When You Don’t Know What to Do

September 18, 2013

“We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”  (2Chronicles 20:12 NLT)

Have you ever faced problems that confronted you with the intolerable, the undeniable, the unthinkable and the impossible?  Throughout Hebrew and church history the people of God have often been confronted with these overwhelming realities.  Scripture supports the thought that God sometimes not only permits but creates these circumstances (Isaiah 45: 7).  According to Isaiah He does this because He wants us to learn that He is our only hope and our only help as we live for Him in this world.

The Word of God teaches that God is our Mentor and He does His most effective mentoring when we are coping with calamities and trials of every possible description.  The confession quoted above is proclaiming that the people of God have two problems.  They do not know what to do and they do not have the power to do it when they know it.

Scripture tells us God will give us all the wisdom we need when we confess that we do not know what to do (James 1:5).  And Scripture teaches that God will give us the power to do what He wants us to do because He is God and He always completes what He begins in us (Philippians 1:6; 2:13).

There are times when it is wrong for us to put God to the test.  Then there are times when God invites us to prove Him.  God wants to give us the gift of faith.  He also wants to give us immeasurable degrees of the grace to overcome the greatest possible obstacles.  That’s why He permits and designs calamities or trials that force us to access His all sufficient grace.

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Posted by Dick Woodward

Gifts from God

February 7, 2012

 “What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?”         (1Corinthians 4:7 NLT)

We would all do well to think about and then answer this intriguing question presented by the Apostle Paul.  Can you think of anything you have that you did not receive from God?  Can you think of all the wonderful things you have received from God?  According to the Bible our salvation is a gift from God.  The faith it takes to receive salvation is also a gift from God.  As Paul has implied, if we will do a gift inventory we will find that God has given us many kinds of gifts.

Our DNA proves that God has given us a physical body that is unique and makes us different from every other person living on the planet.  Physically, there is not now, there never has been, and there never will be any one exactly like you.  God has given us intellectual gifts that equip us to live smarter, not harder.

When we receive the gift of faith that saves us God also gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  When we receive the Holy Spirit He adds a cluster of spiritual gifts that enable us to minister in many ways.  He can bring gifts of mercy which enable us to love those who are hurting with great compassion.  He can give us the gift of knowledge, wisdom and teaching that make it possible for us to teach the Word of God.  He can equip us to lead others to Christ.

Make a gift inventory and thank God for all the gifts He has given you!

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Posted by Dick Woodward