What's Gonna Happen?

I’ve learned over the years that you don’t always get answers or direction from God instantly after you pray about something.  Take for instance the word I heard from the Lord on the first night of a week-long convention that Piper and I, as well as a number of leaders from our church, attended on the Rhema Bible College campus in Broken Arrow Oklahoma during the summer of 2003. 

In fact, I can give you the exact date as I recently came across Piper’s detailed notebook from the convention.  It was in the middle of the opening session on Sunday night June 8th, in the Rhema Bible Church auditorium and believe it or not, Pastor Hagin was teaching on the subject of “Doing whatever God tells you!” based on Mary’s comments to the servants concerning Jesus’ directions, during the wedding at Cana as described in John 2:1-10.

If you’ve heard me tell this story before, then you know that I was not a happy camper about His comments to me that night.  After more than twenty years of desiring and praying about attending Rhema Bible College, I had recently reasoned in my heart that it was not to be.  I had given up and just figured that if anyone in our family was to go, that it would be one of our kids and not me.  As far as I was concerned… it was finally SETTLED!  But then God pulls a fast one on me and clearly tells me that it was time to go!

After that point in the service, I don’t remember anything about what the Pastor said. If it wasn’t for finding Piper’s extensive notes, I wouldn’t have even known what subject the Pastor spoke on!  I told Piper about what I had heard from the Lord as soon as we could get away by ourselves that night and she didn’t even flinch an eyelid or seem disturbed about the news at all.  She simply smiled and agreed with me to not tell anyone about it until the two of us had prayed it though.

So, except for confiding in our Pastor, the two of us kept the secret from our family and friends for a whole year until we both had peace about the directive and the makings of a plan on just how to do it!

Recently, I have found myself in a similar situation… but in this case, it isn’t about praying for the revival of a plan that I had given up on, but instead, praying about something that I had NEVER planned on!  And that would be moving into a new chapter of my life without my wife and without any clear vision of what’s going to happen!

So, as before, I’ve begun to pray and seek to catch a vision of the Lord’s guidance, plan and purpose for my new life.  I realized the other day, that for the first time in my adult life, that I do not have a clear vision of where I am going… and to be perfectly honest… it has been quite unsettling for me!

Yesterday though, as I stepped out of the shower, I had a breakthrough.  I had been talking to the Lord about how all I seem to see is a foggy wall when I try to think beyond selling this house and moving to Oklahoma in the spring, and how that disturbed me, when it hit me… Standing there in front of the mirror, I looked at my image and had the revelation that I’ve been looking at this all wrong!

In the years during our past together, Piper and I always prayed and witnessed the Lord providing and doing better than before for us, in each new step we took in faith.  So, what was so different about now?  I realized that I had been thinking that without Piper nothing would ever be the same again… that nothing could ever be as good as it was before.  But I saw it then and there, that this was NOT the way that God operates!  Our circumstances may change, but God doesn’t ever change!

James 1:17 tells us that “Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. The Father doesn't change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon.” (God’s Word ©)  Likewise Malachi 3:6 declares “I, the LORD, never change.” (God’s Word ©)  While the writer of the book of Hebrews agrees with both of them, saying, when he wrote concerning our need to imitate our leaders who have taught us the Word of God, that: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 God’s Word ©)

You and I may not have any idea of what may be ahead of us, but as we patiently and consistently pray and follow the Lord’s directions as they come… no matter how detailed or not… we can be assured that it is not only going to be okay… but better than before, for to His faith-full and obedient children, He is the God of the “good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over …” (Luke 6:38 KJV)

So, I feel quite energized with His promises for a bright future… how about you?  All it takes is some dedicated and consistent prayer, lots of joyful expectation and an ever-increasing knowledge of the promises in His Word!  Piece of cake, right?  Well… it just takes a little bit of effort but it is well worth it!

Have a great weekend, and as you do, say with me… “I am expecting God to be the same in my present and future… as He was in my past!”