A short time ago I finished reading a great book, "Strengthen Yourself in the Lord," by Bill Johnson, and it is my #1 book on helping someone grow strong in their faith. Now this blog entry is not about the book and some of you may have been inundated my my series of emails containing quotes from the book*. This is about "yet unfulfilled words from God."
*You may request to be sent them if you dare...
Here is one quote from the book, discussing the early years of David, before he became king:
"...Saul's rejection of him was the first sign that David's schooling for the kingship was based on testing his ability to believe and walk in the Word over his life, even when the circumstances seemed to completely oppose and deny his destiny..."
Man, that sucks! Why would God ever tell us stuff, and then make it seem impossible... David went some 13 years through tough times before God brought him into his destiny and it seems that God has done it like that with others:
Abram/Abraham & Sarai/Sarah: to have a child late in life, then to have to sacrifice that one son.
(I've always wondered what Isaac's point of view of his father was, as he was tied-up and a knife poised over him...wonder what he thought of the God of Abraham right then.)
Joseph: hears God through two dreams then gets 23 years of suffering, sorrow, difficulty, and isolation from his family.
So it has been interesting to hear Jordan say that God may speak to us so we can become uncertain...developing faith. It sounds like a bunch of junk to me...though I also see the truth in that too. * see my latest thoughts on faith [http://faithbrothers.blogspot.com/2008/01/my-thoughts-on-faith.html ]
Please understand that I am not saying that this is wrong, I'm just saying I don't like it, that's not how I'd do things...and I do submit to God's ways...(do I really have any other option?) I do want my faith to grow and I am confident that when I get to Heaven and God shows me the "big picture" I'll be like, "Whow, now I see, that is so cool, God!" But for now, it is much more, "what the heck?" I have had some prophetic words over my life and I sure don't see them any where near fruition and I have struggled against wanting to "hear" more "words from God."
See, growing up, my father was a dreamer and a flake. He would tell me how great things would be, and then when I was nine, my parents divorced. While he was going through his mid-life crisis, complete with several girlfriends and buying a sailboat he could not afford, he continued to tell me things would be great and prosperous. He'd write me checks for my birthday or Christmas and then I'd get notified by the bank that they bounced... things never got great and I watched him drink more, dream more, and then after a heart attack and complications including a coma; severely brain damaged and bound to a wheelchair finally die from a secondary heart attack after nearly two years of hell. So I am a bit gun-shy about hearing about future events or even promises from anyone, and yes, even with God, it has been a struggle. (I've gotten much better.)
I've since heard from people either as prophets or with the prophetic gift tell me stuff that has not happened and does not seem possible... (now I share this with you, NOT so you feel sorry for me, or for you to tell me to hang in there... I just want us to all examine our LORD God Almighty and be honest about it all.)
1) I don't see the new job with expanded responsibility, authority, and much more money (prophetic word 4 years ago).
In fact, I've held my full-time job and part-time work for 3 years now.
2) God has a book for me to write (prophetic word 4 years ago).
I can't even get my thoughts organized past short blog entries and nothing revolutionary about any of them.
3) I'd be a pastor involved with young people (prophetic word some 30+ years ago).
Possible as time goes by, I'm getting older and older and older, so more and more people are younger than me.
4) "Things are coming to fulfillment soon." (prophetic word 3 years ago).
WHAT things?
5) Happily married with a wife I adore and can place all my trust in and a loving family ( prophetic word 9 years ago, 5 years ago, and last year).
Don't see it happening and I'm getting much older, I'm almost 44 years old now, I can't imagine holding my own baby in my arms anymore (NO comments about Abraham please, heard those already).
I sometimes think these people have the gift of "wishful thinking." People thought I'd be married in my 20's, then in my 30's, and now more of them keep their thoughts to themselves...thank you.
6) God is going to give me great vision, dreams, and revelations (prophetic word 5 years ago).
I have a dream/vision journal that is nearly empty since then...I can't remember my dreams and the few I have...not much to them.
Now, with all that said, there are other words from God, and in my own thoughts from God that do echo true or are happening too:
1) "It's never how I expect it to be."
Yeah!
2) My ministry is in business, commerce, and community.
That describes my work at ALTRES.
3) Spiritual gifts to grow.
Seeing the start of that.
4) I am called to be God's spokesman.
Aren't we all?
I know I am exposing a private part of my walk with God with you guys... that is because I want us to see our God move, work, and amaze us. I want to talk about it with a heart to really have a relationship with God and open up to the real possibilities that I can't see it all. So, here I write to that end -- I give you my all if it will move you to loving the Lord like I do! Yes, even when I don't get it all.
So, do I have faith? YES! There are things I've not shared in detail and this is not the place or time, but I'm supposed to be dead, so I really am on His time some 22 years now, so you'll just have to trust me, when I say I know God has plans for me and that my life continues for His purposes, He has ownership of my life...His plans are way better than the plans I had.
I still pray with all my heart, I've seen miraculous answers to my prayers for myself and for others, and I still believe in what I don't see possible, it's just hard. I still know God is God and He's in a good mood. I know He keeps His word, and I can trust him... shoots, I just don't want it to be 23 years later like it was for Jacob.... LOL
I sure am getting some serious opportunity and time to grow in my trust in God, and faith in God... I invite you to also jump in, the water's fine.
READ: Isaiah 40:31
The KNJV uses the word, WAIT; the NLT uses the word, TRUST; and the NIV uses the word, HOPE.
READ: Psalm 27:14
READ: Ecclesiastes 3:11 (Thank you R.W.!)
READ: Jeremiah 29:11, 13
God ROCKS!
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So, after I complete this blog, I pull open my PDA to read my daily, Experiencing God, Day-By-Bay, by Henry Blackaby...here is today's entry. (GOD ROCKS, SOOOO MUCH!)
GOD'S PROMISES ARE YES
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. (2 Corinthians 1:20)
God keeps every promise He makes. When we walk in intimate fellowship with Christ, we have the assurance that every promise God has made in Scripture is available to us. This truth should motivate us to search the Scriptures for each promise in order to meditate upon its potential for our life.
Jesus promised that when you ask for something in His will, He will give you what you ask (John 16:23b). This promise is available to every Christian. If you ask God if this promise applies to your life, His answer is yes. If you are not now experiencing this promise, it does not change the fact that God has said it. You may need to seek God’s answer for why His promise has not yet reached maturity in you.
Paul claimed he had tested each of these promises in his own life and found them all to be abundantly true. That’s why he could speak of the “exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7b) and the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8b). Paul had found a wealth of God’s promises and enjoyed them all in abundance.
Don’t become discouraged or impatient if you are not experiencing to the fullest all of God’s promises in your life. God may want to prepare you to receive some of the great truths He has made available to you. Walk closely with your Lord and, in time, you will see Him bring His promises to fruition in your life.
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