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  TESTIMONY OF STEVEN KIELLEY

Romans 8:22

22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved.  

Romans 7:24

24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  

I have heard it said that there is one thing in life that is certain and that is that there is nothing that is certain.  I would like to take a few minutes and share with you some of the things that happened to me over the last several months.

 Taking into consideration that the steps of a righteous man our ordered by the Lord and the fact that as a Christian I am covered over with Gods righteousness and not my own I will assume that these things I share were ordered by the Lord for not only my benefit but for others in and along my path.

This whole journey started on April 5^th.  It was a Tuesday and I had just finished with my morning Bible Study with a wonderful couple in Elkhorn. I had noticed early that day that my asthma seemed to be less responsive to my inhalers and I was getting shorter and shorter of air.  As I left that this couples home that morning I could feel my lungs constricting, something not unusual, but not anything that the albuterol inhaler which is my emergency inhaler would normally rectify. However, none of the medications I normally took seemed to open my air ways.

 Of course, I became somewhat anxious and called my pulmonologist and was instructed to go to Froedtert Hospital emergency room for evaluation and treatment. By the time I arrived there my breathing was such that it was all I could do to walk into the emergency room.  I was immediately led in for evaluation.  A respetory therapist was called into administer a nebulizer treatment, not the typical dose that I normally received but one with ten times the medication.  There was no lasting change.

 To give you an idea of how little air was entering into lungs my normal air intake on a breath spirometer is 2500.  At this point it was 600 and continued to fall lower so that in a few hours I was down to 400.  Of course, I was admitted and taken to a pulmonology unit for care. X-rays showed partial lung collapse and that other portions of my lung sacs would receive air but not release it. For the next four weeks my lungs would not open. Treatment after treatment yielded no success. I had just enough air to speak but not enough to walk about.

  I was limited in movement from my bed to the bathroom.  It was short time later after my admission that a new problem appeared.  I could feel my airway constricting and closing off my airway.  This was later diagnosed at Mayo Clinic as a Laryngospasm . It was described somewhat as a Charlie horse of the vocal chords.  As my air was cut off it would cause a terrible sounding squeal as air was forced through the narrow passage.

 Not only was my lung capacity very much compromised but now I had to fight to breathe even a small breath.  I reached for the nurse call button.  As I struggled for breath and waited, I wondered if this was going to be the end of my life. Later at Mayo Clinic a well-meaning physician wanted to comfort my anxiety and I was told not to panic because if they became to severe, I would pass out and at that time the spasm usually relaxes, and normal breathing would return.

  I did not really find that comforting as I felt like I was drowning.  When the nurse arrived, he immediately called an emergency response team and soon the room was full of staff.  This would happen several times while I was at Froedtert. I remember at least three times where this team responded.  I was confined to my bed and the alarm was placed on to make sure I did not move around.  Because any movement would bring on another spasm. They would normally last about a half hour, but some would go as long as 55 minutes.

 I was so weak and discouraged that I wanted to cry but realized I needed to refrain because of the lack of air that was needed to cry.  It was during these times I wondered what Gods plan was.  When I stayed in my bed and did not move, I felt perfectly normal. I could talk and make jokes with the staff.  It was then that God began to lead person after person into my room, dear wonderful people that just wanted to share with me.  I met several very special nurses and therapists.  It seemed that even though I was flat on my back that God still allowed me to minister to others. Several of these nurses I still have contact with and share with them on a regular basis

For the two weeks of my confinement at Froedtert hospital I was confined to my bed only standing occasionally. Very seldom I ever left my room.  I felt like I was a prisoner not only in my room, but I was imprisoned by my medical condition and imprisoned by these physical conditions. The staff ran a myriad of tests and seemed at a loss for an effective and successful treatment.  They informed me that this no doubt would be a long process and that I should be prepared for a long recovery period.  After the second week I was discharged home.  I was given a walker to help me get around.

 Basically, I was confined to a wheelchair or my walker with conveniently had a seat on it.  My dear brother and my wife were tremendous blessings to me as several you were also.  They had recommended at discharge a trip to Mayo Clinic for further evaluation.  My lungs were still closed at about 600 when they should have been at 2500.  I so missed church, I so missed worship, I missed fellowship and the ability to have the freedom that I had experienced previously. Watching on You Tube was not the same as standing side by side with the people I love.

