"Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds" James 1:2
He gripped my hand tightly, looked me square in the eye and began to pour his heart out. He was lying there with a new shoulder and a surgically repaired hip. His eyes filled with tears as he shared what God was doing in his heart through the painful experience he was going through. I don't think I will ever forget the conversation or the praise that was on his heart. He had every reason to be upset. Every reason to be mad and complain about the pain and yet he didn't. He simply praised God. His words still echo in my heart, "Thank you God for the love you have shown me through this." Did you catch that? Through this.
The truth is, it is often in the deepest, darkest times of our lives that the love of God is the most real. And sadly, it takes those times to awaken us to the reality of just how much we are loved. Earlier in the conversation my friend had said, "One minute life was normal and the next I was practically an invalid." Our lives can change in a moment. Today you could get a phone call that dramatically alters your life. Happiness could be gone in an instant, but for the believer in Christ - joy can never be taken away.
My friend is a living example of this truth. He has a long journey ahead of him. Weeks of rehab and possible heart surgery await. However, he is joyfully facing the trial and looking in the right direction. He is lifting his eyes up, looking past the current problem and looking to the Father. Perspective changes everything. When we spend our days staring at the problems or situations they get bigger and God gets smaller. But when we are able (in the strength that is given us through Christ) to look up, to see the God that is greater and stronger - we can have joy. We know that no matter what type of day we have had we are loved. As the children's song so loudly proclaims, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Thursday, December 13, 2012
A Few Good Reads...
Tis' the season for top 10 lists and "best of" lists. I always enjoy finding out what books other Pastors have enjoyed the previous year. In many ways 2012 was a blur for me. This seemed to affect my reading volume as well. I read far less than I had in previous years. However, there were a few of the books that I read that I greatly enjoyed. Having said that here are a few recommendations (in no particular order):
Tim Keller - King's Cross and Counterfeit Gods. I discovered Tim Keller not to long ago. He is a fantastic writer and I find myself reading anything of his that I can get my hands on. By the way, in an amazing story I got King's Cross free from a bookstore. It was an advance copy and had no bar code but was on the shelf. I asked about it and they said, "just take it if you want it." God is good!
Tullian Tchividjian - Jesus + Nothing = Everything and Surprised By Grace. My personal favorite was "Surprised."
Paul E. Miller - A Praying Life. One of the best books on prayer I have ever read. Very thought provoking and I have recommended it to several people.
Randy Alcorn - We Shall See God. This is a collection of excerpts of Spurgeon's sermons on heaven paired with comments from Alcorn. Great imagery on heaven and was a useful book as well. My family experienced a lot of sickness and loss over the summer. This book was an encouragement during many of those times.
JD Greear - Gospel. I enjoyed this book as well. I am excited about the renewed focus on getting the Gospel message straight. My favorite section was the Gospel Prayer. It is a wonderful reminder of who God is and how the Gospel should affect our daily lives.
If you choose to read any of these books, I pray they will bless you as they did me. Merry Christmas and happy reading!!
Tim Keller - King's Cross and Counterfeit Gods. I discovered Tim Keller not to long ago. He is a fantastic writer and I find myself reading anything of his that I can get my hands on. By the way, in an amazing story I got King's Cross free from a bookstore. It was an advance copy and had no bar code but was on the shelf. I asked about it and they said, "just take it if you want it." God is good!
Tullian Tchividjian - Jesus + Nothing = Everything and Surprised By Grace. My personal favorite was "Surprised."
Paul E. Miller - A Praying Life. One of the best books on prayer I have ever read. Very thought provoking and I have recommended it to several people.
Randy Alcorn - We Shall See God. This is a collection of excerpts of Spurgeon's sermons on heaven paired with comments from Alcorn. Great imagery on heaven and was a useful book as well. My family experienced a lot of sickness and loss over the summer. This book was an encouragement during many of those times.
JD Greear - Gospel. I enjoyed this book as well. I am excited about the renewed focus on getting the Gospel message straight. My favorite section was the Gospel Prayer. It is a wonderful reminder of who God is and how the Gospel should affect our daily lives.
