Engraved With A Diamond Pointed Pen Of Iron

 

 

How God took a man who was down on his luck, and wrote into his heart and life, a message of love that he will never forget.

 

David, one of the men in our church spoke this past Sunday and shared a wonderful testimony of something amazing God did that he was privileged to be a part of. In telling his story I need to back up a little and put it in context.

David has always been intrigued by people who say, "God told me this...", or "God spoke to me and said..." He heard about people saying that had dreams and visions, but never felt God had ever done anything like that with him. He knew God spoke to him through the bible, his conscience, circumstances, and through others. Yet, he felt and sensed there was more for him. That God wanted to communicate things personally through the Holy Spirit. So he began praying and seeking to hear God's voice. Not necessarily an audible voice, but that God would speak to him in such a way that he could, "God told ME this..."

With much and prayer and seeking, little by little he began to hear God speaking to him. What began as a trickle, developed into a stream. With that as a background, here is his amazing testimony he shared with our church yesterday.

David was on his way home from work in the Detroit area, and stopped for gas in what many would call the rougher part of town. While filling his car he noticed a man digging through the gas stations garbage can looking for bottles and cans, but he seemed to be finding none. It was at this point David felt the Lord speak to him and say, "Give him four dollars." David rarely carries cash, he almost exclusively uses debit/credit cards, so he pushed the thought aside, thinking he had no cash with him. He felt God speak to him the second time, "Give him four dollars." He was starting to think God was speaking to him, but said to the Lord, "I don't have four dollars", so he pushed the voice aside again. For the third time, he felt God say, "Give him four dollars."

Unable to resist the voice of the Lord anymore he reached for his wallet, and to his utter amazement there were four one dollar bills in his wallet, no more no less. Then he remembered a week or so earlier he needed some cash and his wife Cathy gave him ten dollars. He bought something for six dollars, put the change in his wallet, forgot about it, and there it sat until God called for it.

David went over to the man, and was a little uncomfortable giving him just four dollars. How could four dollars really make a difference in his life after all? David introduced himself and said, "God really loves you, and He wanted me to give your this four dollars." He gave him the money, talked for a moment and then returned to his vehicle, but looking back at the man he saw he was now bent over and shuddering. David realized he was crying and walked back to the man to talk to him some more.

He then told David the most amazing thing. He said that while he was digging for bottles and cans hoping to get some money for food, he became discouraged realizing there was nothing in the can. In desperation he uttered this simple prayer, "God if you are real, let me have four dollars." It was at that very moment, David showed up, and with the four dollars in his wallet, turned that man's day around and left a permanent mark in his life of God's faithfulness and care for him.

David encouraged him, and was able to pray with him about some of the circumstances of his life. Though the man didn't get saved that day, I am convinced he will because when God starts something He sees it through to completion. Philippians 1:6  There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.

David heard God speak, responded, and God made a mark on that man's heart and life that is the equivalent to being engraved with a diamond pointed pen of iron. We all wind up with marks in life that are made by people. Some will be cherished memories, some will be scars and painful. But when God marks a man or woman, He does it to be a permanent reminder of His goodness and love. He marks us, in the same way He Himself is marked. We read this in Isaiah 49:16  "Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands..."

Like David I can point to many times in my life, where I could say, "I felt the Lord tell me..." Hearing his testimony yesterday burned in me a fresh fire to hear God like David did that day, so that someone living in a desperate situation could have a token of God's love deposited in their heart. Jesus said, "My sheep know My voice," May God bless our spiritual hearing so that we can bring life giving words to others. Keep your fire burning!

Approaching The Point Of No Return

In my last blog I posted on the question, "How long O Lord?" and showed some verses where people told God they had enough and wanted a break. Today we are going to flip the script and look at the time where God says He has had enough.

Zechariah 7:12  "And they made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. 

Zechariah 7:13  "And it came about that just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts;

The message version for verse 13 says in part: ..."So [[this is what GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies said]] if they won’t listen to me, I won’t listen to them.

If they won't list to me, I won't listen to them. The ramifications of this passage are enormous, it details a time when humanity has so closed it's ears to God, that He in turn, will close His ears to them. There comes a time when even II Chronicles 7:14 won't fully apply.