 Very special people like Mary Unz and Sandy Jones and her sister Beth texted me almost every day and sent me YouTube videos.

 It was Good Friday and as I lay in my hospital bed, I felt discouraged as I knew everywhere around me people were remembering Good Friday and having communion together. It was at this moment a nurse walked into the room the two of us had talked at length before and I thought why not our own service.  I asked if she would like to remember Good Friday with me and have our own church service together here right in this hospital room.   My congregation was all around me consisting of me and this wonderful nurse.  This nurse had been able to procure the needed elements and later that afternoon we shared together the Lords last supper right along with a miniature sermon.

 However, God was not done for it was sometime a little later that my dear sister in the Lord, Lynn called and talked to me.  She felt led to come to the hospital on Easter Sunday and bring a home cooked Easter dinner for me.   As I had ministered to her family at the loss of her husband, she and her son Joey came to minister to me.

  My wife worked that Easter Sunday, and I was planning on celebrating by myself watching Abundant Life’s Service on my phone.  This dear lady and her son cooked me a huge ham dinner brought it to the hospital and even wheeled me down from my room to the cafeteria and together we celebrated resurrection day together.  God knows where I am, God knows my desires and he uses wonderful people to be His hands and feet. He never neglects to come through.

 I so very much appreciated the prayer chain and many others throughout the country who were interceding for me in prayer. Lisa and I also appreciated the many wonderful meals that were provided for us at home as well during the interval between hospitalizations.

One day stands out above the others that was so very special to me.  I had been informed that they wanted to rule out any association with what was going on between the lung and heart.  I already have a few problems there already.  They decided to do a double heart cath.  One coming into the heart from my artery in my wrist and the other coming from the artery in my neck.

I was very much troubled in the sense that I knew they would restrain me during this invasive catheterization. I had been having consistent thoracic spasms and feared what I would do if one came on during this procedure while I lay there awake.  I was so exhausted from the continual spasms; I was weak from the lack of sleep.  It was there in my room that the tears began to roll down my cheek and I asked God how much longer before these ends. Currently the hospital was very restrictive of visitors because of Covid.  I felt very much alone. 

It was then the door to my room opened, and my Nurse of the day entered.  She saw the tear on my cheek and came at sat by my side.  She gripped my hand in hers and asked me what was bothering me.  The man part of me shrugged it off and said oh nothing.  I am a preacher don’t you know; pastors can handle anything because they have more supernatural power than anyone else.  Don’t laugh many do have the God complex.

It was then that God clearly spoke to my heart and told me what to do.  I was to allow this person to minister to me as I had ministered to others.  Little did I know that she had needs to?  When a person gives to others God replenishes their needs, this was not about me, and this was about both of us.

 I asked her if she would pray for me, as I heard her pray, I felt the warmth and sincerity of a person who ministered to people’s physical needs enter the realm of the spiritual. God showed me it’s not always about me giving to others it is also about allowing others to feel the thrill of giving as well. I shared with her my concern for the upcoming procedure the next day.  She boldly stood up and said, “Steve before they come to get you, we will pray together, even if you are not my patient, I will be here for you.

It’s a little humorous this young girl was turning into a spiritual bulldog.  That next day there was a knock on the door and the catheterization team was there to quickly wheel me downstairs. Unfortunately, Mercedes on this day was not my nurse.   I was disappointed and allowed them to get me ready.  Suddenly the door opened wide and there stood Mercedes that is her name came in and politely asked everyone to leave. She simply stated that we were going to pray before they took me downstairs, and they could either stay in the room or wait outside until we were done. I was beaming inside, I was so proud of what I saw taking place, God was working in her life and in the same moment restoring my joy and faith.

  We continue in that precious ministry to each other as we encourage one another to reach the goals that God has placed before us.  This time of sharing and ministry created a bond between us. She also had things in her life that I could help her with.

 Ministry does not just come only from the pulpit it goes forth from every direction through every person who allows it to shine forth from a compassionate heart and willing hands. That I guess they call it outreach ministry.

 Even after all this time many of the ministries of encouragement that started during that hospital stay continue.  The time of my discharge from Froedtert had come.  Even it seemed that we had hit a roadblock and they had done all they could.