If you choose to read any of these books, I pray they will bless you as they did me. Merry Christmas and happy reading!!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wreck-It-Ralph and Redemption
You put on the new man, the one created according to God's likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth. Ephesians 4:24
My family went to see the new Disney movie Wreck-It-Ralph recently. It was another well made and entertaining film. We all enjoyed it. The story is about Ralph who is the villian in a video game called Fix-It-Felix. (the game is the consumate 80's arcade game complete with sounds and motion, my kids couldn't believe I played games like that) Ralph spends his days causing mayhem and breaking things. At the end of the day he lives a life of isolation in a pile of trash. He watches each night as the other characters get together and have fun. Ralph simply wants to be appreciated. He wants to be valued. In the midst of trying to change others perception of him he hatches a plan to win a medal. In his eyes, winning a medal is what it will take to make life complete. One of my favorite parts of the film is a scene called "Bad-anon." The scene consists of various video game villians (including Ralph) getting together to support each other. They have a mantra that they recite each meeting that goes like this, "I am bad and that is good. I will never be good and that's not bad." Each of them simply admits that their lives are hopeless and that they are comfortable with that.
Now I realize this is a movie, but I couldn't help but think that many people may feel like Ralph. They are searching for significance in life. They may feel as if their lives are being wasted sitting on trash heap watching the world go by. Change seems impossible therefore just get used to the status quo. The Bible tells us otherwise. We read that winning a medal won't change us, meeting a Savior will. Thankfully, we have the Gospel.
We were originally broken by sin. Every one of us were "born bad." There is no escaping this reality (Romans 3:23). Our lives were destined for a smoldering trash heap created for the devil and his angels. We were doomed with no hope of ever being a "winner." Enter Jesus Christ, the Son of God who won the battle for us on the cross. He provides the way for us to no longer be "bad" but to be counted "good" in the eyes of God. Because Jesus won we can be winners.
If you are a believer in Christ be thankful that you have been transformed by the power of the cross. If that is not a reality in your life then know that change is possible. This type of change is not brought about through self-effort or setting out on a quest to win a medal. Instead it is accomplished through a humble, broken, bloodied Savior who was nailed to a Roman cross. John Piper said it best, "We weren't meant to be somebody, we were meant to know Somebody." So for Ralph and anyone like him - there is a way to be "good."
My family went to see the new Disney movie Wreck-It-Ralph recently. It was another well made and entertaining film. We all enjoyed it. The story is about Ralph who is the villian in a video game called Fix-It-Felix. (the game is the consumate 80's arcade game complete with sounds and motion, my kids couldn't believe I played games like that) Ralph spends his days causing mayhem and breaking things. At the end of the day he lives a life of isolation in a pile of trash. He watches each night as the other characters get together and have fun. Ralph simply wants to be appreciated. He wants to be valued. In the midst of trying to change others perception of him he hatches a plan to win a medal. In his eyes, winning a medal is what it will take to make life complete. One of my favorite parts of the film is a scene called "Bad-anon." The scene consists of various video game villians (including Ralph) getting together to support each other. They have a mantra that they recite each meeting that goes like this, "I am bad and that is good. I will never be good and that's not bad." Each of them simply admits that their lives are hopeless and that they are comfortable with that.
Now I realize this is a movie, but I couldn't help but think that many people may feel like Ralph. They are searching for significance in life. They may feel as if their lives are being wasted sitting on trash heap watching the world go by. Change seems impossible therefore just get used to the status quo. The Bible tells us otherwise. We read that winning a medal won't change us, meeting a Savior will. Thankfully, we have the Gospel.
We were originally broken by sin. Every one of us were "born bad." There is no escaping this reality (Romans 3:23). Our lives were destined for a smoldering trash heap created for the devil and his angels. We were doomed with no hope of ever being a "winner." Enter Jesus Christ, the Son of God who won the battle for us on the cross. He provides the way for us to no longer be "bad" but to be counted "good" in the eyes of God. Because Jesus won we can be winners.
If you are a believer in Christ be thankful that you have been transformed by the power of the cross. If that is not a reality in your life then know that change is possible. This type of change is not brought about through self-effort or setting out on a quest to win a medal. Instead it is accomplished through a humble, broken, bloodied Savior who was nailed to a Roman cross. John Piper said it best, "We weren't meant to be somebody, we were meant to know Somebody." So for Ralph and anyone like him - there is a way to be "good."
