The Ultimate Decision
August 13, 2014
I told you of our son Chase talking about the Three Stooges in the Post Office. There is one thing he likes to say over and over again from Shemp. Shemp says “Strange happenings , thats strange”. When I was 14 I played on a freshman basketball team. On an away game I went in for a lay up and someone got underneath me and I landed on my leg. I dislocated my knee and they took me in the locker room to wait for the doctor. My knee looked awful as it was bent in at the joint. All of a sudden it sounded like someone slammed the locker room door shut. I yelled out to see who it was and no answer. Then I looked down at my leg and it was back in place, The noise had to have been my knee popping back in place. Strange happenings, thats strange.
I am telling you I cannot make all this weird stuff up. JD Gibbs who wrote the forward for my first two book said that there were so many strange things that had happened to me that he had to check them out to make sure. There has always been a war in the heaves for our souls. The fight has alway been against Satan and his demons against the Lord and His saints. So many times things happen in life that we blame God. “Where were you”. But in essence the one we need to blame is Satan. There is no way a loving Father would do the bad things that happen to us in our lives,
Matthew 7:11 “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
Today strange happenings will take place but please do one thing - Don’t blame God, blame Satan and pray for protection from the evil one. When Jesus was teaching the people how to pray he said what is now know as the Lord’s prayer. In studying Greek there is no mention of tempttin as “Lead us not into temptation”,
Matthew 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
In the Greek which is what the original language is the word is translated as “Peirasmos” which means putting to the test or trial.
A similar verse comes when Peter says that he will never disown Jesus. Jesus not only knows that Peter will fail but He tells Peter what to do when he fails.
Luke 22:31 "“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Jesus, when teaching His disciples how to pray felt it strong enough to mention that we will be tested. Why did Jesus not stop Satan from sifting Peter like wheat? Because in this life a strong unshakable faith does not come with an easy lifestyle of comfort. An unshakable faith comes through being tested in the fire of a loss of a loved one, loss of a job or all things we hold dear to us. We all go through seasons of plenty and want. In times of plenty it is very difficult to learn to depend on God. It is only when everything is crashing around you that you can now choose on whom you will serve. Will you serve worry or will you serve and be UNDER the protection of the King? The battle is in your mind in whom you will serve.
Stange happenings will happen. When they do
1. Don’t blame God
2. Use this as a time to pray
3. Use this as a time to praise God in the storm as His plan for you is to refine your faith so you see Him more clearly.
4. Pray often and pray with a thankful hart. When things look the worst God is at His best.
No matter what you are going through today know this - God Knows!! He loves you more than you could ever imagine so learn to trust in Him for all things and no matter what Strange Happenings come into your life you will be more than a conqueror in the precious name of Jesus.
Trust in Him.
Have a great day,
Brad
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