At home my condition did not improve.  We made the decision to continue further treatment at Mayo Clinic as doctors at Froedtert had recommended.

 I would like to stop and thank my wife Lisa for the many times she talked me off the ceiling as she held my hand through these terrible attacks at home. She was a faithful and true partner and confidant.  My brother pitched in as well as he volunteered to transport me to Mayo clinic in Rochester MN.

  My brother covered the first part of this trip, and my wife came and covered the second part.     It now had been about a month since this had all started. My dear brother and I loaded up the walker and all the emergency equipment and headed off to Mayo. I was very apprehensive on how this trip would go and what would happen if I had these spasms while we were on the road.  

 On the way we stopped at a wayside to make a pit stop. I would take my walker and would walk a little way and then stop and sit trying to catch my breath hoping not to initiate another spasm. This I did over and over.  It was on the way back that all this activity caught up with me.  I could feel the spasm coming on, the restriction in my throat the increased wheezing and the airway slowly closing, by now I had no problem identifying the onset of symptoms.

 My airway began to close off and I began to panic. I was between the car and the rest building.   My poor brother or should I say my caregiver on this trip was going to share in this baptism of fire. I barely made it to the car before my air way began to nearly close completely. I could force with considerable effort air past my vocal cords and again force it out.  This spasm was especially bad because I was already short of breath by even this small amount of exertion.  All of this was happening in public view. We had gone over our plan of action before we left my home with what to do when this happened.

  As I was struggling to breathe the sound that came from my airway surely scared both of us and increased an immediate call to action. There were no hospitals nearby no time to call an ambulance. We needed to deal with this ourselves.

 One of the things that I treated this with was a nebulizer which runs off 120 volts.  Rick quickly found the converter in my travel bag and hooked the chord into the cigarette lighter, we were both panicking, and I was hoping that we would not blow a fuse.  I used my spray nitro glycerin, and then I used my emergency inhaler in the meantime, and we finally got it hooked up to the nebulizer.  I sucked on it like a mad man, but the spasm was not responding the way we had hoped it would. I had realized over the last month that should I say as they say in the west, we had to ride this bronc to the end. After a period of time this spasm subsided, this process took at least twenty minutes.  People stopped and stared at us as they walked by and heard the terrible sound coming from my airway.

We made it to Rochester MN, and we finally settled into our motel room.  We arrived at our first appointment the next day. My brother wheeled me everywhere we went, occasionally I used the walker if it was a short distance. I was able to get there and back that day without an attack.

 That night as I showered it happened again and this one was also severe.  I was so tired, and I was so weak.

 We had decided that with parking condition at the clinic to use the shuttle bus to and from Rochester. Our next appointment was with the pulmonologist. It was on Wednesday very early in the morning.  Please understand at this time my lungs would still not open. I was still at averaging 400 to 600 on the spirometer when I should have been at 2400.  I had almost grown accustomed to living without being able to breathe deeply. I so missed the ability to sing, I could never even sing more than a few words before I ran out of breath.

   That morning on the bus as we headed into the city of Rochester, I could again feel my chest tightening and my throat begin to close off.  In my mind I pleaded with God to stop this attack so it would not happen in front of all these people.  Please, please, God, I prayed, I tried guided imagery and controlled breathing and by the grace of God I was able to hold it off.  We were met at the bus with a wheelchair and Rick pushed me to the eighth floor waiting room of the Pulmonology clinic.   It was 6:45 a.m… I and others that were there would be the first patients to meet with the pulmonologists that day at 7:00 a.m…

 As we sat waiting suddenly, I could not keep the spasm at bay any longer.  It came on with full force.  I grabbed Ricks arm and let him know that it was on its way and as he tried to explain what was taking place to the staff member at the desk, he needed to explain no further for it could not be kept secret. Patients looked at me with deep concern as they heard the horrific sound of my breathing.  Staff came running from inside the clinic and they pushed me into an examine room. By this time the whole team of pulmonologist were present.

