Who's Laughing Now?

Finally, I’ve found a quick minute to blog again! It’s nice to get some time for my own brain for a change.


I said that I wanted to talk about some of those amazing questions that God used in the Bible to teach us some amazing lessons. The first one I would like to address is found in the story of Abraham and Sarah. God made an awesome promise to Abraham, saying that he would be the father of many nations. God said that Abraham’s wife, Sarah, would have a son. Well, when God was having this private conversation with Abraham, Sarah, as wives have a tendency to do at least in my experience, was being a bit nosy. She was eavesdropping on the whole conversation. (Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mind my wife being nosy. I wouldn’t remember anything or get anything done if she wasn’t. Something tells me Abraham wasn’t much different from me in that regard. My wife calls it “Male-itus”.) Naturally, when people start talking about you, you want to hear what they have to say. And this wasn’t just “people” this was GOD, Himself, talking to her husband about her. Can’t you just see Sarah, crouched outside the tent, her ear hovering at the tent-flap opening? The Bible says that Abe and Sarah were very old and “well advanced in age”. How long had they been married? How much had they gone through together? Anything that concerned and affected her husband affected and concerned her. So, she listened.

“He thinks I’m going to have a baby? Ha. That’s a good one!” Sarah, close enough to overhear God speak but far enough away to think that He couldn’t hear her, began to laugh at the absurdity of the idea.

Genesis 18:13-14


And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I surely bear [a child], since I am old?' 14) Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."

With a quick question, God exposed Sarah’s lack of faith and reminded her of exactly who she was dealing with. Sarah endured a lesson I believe God is anxious for us ALL to learn.

How many times has God spoken a promise to us? How many times has He placed a hope or planted a dream inside of us? And how many times have we looked at the absurdity of that calling, of that idea, and laughed at it? “Yeah, right! Like I could ever do that! Please!”

But God is thinking, “Why are you laughing at my plans for you? Is anything too hard for me?” I think we would be amazed at what God wants for us and what He could do through us IF we could just open our tiny minds and believe.

So, the next time some awesome thing comes to mind, some vision of greatness that you could achieve for the Kingdom of God, don’t laugh to yourself and push the thought away. Ask yourself, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Don’t underestimate what God can do through you. Remember Sarah, step into your destiny, and enjoy your promise.

Need an Answer? Here's a Question.

Since the very beginning of time, we humans have had a unique propensity to seek out and do exactly the OPPOSITE of what we really need. God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and said, “Everything will be cool as long as you OBEY one simple rule.” What did Adam and Eve do? They DISOBEYED. When they realized that they were in a fallen state, when they encountered Sin and NEEDED forgiveness, did they run to the only person that could help? No. They HID themselves from the solution amongst the vegetation. Dopes.


Now, what was God’s response to all of this foolishness? Did he come yank those kids out of the trees and give them a sound paddling while reprimanding them in staccato fashion, which tends to be the normal course of action in my house? “I – TOLD – YOU – NOT – TO – EAT – THAT – FRUIT!” No. He walked calmly in and called. He just called… and waited… patiently… just like He does with you and me. We mess up, we hide, but He continues to call and wait.

Rev. 3:20 “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

When Adam and Eve finally had the courage to answer the door and come out of hiding, they came with excuses and whining but God, well He just had some simple questions. “Where are you? Why did you hide? Who told you that you were naked?”

So many times we slink up to God with our guilt, our whines, our complaints, and our excuses. We come in looking for someone else to blame and seeking for a quick fix to the problems. We think we need ANSWERS, but God stands with a handful of QUESTIONS. There we go again, getting it all backwards and looking for exactly the opposite of what we actually need.

So many times in the scriptures God gives the answer with a question. I’d like to try to cover some of those amazing questions in the near future on this blog, but in the meantime think on this. What would we find if we stopped looking so hard for answers and started listening a little more closely for the questions God may be presenting to us? Instead of demanding, “Why are my finances in such a wreck? Where is the money going to come from to pay my bills?” God may be asking you a question like, “Where have you placed your trust? Can you find contentment in Me without all of the stuff?” You may be asking, “Why am I constantly getting hurt? Why can’t any of my relationships last?” But God may be saying, “Where have you invested your emotions? Who are you looking to for fulfillment?”

Look at your problems. Think of the answers you desire. Maybe there’s a question in there that you need to find.

What questions is God asking you?

We Need a Resurrection Injection!

Elevation Church Easter Opener from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

Crisis!

Here’s a little something that I’ve wanted to post for a while, but I can’t seem to get the time to even breathe lately. Maybe that’s why this quote means so much to me. All I know is there are a lot of people who are going through some very troubled times lately. And that’s just those of which I am aware, doubtless there are many more. I hope this gives you the encouragement and resolve you need to get through these times and realize that it is all well worth the struggle in the end. Pass it on and encourage someone today. At least we aren’t on a frozen battle field; losing a war like those who heard this the first time it was read. We know what those brave men went on to accomplish. May we somehow tap into that same spirit and determination that they showed in such abundance, but which has become so rare today, and reach new heights worthy of their sacrifice, worthy of the wonderful blessings of God that they initiated.


THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER" and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth...


Quitting this class of men, I turn with the warm ardor of a friend to those who have nobly stood, and are yet determined to stand the matter out: I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this state or that state, but on every state: up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have too much force than too little, when so great an object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not that thousands are gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but "show your faith by your works," that God may bless you.


Thomas Paine “The Crisis” December 23, 1776