Quote from Forum Archives on March 15, 2002, 1:17 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

The message for Thursday comes from Neil Anderson's Daily in
Christ 3/14, which I retrieved from Crosswalk.com Spiritual Life
Channel - see the Web page reference at the bottom of the text.

In my life, I've come to realize that God is always with me. It
is my awareness of His Presence (and my level of obedience to
Him) that has fluctuated (more than I would want to openly
admit). Yet the promises of God are wonderful. God says that He
will not leave us.

Some people expect these huge, miraculous signs from God.
Otherwise they fail to recognize Him. But Jesus Christ came in
the flesh, performed many signs and wonders, yet people still
refused to acknowledge Him. There were those who did follow Him,
and the words of scripture have been faithfully recorded and
preserved through some of those ordinary people, who became
extraordinary - not because of their own work, but because of the
work that God did within them and through them. Can we not learn
from that very statement? How can God work in me today? How
about you? Do you think about such things? Please read Neil's
message and allow God's Spirit to work within you today.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

GOD WORKS IN THE ORDINARY

Hebrews 13:5 He [God] Himself has said, "I will never desert you,
nor will I ever forsake you"

A devout Christian heard an urgent news report on his radio that
a flash flood was within minutes of entering the peaceful valley
where he lived. Immediately he went to his knees and prayed for
safety. The words were still on his lips when he became aware
that water was gushing under his door. He retreated to the second
floor and finally onto the roof of his house.

While he sat on the roof, a helicopter flew by and the pilot
asked over the loudspeaker if they could lift him off. "It's not
necessary since I have the Lord's protection," he replied.

Moments later the house began to break up and he found himself
clinging to a tree. A police boat, braving the waters, approached
him for rescue, but he assured them that the Lord would save
him. Finally, the tree gave way and the man went to his death.

Standing before the Lord, he asked, "Lord, I'm glad to be here,
but why didn't You answer my prayer for safety?"

The Lord responded, "Son, I told you over the radio to get out of
there Then I sent you a helicopter and a motor boat!"

Nowhere in the Bible are we given the idea that God works only in
the extraordinary. Much of the time He supernaturally works
through His created order. Many people think God is present only
when there is a miracle and that He leads only through signs and
wonders.

There are people who always look for a sign. They walk by sight,
not by faith. To them, God is only present in the miraculous. God
was "really" at the church service if something unusual
happened. Many desire and look for "visitations" from God.

But how does that square with God's omnipresence and the fact
that He will never leave us or forsake us? Isn't God at every
church service? Since God created the fixed order of the
universe, would you expect Him to work primarily within that
fixed order or outside of it? If God gave us a watch, would we be
honoring Him more by asking Him what time it is or by simply
consulting the watch?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me for looking for signs when I only need to trust
Your Word and live by Your promises.

devotionals.crosswalk.com/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID106200|CHID241224|CIID544420,00.html

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/

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