Just because your giants got bigger does not mean your God got smaller!
– Christine Cain
Tag Archives: Religion and Spirituality
Are we hurting God?
The Israelites had seen God do miraculous things. He brought them out of bondage, opened up a sea to walk across, sustained then in the wilderness, and time and time again had shown them how faithful he was.
So you would think that when the time came for Him to lead them into the promised land, the land of their dreams, the land of more-than-enough, where struggling was no longer required, that they would boldly go forth boldly knowing that God was on their side.
Yet once again they did not trust God.
They sent out 12 scouts to see who they would have to fight to take over the land, and only 2 came back with a positive report. So the people grumbled and complained (yet again) and…..
“GOD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me like dirt? How long refuse to trust me? And with all these signs I’ve done among them! I’ve had enough” (Numbers 14:11–12, The Message).
This absolutely breaks my heart. Time and time and time again, God showed his care and compassion for the Israelite’s. And time and again they questioned and let Him down.
God wanted to do great things through them! He wanted to give them the easy life as they fellowshipped with him.
But they didn’t trust him. They yet again took their eyes off God.
As a result they not only kept themselves from reaching their promised time (see Numbers 14:29-30) but they, I believe, did something far more horrible…
They hurt God.
God loved them so very much, and was eager to do great things in and for them, but they didn’t love Him enough to keep their eyes on Him.
It pains me to realize all of the times when I have focused on myself instead of God.
It pains me to know that I have hurt to one who loves me so.
God so passionately wants to do things in and through us. He wants us to be so fixed on His face that we do not worry about what is going on around us.
He wants to lead us, because He loves us.
If we do not allow him to lead us, we are hurting Him.
May we, as Christians, make it our determined purpose to keep our eyes on God. To Trust Him!
Like a child being lead by a loving parent, may we allow God to daily lead us to our own promised land.
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The most important daily exercise of the child of God is….
Great thoughts
You have trusted Him in a few things, and He has not failed you. Trust Him now for everything, and see if He does not do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you could ever have asked or thought, not according to your power or capacity, but according to His own mighty power, that will work in you all the good pleasure of His most blessed will.
You find no difficulty in trusting the Lord with the management of the universe and all the outward creation, and can your case be any more complex or difficult than these, that you need to be anxious or troubled about His management of it? ~ Hannah Whitall Smith
I asked God for washcloths and He gave me this…
Back about fifteen years ago, I was constantly listening to Christian speakers, as God was changing my thinking and showing me how he could be trusted.
I remember one of the speakers talking about how God had told her to stay home from her job for a period of time. During that time she saw God work mightily through her prayers. One of the things she “needed” was new wash cloths. She prayed for them and God brought someone to her door with new washcloths.
Right after hearing that I prayed to God. I said that I wanted washcloths (notice here that I only “wanted” them, I did not “need” them). I asked Him to send me washcloths.
Well later that day I was surprised to get a knocked on the door and was surprised to find Faith standing at my door.
Faith was a co-worker and fellow Christian. She held out a fairly large cardboard box. She said “God told me to give you this.” She handed the box to me and quickly left.
I brought the box inside and quickly opened it.
I was surprised and a little let down to find what was in the box.
I was surprised because the box was filled to the brim with washcloths, just like I had asked God for.
I was let down because the wash cloths were all old, wore out, discolored, and raggedy with holes in them.
And to top it off they were saturated with cigarette smoke.
I asked, “God I don’t understand, why did you give her new washcloths and you gave me these?”
God quickly replied, “Because you did not ask me for new ones, you just asked me for washcloths.”
I learned that not only can I trust God to hear my prayers, but that He also pays attention to them.
As a result I because more thoughtful about what I prayed for.
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I Am Trusting God 