Where's My Miracle?

Recently I had a little pity party because I expected something to go a certain way. My way... if I’m honest.

When it didn't, I called out (OK I whined) to God and pleaded for a sign. Everywhere I looked and everything I heard, I kept hoping was a sign from God.

I went to church that weekend still searching. Every song and message that came across was the same question, “Is Jesus enough? If you never get another blessing, is Jesus enough for you?” Instantly, I felt the need to ask for forgiveness from My Father in Heaven. And I responded, “You are enough!”

Well, because God is so good and He loves me in spite of my many pity parties, He gave me my sign a couple days later. And every day since, He has increased and magnified that sign until I no longer need it because my heart got the message. 

Here's a poem that came out of this experience:

Where’s My Miracle?

Lord, I need a miracle

Right now! Don’t you see?

Why can’t I see miracles?

Yet you expect me to believe?

I do not see your blessings

In my daily toil

All I see is problems, Lord

Yet you expect me to stay loyal?

Shouldn't I get rewarded, Lord

For all the good I do?

Where’s my prize, Lord

Yet you expect me to stay true?

From Heaven came My Father’s voice

Not in a roar like thunder

But in a gentle rain, asking

“You want to see My wonder?”

Then My Child

Open up your heart to ME

And you will see miracles

Beyond your wildest dreams

Your eyes are blinded by pain

That I did not bestow

My desire is to help

But you refuse to let pain go

Hand me your broken heart

And I will replace it with My own

Full of love and forgiveness

You don’t have to be alone

Take My Spirit within you

My peace and joy will abound

Your veil of darkness will be removed

You shall see My Glory all around

I spoke the universe into existence

I designed the earth for your presence

My moon is a marvel to modern science

But instead of My handiwork

You choose to see happenstance

My miracles towards you are endless

As countless as the sands of the sea

Gifts of compassion and provision

Yet you deny these gifts are from ME

It’s your choice

Stay blind or come and see

I will not force your hand

Nor command you to believe

MY love is freely given

It’s up to you to receive

Written by Yolanda

Isaiah 30:18 (AMP)

And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you.

For the Lord is a God of justice.

Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!

The Big Debate: Is God Mean?

Thank you to my cousin-in-law for cute picture of son.

Recently, I had the best theology debate.

Not with a Bible scholar.

Not with a die-hard atheist.

But with a very curious 3-year old.

The class was discussing the verse, “Jesus loves the children” (Mark 10:14). My co-teacher explained how God listens to the prayers of children because He loves them and is always close by. One student protested very strongly, “No, God is far away!” We tried to explain how God is all around us. He lives in our hearts and is even in the classroom. But our little friend kept arguing, insisting that God was not there. At one point, he even stood up on the carpet to make his point known. It was amazing to see such conviction from a 3-year old.

I calmly called him over. I got a piece of paper and waved it softly in front of him and said, “What do you feel?”

My very intelligent little guy said, “Wind.”

“You are right. Can you see the wind?”

“No.”

So, I waved it again making him smile.

“Can you still feel it?”

“Yes.”

“The wind is like God. We cannot see Him but we feel Him around us.”

Later, I asked him why he thought God was far away. He said because “Mean God” is far away. My response, “God is not mean. God is love. He loves you very much.”

My poor little guy looked skeptical and said, “When I’m bad, God is mad.”

Hmmm….now this internal struggle made sense.

I told my little guy, “God is not mad when we do bad. God is sad. But He never stops loving us. He doesn't want us to do bad things because it hurts us and that makes him sad. But we can pray for him to help us do good and he will help us. God loves you no matter what. And God is not far away, He is right here (and I pointed at his heart).”

My little guy smiled and said, “God loves me.”

“Yes. Always remember God loves you very much and He’s going to use you to share that Good News with many.”

How many times have we felt like this little guy?

That God is far away?

Or that “Mean God” is mad because we've messed up. Again.

While I was talking to The Lord about this post, my husband came to mind. When we get irritated, disappointed, or angry with one another, an invisible barrier is felt between us. Sometimes the hurt feelings prevent us from speaking to one another. Over the years, we have learned to break the ice with small text messages. My hubby is usually the first to send what I like to refer to as “mini love letters”. We end each message with, “Love you, XxOoXx”.  Even if our feelings don't match the text yet, we are speaking TRUTH to one another. The truth is we love each other and we are in this marriage until death do us part.

