Whispers in the Dark

What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight;

what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.   Matthew 10:27

To hear from God, our expectancy is to have a Charlton Heston, in the role of Moses, experience.  You'll be deluged by a blinding light from the Almighty of the Universe.  The light drowns out all shadows as your body reverberates to a booming proclamation that stuns you and everyone within a mile radius.

 

Or, as Jesus notes, in the evening or morning darkness, likely during your quiet time, you catch your breath, His still voice fills you with encouragement and with an embrace that consumes you within Christ’s compassion.  And, then, … a whisper enters your spirit, a soft breath whispers a few words of truth that burns upon your soul.  The words are faint, you hear it as though it's thunder and you're overwhelmed.  Not unlike the truth that burned upon Isaiah’s lips (Isa 6:5).  Or, as Job declared, “And these are but the outer fringe of his works; how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” (Job 26:14).

What are we to do?  It begins when we are still, in quiet darkness… that is when God can pour his Spirit out upon you.  His whisper ignites a fire, its flame burns within you giving off His light as others hear God’s message coming through you.  It is from a rooftop, or maybe at a coffee shop table, you take his whisper and in broad daylight – where everyone can see – you openly give the ears needing encouragement, hope, peace, and joy in Christ the whisper burning within you.  

Hearing Whispers in the Dark, sharing them in daylight,

Owen <><

 

No Smell of Smoke

 

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.
But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king; that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”     Daniel 3:16-18

Standing in the smoky stench of the king’s smoldering denial of the Lord; three faithful servants of God simply said to the king:  “If a miracle occurs to save us … GREAT!  But, miracle or not, our God is our deliverer, our Lord is always with us, be it the flames.  Nor do we worship your gold, we bow to God alone.” 

Then, after throwing them into the furnace, the kings men looked in and could see the three walking around!  Then, they yelled: “Look! … four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed,” … yes, four!  Then, they walked out of the fire, not bound by anyone, not harmed … no hair singed nor clothing scorched, … in fact, “no smell of fire on them”—no smell of smoke!

Hallelujah!

The issue isn’t what you ask for, expect, or want.  It is by the sovereign promises of God, by His grace and mercy our Lord responds to those who serve Him.  A servant knows, without a doubt, “the God we serve is able to save us.”  It is a matter of complete humility to God that one receives complete deliverance, provision.  Jesus leads you out of daily fires and the eternal furnace, and you are un-scorched – without the smell of smoke.

In his service, no smell of smoke,  

Owen <><

Take Someone by the Hand

Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up,

and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.

Acts 3:7

As Peter and John were going to church to pray, they saw a beggar, a man who’d been cripple from birth at the Temple gate.  Peter, like most of us, didn’t have earthly riches, so he said to the hopeless man, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  Peter gave everything that he had … access to Jesus.  By the good news Peter had been born again, received the Holy Spirit, and God’s power to share and witness in a fantastic manner.  By sharing the gospel and  complete healing power found in Jesus. 

Jesus gives all believers – yes, Peter, … and you, and I – the power to be witnesses (Acts 1:8).  That power is the Spirit of God filling you in order that you can witness and proclaim the Word of God!  It is the power to enable your hands to be a tool for God’s miracles with the laying on of hands, your being accompanied with signs and wonders of God, and the ability to proclaim with your mouth that the sick be healed in Jesus name.  … O’ Hallelujah! … Wow, dare I say, even to raise the dead with the resurrection power of Christ Jesus! That’s what we have at our disposal as a witness. …  

Unless you are willing and have the compassion to witness, to “take people by the hand, help them up,” they will never instantly receive the gospel, receive spiritual healing, receive the power of the resurrection … And, never could they receive healing of body, and see the wonders manifest by God – unless you stop to help them up.  If God is in you, then you, as Peter did, can release the power of Lord’s Spirit by speaking into the empty the Name of Jesus. 

It is simple, take the crippled, the spiritually dead, by the hand and help them up.  Jesus will do the hard part.  So be it, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,  … “

Take someone by the hand,

Owen <><

Christian empowerment: Mark 16:15-18, Luke 9:1-2, 10:15-20, Acts 1:8, 4:29-33, 5:12, 6:8, 14:3; Romans 15:1-19, 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; Hebrews 2:4, 1 Timothy 1:7 … there is more…