Monday, November 12, 2012
Charles Tillman and Manhood
I was listening to the radio last week when a story caught my attention. Charles Tillman, the All-Pro defensive star for the Chicago Bears had publicly stated that if his wife were to go in to labor that he would miss the Bears game against the Houston Texans. The comment sparked a reaction from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio responded by saying that Tillman should not miss the game and that NFL players should be totally committed to their teams during the season. He even went on to suggest that players should resort to different methods of "family planning" to prevent missed games. In other words, the season should be the top priority.
I want to begin by saying that I applaud Tillman. It is rare to find a professional athlete who is that committed to his family. He even tweeted last week, "God, family then football." Tillman seems to have his priorities in order which is once again, a breath of fresh air. As a person who enjoys sports and has children who do as well, it is nice to able to point to Charles Tillman as an example of how to live. We need more role models of his caliber.
As for Mike Florio, he is an example of the culture at large. In his mind, the game should matter more than anything else. Sadly, there are a lot of men who are not professional athletes or sports writers that feel the same. Their careers matter more than anything else and they would never inconvenience themselves for their children. These type of attitudes have led to the crisis of manhood that our country now faces. Far too many young men are sitting in prison cells or wasting their lives because dad's career mattered more than they did. The numbers increase every year and as long as thinking like Florio's rules the day, the results will be the same.
So I am thankful for Charles Tillman and his stance. I pray that more men will set an example like his. Ephesians 6:4 says, "And fathers, don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." God's pattern is for the father to lead in the teaching and training of his children. Our sons and daughters need to have fathers who invest in them so that they can do the same for future generations. God. Family. Football. Now it may not be football on your list, it could be any career - you get the idea. God knows best. After all, He designed the family and He is our Father. Guys, lets stand up and be men. Lets follow the example that our Father has left us.
I want to begin by saying that I applaud Tillman. It is rare to find a professional athlete who is that committed to his family. He even tweeted last week, "God, family then football." Tillman seems to have his priorities in order which is once again, a breath of fresh air. As a person who enjoys sports and has children who do as well, it is nice to able to point to Charles Tillman as an example of how to live. We need more role models of his caliber.
As for Mike Florio, he is an example of the culture at large. In his mind, the game should matter more than anything else. Sadly, there are a lot of men who are not professional athletes or sports writers that feel the same. Their careers matter more than anything else and they would never inconvenience themselves for their children. These type of attitudes have led to the crisis of manhood that our country now faces. Far too many young men are sitting in prison cells or wasting their lives because dad's career mattered more than they did. The numbers increase every year and as long as thinking like Florio's rules the day, the results will be the same.
So I am thankful for Charles Tillman and his stance. I pray that more men will set an example like his. Ephesians 6:4 says, "And fathers, don't stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." God's pattern is for the father to lead in the teaching and training of his children. Our sons and daughters need to have fathers who invest in them so that they can do the same for future generations. God. Family. Football. Now it may not be football on your list, it could be any career - you get the idea. God knows best. After all, He designed the family and He is our Father. Guys, lets stand up and be men. Lets follow the example that our Father has left us.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Seasons of Life
"There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven:"
Ecclesiastes 3:1
This summer was different than those in years past. For starters, my family experienced more loss than any summer in my memory. It seemed for several weeks straight I was dealing with the sickness of or loss of another uncle. I preached two funerals of men that I have many childhood memories of. Most of those memories involved a front porch, lots of laughter and more food than you could imagine. As I prepared to share for each service there were a few things that kept coming to my mind.
The first was the reality of Ecclesiastes 3:1. The King James Version uses the word "season" in that verse and as I began to look at my own life, the reality of my seasons stood out. The memories I had shared in the services revolved around me as a child - a time of innocence and simplicity. A time without a care in the world - just looking forward to the next time we would all be together. Flash forward to now, and I am in the position of trying to comfort and minister to my own family. I am the one who is telling the funny stories and chasing the kids. Things have changed. When I was small and hitting apples with sticks I sure didn't envision what this season would hold.
A second thought in my mind was the truth of James 4:14. Our lives truly are a vapor or mist. It doesn't matter how long someone lives, it never seems like enough time. Life is short. God knows the number of our days. The question is how are we going to use those days? If we lived in light of this Scripture how differently would our lives look? Would that spilled milk really be that big of a deal? Would those hurt feelings that you have carried for years over something silly matter that much?