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

This text was primarily directed at Israel, though many have claimed it for their nation. However if we have a crossed a line God never intended to be crossed, it wont be enough for His people to be praying, it won't suffice for the judgment looming over those who continue to harden their hearts. I know that sounds radical, but consider this passage concerning two of the greatest intercessors and men who changed the destiny of their nation because of their influence with God:

Jeremiah 15:1 Then the LORD said to me, "Even though Moses and Samuel were to stand before Me, My heart would not be with this people; send them away from My presence and let them go!

We live in a time where evil is called good and good evil. We won't be able to pray away all the calamities that are coming. But as long as we are here, let us roll up our sleeves, pray for mercy, and hope that the midnight is not yet upon the earth, for our sakes, and the sakes of those in the world with us. While recognizing there is a time where God will simply say, "I have had enough!"

How Long O Lord?

Ps 6:1  Please, GOD, no more yelling, no more trips to the woodshed.

Ps 6:2  Treat me nice for a change; I’m so starved for affection. Can’t you see I’m black and blue, beat up badly in bones

Ps 6:3  and soul? GOD, how long will it take for you to let up?

This type of prayer is repeated in several other places in the Psalms here are two more examples:

 Ps 13:1 Long enough, GOD—you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough.

Ps 80:4  GOD, God of the angel armies, how long will you smolder like a sleeping volcano while your people call for fire and brimstone?

When life is full of pain, it becomes doubly frustrating when you don't know why it is happening or how long it will go on for. And when that happens, please, please don't simply tell me to be patient. I know I have to wait on God, and I know that weeping lasts the night but joy comes in the morning. 

What I need, and what you need in moments like this is not much more than the comfort of a friend to help carry a load I am struggling with. Yes tell me what the bible says, just do it in a gentle uplifting way, that is what my soul needs in moments like this. Don't overly correct me if I say something stupid, God included the complaints of His people in the scriptures above without His annotations on how and why they were wrong. He just let them vent. Let's let people vent, and yes correct them if they really need it, but most of all let's love and encourage them. Isn't that what you would have others do for you?

When someone's fires is burning low, don't discourage them any more, help them stoke it.

        

No Sweating Allowed

No Sweating Allowed

Ge 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Eze 44:15  "But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary...
Eze 44:16  "They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me...
Eze 44:18  "Linen turbans shall be on their heads, and linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat.

Man was originally placed in the garden to cultivate and keep it. (Genesis 2:15) There was work

involved but apparently it didn't produce the frustration, labor and sweat that would come as a result of the fall. Interesting side fact the name Noah means rest and Jewish authorities credit him with the invention of the plow which made farming a whole lot easier.
Ge 5:29  Now he called his name Noah, saying, "This one shall give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands arising from the ground which the LORD has cursed."

Now we jump ahead to the commandments given priests in the book of Ezekiel, specifically they could not wear anything that causes sweat. We know from 1 Corinthians 10:11 that many things that happened in the OT were to be examples to teach us.  So what could possible be the reason God instructs His priests not to wear anything that causes sweat?

John 15 comes to mind, I am the vine you are the branches. The vine supplies what is necessary for the branches to produce fruit. It is also true that the branches in and of themselves are incapable of producing fruit so effort to produce fruit by themselves is foolish and will consume great deals of energy with no net effect. It is only as we rest in Christ, whose yoke is easy and His burden is light, that we avoiding sweating to do God's work.

So the admonition for God's priests to not wear anything that causes them to sweat is a reminder rest and rely on the Lord. Does that mean we shouldn't work? Absolutely not, but our work should always be tempered by trusting and relying on God to do the lion's share.

Remember this teaching of Jesus: Mt 6:27 -33 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'hat shall we eat?'or 'hat shall we drink?'or 'what shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (NIV)

In other words, don't sweat it. Worry is a garment you can put on,

refuse to wear, or wake up and take it off, if you have been sweating about things God says not to worry about. More specifically when it comes to Christian service, don't sweat it, Hebrews 4 teaches that there is a rest available for the people of God, but some seem to come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1ff)  He is the vine that supplies, that is not your job. Blessings!