God reminded me that when we feel distant from Him, it is not God that has moved away but us. He is constant, never changing, the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebrews 13:8)

We distance ourselves when we are distracted by the world or when we have sin in our lives that make us want to hide from God, just like Adam and Eve hid after they sinned. But just like God called to Adam and Eve after they sinned, so God is calling to us. (Genesis 3:8-9) He whispers to our spirits, “Reach for My love letter. Let it remind you how much I love you.” You see, the Bible is not just a survival guide for life but it is a treasured love letter to humanity.

Now follow the example of the correct teaching I gave you, and let the faith and love of Christ Jesus be your model.  You have been trusted with a wonderful treasure. Guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit, who lives within you. 2 Timothy 1:13-14 (CEV)

God’s is NOT mean. God is very NEAR to us.

God’s Words Are Powerful. Turn to the Lord! He can still be found. Call out to God! He is near.  Isaiah 55:6 (CEV)

 Jesus answered, If a person really loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:23 (AMP)

This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He’s given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit. Also, we've seen for ourselves and continue to state openly that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. We know it so well, we've embraced it heart and soul, this love that comes from God.

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love. 

We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. 1 John 4:13-19 (MSG)

So if you feel like my little 3-year old friend, I pray you go outside. Lift your face towards Heaven. Feel the wind on your face and say, “God, even if I can’t see you, I believe in you. I trust you. Forgive me of anything in my life that has distanced me from You. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Let it rush through me like a mighty wind.  Come live in my heart and guide my life.  Thank you for giving me eternal life with You. In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, Thomas, do you now believe (trust, have faith)? Blessed and happy and to be envied are those who have never seen Me and yet have believed and adhered to and trusted and relied on Me. John 20:29 (AMP)

Love,

Yolanda

It's Time To Get Off Our Spiritual "Behinds"

There have been very few books that have literally changed me profoundly, strengthened my faith, and challenged me to get off my Spiritual “behind”.

Left Behind, by Tim LeHaye and Jerry Jenkins, was one of those books. When I first read it over 15 years ago, my immediate response was a desperate need to see my dad saved. This book brought the prophetic scriptures of Jesus’ return to life and helped me understand the reality of The Rapture of the Church. I had nightmares of my dad being left behind while the rest of our family got Raptured. 

You see, out of my immediate family, my dad was the only one not saved. He also did not speak English well and he has always had my wonderful mom to look out for him.  It scared me, to the very core of my being, to think of us being Raptured and my dad staying behind; alone at the mercy of the world during the Tribulation Period here on Earth. As a family, we got serious about getting my dad to church. Thankfully, at the age of 65, my father received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and I no longer have to worry about The Rapture. We will all be leaving this earth together when the Lord Jesus calls us home.

The only other book that has affected me as much is The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn. This book has literally sparked a spiritual firecracker in my life. I believe this book is a prophetic message of warning, a call to repentance, and a reminder that God will have His day. God has declared that every knee will bow at the name of His Son, Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:9-11). Our knee will either bow willingly as a Knight bowing down in reverence to our King or it will bow heartbroken, crushed by the weight of despair and sadness that we have rejected so great a Savior.

The message of this book is a call to action for all Believers to get off our spiritual behinds while we still have a chance. Forget about being shy, fearful of offending, or feeling inadequate. It’s time to know what we believe and why we believe it. If you call yourself a Believer in Jesus Christ than you are His ambassador here on earth. Who do you love? Who do you want to spend eternity with? Who would literally break your heart if they die without Christ? 

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave them the right to become children of God. (John 1:23)

There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under Heaven by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.  I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. (1 John 5:12-13)

But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.

 “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.”  (John 4:23)

So, what should we do first? PRAY! Pray for God to intervene in our loved one’s lives. Pray for wisdom. Pray for God to give us opportunities to share His Word. More importantly, pray that we are not only speakers of the Word but doers, reaching out to others in love, compassion, forgiveness, and mercy. Pray for boldness. Pray that the Holy Spirit goes before us, with us, and works through us. And then we must turn the results over to God.  We are not responsible for their salvation. We are called to share the Good News. It’s up to them to receive it.

Below is a video of the author, Jonathan Cahn, speaking at the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast in 2013.  Here is the link in case you can't view the video below. (Video of Jonathan Cahn at Inaugural Prayer Breakfast.)

I pray that you watch this video and your hearts are open to the Word of God. 

Love,

Yolanda