The final thought that was most prominent in my mind during this time was the infinite goodness of our God. He gives us so many wonderful gifts in our lives. Whether we realize it or not, many times those gifts consist of people and moments in time. I am fortunate to have many of those in my life. You see, when the Bible tells us about heaven and what it will be like, many of the images used involve meals and family. As a matter of fact, the Bible ends with a meal around the Father's table. God gives us these gifts as a preview. A preview of the even greater reality of what it will be like to be with Him. It is almost as if we get a little taste here with the main course to come later. I have no trouble imagining heaven. I feel certain that there will be food. And yes, I believe there will be no shortage of laughter. Always remember that every good and every perfect gift comes from Him. (Jas. 1:17)
Ecclesiastes 3:1
This summer was different than those in years past. For starters, my family experienced more loss than any summer in my memory. It seemed for several weeks straight I was dealing with the sickness of or loss of another uncle. I preached two funerals of men that I have many childhood memories of. Most of those memories involved a front porch, lots of laughter and more food than you could imagine. As I prepared to share for each service there were a few things that kept coming to my mind.
The first was the reality of Ecclesiastes 3:1. The King James Version uses the word "season" in that verse and as I began to look at my own life, the reality of my seasons stood out. The memories I had shared in the services revolved around me as a child - a time of innocence and simplicity. A time without a care in the world - just looking forward to the next time we would all be together. Flash forward to now, and I am in the position of trying to comfort and minister to my own family. I am the one who is telling the funny stories and chasing the kids. Things have changed. When I was small and hitting apples with sticks I sure didn't envision what this season would hold.
A second thought in my mind was the truth of James 4:14. Our lives truly are a vapor or mist. It doesn't matter how long someone lives, it never seems like enough time. Life is short. God knows the number of our days. The question is how are we going to use those days? If we lived in light of this Scripture how differently would our lives look? Would that spilled milk really be that big of a deal? Would those hurt feelings that you have carried for years over something silly matter that much?
The final thought that was most prominent in my mind during this time was the infinite goodness of our God. He gives us so many wonderful gifts in our lives. Whether we realize it or not, many times those gifts consist of people and moments in time. I am fortunate to have many of those in my life. You see, when the Bible tells us about heaven and what it will be like, many of the images used involve meals and family. As a matter of fact, the Bible ends with a meal around the Father's table. God gives us these gifts as a preview. A preview of the even greater reality of what it will be like to be with Him. It is almost as if we get a little taste here with the main course to come later. I have no trouble imagining heaven. I feel certain that there will be food. And yes, I believe there will be no shortage of laughter. Always remember that every good and every perfect gift comes from Him. (Jas. 1:17)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Backyard Football and Prayer
"Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think - according to the power that works in you. To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21
I spent a lot of time as a kid in our yard playing football alone. We didn't have any neighborhood kids to play with and my brother was six and a half years younger than me. I would pretend to play quarterback and throw the ball to imaginary receivers. I copied the plays that I watched on Sundays (and sadly, complete with commentary). I would sometimes be Dan Marino and sometimes John Elway. While I enjoyed it (because I loved the game), there were a lot of days that I wanted so badly just to have someone to throw the ball to. Someone who would run a route and I could fire the ball to. My dad worked a lot, he had to in order to provide for us, so when he came in from work he wasn't really in the mood to toss the pigskin. Quite often I would look to the sky and just ask God for someone to play with. As I got older, I got away from that routine and settled to just watch the game on television (lets face it, you kind of outgrow the whole pretending thing, or at least some folks do...). However, I never forgot those fall and winter days in the yard or those moments that I looked up at the blue sky and hoped.
Now flash forward to this past weekend. Much has changed since those days. I have a family of my own now. God has blessed me with a wife who is my best friend and partner in ministry. I have three wonderful kids that I pray God will use to change the world for Him. We had made a visit to my dad's house for Father's Day. It was a fairly typical visit, a lot of laughs and of course food (always have to have that!). We were sitting on the front porch talking when my kids asked to play a game of football. Then they coaxed my dad to come out and play (amazing at the power grandkids have huh?). We started playing and I went back to pass and my dad started running at me. He was actually trying to sack me. I ran around and then tried to throw the ball to my youngest son. In that moment, I was a kid again. Only this time, I actually had players on the field with me. God had answered my prayer. 31 years later and in a way that I would never expect - He answered.
