart for His children onto my kids.  The sad news is that it has taken many years to begin to see results of my efforts.  The two girls are off at college now and my son is racing toward his high school diploma.  Just over two years and I can sit back and truly wonder where time went.

The diligent young pastor went to the open grave and found the vault lid already in place. Taking out his Bible, he read the service. Feeling guilty because of his tardiness, he preached an impassioned and lengthy service, sending the deceased to the great beyond in style.

As he was returning to his car, he overheard one of the workmen say: “I’ve been putting in septic tanks for twenty years and I have never seen anything’ like that.”

We have a bad habit of starting each day without checking the directions – the life map – God’s word. We believe that our daily tasks outweigh the importance of God’s word. There just isn’t a good excuse for not reading God’s word on a regular basis. Psalm 119:105

Sometimes at night my old home could be a bit frightening.  You could hear coyotes, owls, and other varmints that made me think they were at my window ready to enter for an evening snack.  On nights like this I would find my way to my parent’s room and settle in at the foot of their bed.  Once and a while I would come out of my room and find my parents sitting in the living room.  I would explain my fears and at times I’d get to set with them until the moment passed.

I remember on occasion my mom would sing a song.  She would sing this in the car or around the house, but I especially remember hearing her sing it when I had these scary moments.  A song Mosie Lister wrote in 1958 entitled, “Til the Storm Passes By”.

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face,
While the storm howls above me, and there’s no hiding place.
‘Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Chorus
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.

Many times Satan whispered, “There is no need to try,
For there’s no end of sorrow, there’s no hope by and by”
But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I’ll rise
Where the storms never darken the skies.

The Bible tells us that Jesus was fast asleep in a boat with his disciples when a storm quickly rose up.  The disciples were frightened, but Jesus continued to sleep.  They woke him up and ask, “don’t you care that were about to die?” Then Jesus sat up and spoke to the wind and the sea and said, “Peace, be still.” Mark 4:39

My parents taught me that nothing was out of the control of God’s mighty hand.  If He could control the wind and water, then certainly He could control the varmints at my window.

I worked for a man whose philosophy was to ignore conflict and it wait for it to go away.  My leadership suffered because I served under his authority.   His philosophy was wrong and has never been true.  Those who avoid conflict are those who are in desperate need of approval.  Ultimately, beliefs and convictions are compromised in effort to avoid conflict.

Sadly, most Christians live their lives trying to avoid conflict.  I’m referring to the conflict that is the result of their miserable relationship with Jesus.  They spend more time dodging darts of doubt than they spend in the Word (Bible).  It’s difficult trying to balance on a fence and dodge darts.

God wants His children (born again believers; John 3) to live lives with confidence and assurance.  1 John 5:11-13 explains that eternal life is provided through Jesus and that assurance accompanies the relationship.  Simply put, if you have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have life (eternal), if you do not have him as your Lord and Savior, then you do not have eternal life.

The icing on the cake is that He says in verse 13 that we can “know” we have eternal life.  We can live our lives with full assurance and knowledge of our salvation.  We need not battle this conflict as Christ followers.  Never again is there a need to compromise convictions and/or beliefs.  The conflict between our flesh and the spirit can end if only we get serious about our relationship with Jesus.

I discovered that just like a new born baby who desires to be feed (1 Peter 2:2) I too had a strong urge to feast on God’s word.  It took  several years for me to come to this knowledge, but I am thankful it came.  I recalled back to the day I accepted Jesus as my Savior that there was a very strong desire for me to know more about God.  I sadly was never discipled and therefore didn’t learn to feed the Holy Spirit which now dwelt within me.

I was asked a few years ago whether or not I ever doubted my salvation.  I came to the conclusion that my salvation is not what I was doubting, it was God’s faithful to keep his word that I doubted.  I discovered that the more I read and meditate on His word, the more I trust His Word. (John 1)