Emmanuel עמנואל, “God is with us” Part III

If we could, for even just a day, have our eye’s opened to all of the many way’s in which God intercedes for each of us on a personal level perhaps we’d better understand Paul’s seemingly impossible exhortation here…

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice evermore.Pray without ceasing In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Maybe that means keeping a deer from running out in front of your vehicle. It might mean keeping any uncontrolled cell growth which commonly exists within each of our bodies from becoming cancerous.

Recently, it was the job I didn’t get that I’m thankful for!

I had applied for an over the road driving job with a smaller company who ran regional freight. During the ensuing interview which seemed to go very well I remember the owner telling me that because of how junky his equipment was I would have to drive around scales and that I would be paid on a percentage of what the load paid. Despite both of those pieces of really bad news I filled out the application he gave me and faxed it back to him ready to work if and when he called!

But he never did…

So I called another company that I had been considering who I knew ran first class equipment but who also ran a much bigger territory. I was hesitant about my ability to meet their expectations because it had been over four years since I drove on that level. The thing is,God didn’t really leave me any other options! Getting back into the transportation industry with no recent experience is difficult so I was ready to take anything…

but I was also well…afraid!

I struggle with anxiety and fear quite a bit, it’s one of the biggest areas my Heavenly Father is helping me to grow in! Mostly by protecting me from things that would overwhelm me totally, other times by just being close to me in the midst of any circumstances that I feel threatened by. What faith is to me is knowing that God had control of my circumstances yesterday, and so therefore also has my today and tomorrow under control as well!

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

That’s what this verse means to me…It’s also why I’m so thankful! There’s nothing as empowering and fear squashing as knowing that the omnipotent God who created the heavens, the earth, and all that is,is with you and that He cares about YOU!

Does that mean nothing bad ever happens to me?

We all know that “Stuff Happens” don’t we…

The question most people have is when does the “stuff” STOP happening?

It stops when GRACE happens! When we come to the place where we can truly say,

“Father, not my will but yours be done”

and mean it…

Several years ago I was driving along in my truck near Jamestown N.Y. on hyw 87 on my back west after doing four drops earlier in the day. I had heard that the D.O.T. was setting up in the rest areas inspecting trucks so I was very leery of being inspected. It was later in the evening, maybe 8pm,and usually they quit inspecting at dark so I thought I was home free…then I saw it,the flashing yellow lights on the roadside sign,”surely this is some kind of construction warning” I thought,but as I drew closer startled panic settled on me as the words “all trucks must enter” assaulted my unbelieving eye’s! I was trapped and there was nothing I could do…no ramp to pull off of and “fix it” so with cold resignation I pulled off onto the ramp twoard the man waving his flashlight holding hand at me.What else could I do but accept the fact that I was screwed,perhaps my full cooperation and good attitude would as they had so many times before see me thru,I doubted it.As I pulled to a stop he stepped up onto my side step and spoke to me,

How’re we doing tonight? Oh,I’m doing fine I guess…What’re you hauling? Nothing, I’m empty. Well, have a good evening then!

And that was the extent of it, I hauled out of there on an adrenaline high that would entice any skydiver,or cause a lion tamer to stare curiously in wonder,not yet ready to dip my chip in the “crock of life” I’d just been handed,it just seemed un-real to me. Why did ‘nt he at least ask to see my log book? thats S.O.P. basic stuff,you look at the driver,gauge his condition,look at his book,and then if all seems right,you send him on,or if,as was the case here,you’re not at all busy,just send him inside anyway for the 3rd degree check,you know,wanted/warrents/unpaid tickets/child support un returned library books,lol really! but he did’nt,so I’m driving down the road thinking, WOW! that could have been a whole weeks salary down the tubes but for some reason which I can’t explain I just walked thru the fire without so much as a mark on me…Does the Lord work in mysterious ways? did he know that if I would have been shut down/fined etc…that it might break my spirit? someday I’d like to ask him.

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Let the redeemed of the Lord say…."SO"

Okay, “SO” what am I blathering about now? This had better be important…or at least be interesting! well, I’ve certainly thrown down the gauntlet to myself…SO, here goes!

Saying “SO”, let the redeemed say it, to all of the things which our enemy in this life seeks to bring against us. to all of the sickness, or lack of any sort we perceive in our lives! for we have as our possession the “great pearl,” that wondrous work done on our behalf at Calvary, even now! we posses it, and we shall live in the spirit and the fruit of it, denying any other “perceived” real need, selling all that we own to possess that one “pearl of great value!”

I like to try to keep things simple, “SO” what am I saying here? If what was done for us by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross isn’t enough to give us un-ending joy…then we should ask ourselves, “do I really believe it?,” maybe I just didn’t “get it” because if we did, I think we might realize more of the fruit of the spirit in our lives! We spend so much time focused on what we lack, or perhaps on what we want God to do for us, but how do we feel about what he’s already done? IS IT ENOUGH? I would submit to you that it is, so much more than just “enough”…

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, how great thou are!

Is that the song of your soul? or do you see God as some sort of “metaphysical messenger boy” who will satisfy your wandering desires you submit to him “in faith” brothers/sisters, we simply cannot expect God to bless us abundantly in our lives or hear our prayers when our attitude is “well,what have you done for me lately,or here’s my list of stuff” instead of living in the joy of what he’s already done! It has to be “enough” if it’s not, then we have missed it, the greatest expression of love ever revealed to man, the single source of ALL power for living in victory over sin, the one true catalyst that’s needed to put into action all of the wonderful things that God wants to bring into our lives.

It’s more that just an “attitude of gratitude” it’s an undivided focus on Him that brings blessings to us! We’re told to seek first the kingdom of heaven, and that the kingdom of heaven is within us,

IT CAN BE,and IT MUST BE!

“what must we do to be saved?” only believe, like a little child, trusting only in Him, who has plans not to harm us,but to prosper us and lift us up,drawing us unto Himself. We are called to be His disciples, to go out into the world and proclaim His truth!

But friend, what sort of example are we showing to the world of what it means to have a relationship with Christ? We face a world dominated by our enemy, “SO”… we’re playing without home court advantage, if we’re going to be successful we must have the Baptism of the Spirit to put our enemy under our foot and show the world what it means to be “in Christ,” and the wonder of our Lord’s love! Lord, keep me from being a lukewarm Christian, defeated by this world,powerless against sin and the enemy, when all I have to do is say “SO”