What a joy it is to know that we have a God who listens to and answers prayer. The Bible tells us so much about prayer, but it seems that to many Christians it remains a mysterious discipline. We read again and again in the Scriptures how people cried out and God answered. We are told to "watch and pray" and to "pray without ceasing" and "continue in prayer." How amazing is it that God wants to hear from us? That He wants to hear the cries of our hearts? I have said a lot of prayers in my lifetime. Some have been answered in the way I asked and some have been answered in ways that I didn't ask for. One thing is for certain: God is faithful. Last weekend I learned this lesson once again. He answered the prayer of a little kid in an unbelievable way. Have you spoken to your Father in heaven today? He is always listening.
Ephesians 3:20-21
I spent a lot of time as a kid in our yard playing football alone. We didn't have any neighborhood kids to play with and my brother was six and a half years younger than me. I would pretend to play quarterback and throw the ball to imaginary receivers. I copied the plays that I watched on Sundays (and sadly, complete with commentary). I would sometimes be Dan Marino and sometimes John Elway. While I enjoyed it (because I loved the game), there were a lot of days that I wanted so badly just to have someone to throw the ball to. Someone who would run a route and I could fire the ball to. My dad worked a lot, he had to in order to provide for us, so when he came in from work he wasn't really in the mood to toss the pigskin. Quite often I would look to the sky and just ask God for someone to play with. As I got older, I got away from that routine and settled to just watch the game on television (lets face it, you kind of outgrow the whole pretending thing, or at least some folks do...). However, I never forgot those fall and winter days in the yard or those moments that I looked up at the blue sky and hoped.
Now flash forward to this past weekend. Much has changed since those days. I have a family of my own now. God has blessed me with a wife who is my best friend and partner in ministry. I have three wonderful kids that I pray God will use to change the world for Him. We had made a visit to my dad's house for Father's Day. It was a fairly typical visit, a lot of laughs and of course food (always have to have that!). We were sitting on the front porch talking when my kids asked to play a game of football. Then they coaxed my dad to come out and play (amazing at the power grandkids have huh?). We started playing and I went back to pass and my dad started running at me. He was actually trying to sack me. I ran around and then tried to throw the ball to my youngest son. In that moment, I was a kid again. Only this time, I actually had players on the field with me. God had answered my prayer. 31 years later and in a way that I would never expect - He answered.
What a joy it is to know that we have a God who listens to and answers prayer. The Bible tells us so much about prayer, but it seems that to many Christians it remains a mysterious discipline. We read again and again in the Scriptures how people cried out and God answered. We are told to "watch and pray" and to "pray without ceasing" and "continue in prayer." How amazing is it that God wants to hear from us? That He wants to hear the cries of our hearts? I have said a lot of prayers in my lifetime. Some have been answered in the way I asked and some have been answered in ways that I didn't ask for. One thing is for certain: God is faithful. Last weekend I learned this lesson once again. He answered the prayer of a little kid in an unbelievable way. Have you spoken to your Father in heaven today? He is always listening.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Heart Surgery: Discouragement and the Gospel
"But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me." Micah 7:7
I eased into the room not sure of what to expect. My granddad had just had heart surgery a few days before. I had been there for the surgery and witnessed God's amazing grace. At 87 he came through triple by-pass with flying colors. When we went back to see him he looked as if he were only taking an afternoon nap. That was then, this was a week later. I knew that many times discouragement sets in and those who have had heart surgery experience a personality change. I walked in and was amazed. He was tired but glad to see me. The scar from the surgery was shining just above the top of his shirt. We had been talking for about 5 minutes when he grabbed my hand and said, "God brought me through. He brought me through the war, my first heart attack and now this heart attack. He has something else for me to do." Instead of discouragement, he shared hope. He shared who he was looking to in the middle of a tough time. He wasn't focused on the pain of the surgery. The situation was not a pleasant one, but his perspective made all the difference.
After I left that afternoon I reflected on what he had said. It reminded me of a Scripture passage I had shared the previous Wednesday night at church. I have been teaching a series on the Minor Prophets. For the past 11 weeks we have been studying the book of Micah. (yes, 11 weeks in that short book I typically move slow) The prophet pours out his heart in the first six verses of chapter 7. Everywhere he looks he sees nothing but troubling things. He says things like, "the godly have perished from the land" and "there is no upright person among men." (2) He even says that the "best of them is like a briar." (4) Then in verse seven of that chapter he makes the statement, "But as for me..." Micah makes a choice. He makes a choice to not dwell on the bad things. He could easily be trapped in discouragement, but instead he fixes his gaze somewhere else.
He chooses to look to God. If you want something that will change your perspective very quickly, spend a little time looking at the Sovereign Creator of the universe. And if you notice he says, "I will watch expectantly." He knows that God is faithful and will move in His time. So instead of dwelling on how bad things are, he looks hopefully to His God. Micah also says he will "wait" for God. This is one of the hardest things for us to do. Our culture is so accustomed to instant everything, waiting is hard to even imagine. We are also looking for the quick fix. Waiting means trusting God. It means knowing He is going to work according to His plan - not ours.
The final statement he makes is that God will hear him. How often do we pray as if God isn't really listening? As if maybe our prayers aren't getting through? In church we say the right things when it comes to prayer, but quite often our actions don't follow suit. Micah knows that God will hear him. We have that same assurance. Why else would we be told to pray without ceasing (I Thess. 5:17) and continue in prayer (Col. 4:2)?
We don't have to dwell in discouragement. We have a choice to make. We can choose to look at our circumstances and the situation we find ourselves in or we can look to God. God has something for you to do. Are you going to watch expectantly for what it might be?
I eased into the room not sure of what to expect. My granddad had just had heart surgery a few days before. I had been there for the surgery and witnessed God's amazing grace. At 87 he came through triple by-pass with flying colors. When we went back to see him he looked as if he were only taking an afternoon nap. That was then, this was a week later. I knew that many times discouragement sets in and those who have had heart surgery experience a personality change. I walked in and was amazed. He was tired but glad to see me. The scar from the surgery was shining just above the top of his shirt. We had been talking for about 5 minutes when he grabbed my hand and said, "God brought me through. He brought me through the war, my first heart attack and now this heart attack. He has something else for me to do." Instead of discouragement, he shared hope. He shared who he was looking to in the middle of a tough time. He wasn't focused on the pain of the surgery. The situation was not a pleasant one, but his perspective made all the difference.
After I left that afternoon I reflected on what he had said. It reminded me of a Scripture passage I had shared the previous Wednesday night at church. I have been teaching a series on the Minor Prophets. For the past 11 weeks we have been studying the book of Micah. (yes, 11 weeks in that short book I typically move slow) The prophet pours out his heart in the first six verses of chapter 7. Everywhere he looks he sees nothing but troubling things. He says things like, "the godly have perished from the land" and "there is no upright person among men." (2) He even says that the "best of them is like a briar." (4) Then in verse seven of that chapter he makes the statement, "But as for me..." Micah makes a choice. He makes a choice to not dwell on the bad things. He could easily be trapped in discouragement, but instead he fixes his gaze somewhere else.
He chooses to look to God. If you want something that will change your perspective very quickly, spend a little time looking at the Sovereign Creator of the universe. And if you notice he says, "I will watch expectantly." He knows that God is faithful and will move in His time. So instead of dwelling on how bad things are, he looks hopefully to His God. Micah also says he will "wait" for God. This is one of the hardest things for us to do. Our culture is so accustomed to instant everything, waiting is hard to even imagine. We are also looking for the quick fix. Waiting means trusting God. It means knowing He is going to work according to His plan - not ours.
The final statement he makes is that God will hear him. How often do we pray as if God isn't really listening? As if maybe our prayers aren't getting through? In church we say the right things when it comes to prayer, but quite often our actions don't follow suit. Micah knows that God will hear him. We have that same assurance. Why else would we be told to pray without ceasing (I Thess. 5:17) and continue in prayer (Col. 4:2)?
We don't have to dwell in discouragement. We have a choice to make. We can choose to look at our circumstances and the situation we find ourselves in or we can look to God. God has something for you to do. Are you going to watch expectantly for what it might be?
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