 Again, I cannot express how terrible these spasms can be.  Tears were running down my face, I could not speak, I can only nod yes or no.  The supervising doctor, the head of the clinic was there, and it was he that placed a solid diagnosis on this condition.” This is a Laryngospasm I know exactly what this is he said I have seen this before”. They gave me injections of epinephrine and called an ambulance which immediately took me to St Mary’s hospital, which is a part of Mayo Clinic.

 This doctor spoke directly to me and spoke in a soft reassuring voice. Steve you may have to have a tracheotomy but do not be afraid this will not be permanent. The only other thing they had to offer if the spasm continued to close off the air way completely was to intubate me.  

 That morning these attacks came in a cluster, one in the clinic, one on the way and another in emergency room.  Up to this time I had not seen my brother cry before, but as the next spasm came in the emergency room, I could see him fighting his own tears as my own ran down my cheeks. I kept telling myself that I must force myself not to cry. That would be impossible during such a spasm.   From this time on my brother was strong advocate for me.  Several times I felt sorry for the doctors as he talked with them outside the room and demanded faster action. At this point I was admitted to St Mary’s where I would spend another week confined to my room. It seemed that these spasms came about four times a day.

 The nurses did not want me on the pulmonology floor but wanted me in the ICU. For they felt helpless to treat this, for conventional things such as inhalers were not very effective.   Three times while I at St Mary’s the Emergency Response Team was called to my room. Again, I was like a Jekyll and a Hyde, when I was sedate and not moving, I would seem perfectly normal.

 Again, I was able to minister to staff which helped me to keep my sanity.

  I was told by the doctors that this was a long process, and I should expect to have to deal with these spasms for a long period of time and that there was just no easy fix.  Believe it or not the people that helped me the most to deal with the spasms were the speech therapists who had dealt with laryngeal spasms in the past. They showed me techniques that I could use during these spasms to shorten their length.

Several things came to play in my favor.  Before that first major event at Froedtert we had applied for a drug that really helps people with severe asthma called Dupixent. For severe asthma it is given as an injection twice monthly.  Since the injections our so costly it is difficult to get insurance companies to pay for them.  Each injection is 3500. I was told by my pulmonologist I would need to be on these injections indefinitely. We applied to our insurance company.   The insurance company quickly turned us down.  However, we again submitted this request while I was admitted at Froedtert hospital, and they reconsidered and agreed to cover all but thirty-five dollars for each injection.   I received my first injection while I was at Froedtert Hospital, it starts being effective after about 3 to 6 weeks.  By the time I was at Mayo I was on my third injection.  I do believe it was Gods healing hand which came through the many prayers of the saints and God’s making a way for this injection which has made a huge difference in my recovery. During the end of my stay at Mayo my lungs began too gradually open.  As they began to stay open longer my spasms seemed to decrease in frequency.   They never quite understood what was causing the spasms, they did note that my vocal cords were also dysfunctional. One focal chord does not operate well at all. Maybe if they both worked, I could sing bass instead of high tenor.

After my discharge from Mayo neurology placed an order for a Sweat Test.  This test would take place several weeks later at Mayo Clinic.  I was beginning to feel much better by the time came for I and my brother to load up the car and make the trip.  I had no idea what was involved in these several appointments.  The first test dealt with all types of wires and probes which were analyzing neurological data. This was not so unusual, and I felt totally at ease during the procedure which lasted about an hour. The second test was a day later and was unlike anything I have ever experienced.  I was told that I was to disrobe, I was to have nothing on my entire body.  They did place a loin cloth me for decency.  I was surprised when the clinician brought in a spray can and described the procedure.  They sprayed a blue type of powder from my feet to my head.  They did not spray around my eyes or nose or the loin cloth.  I basically was covered in blue.  I was given a thermometer to place in my mouth and then as I lay flat upon this gurney I was rolled into a small oven and left to bake in a climate that felt much like Arizona on a very hot day. It was very warm to lay the least.  The goal was to raise my body temperature to over a hundred degrees which would make sure that I would sweat profoundly. The sweat would turn the areas it touched to a different color blue.  With this test they could determine if there were any areas on my body which were not receiving the proper nerve reaction to heat.  If some areas did not sweat, it might mean that there was a neurological problem somewhere in the mix.

After about forty-five minutes I had reached the desired temperature and I was removed from the oven.  I could not help but tell the clinician that I did this same procedure every thanksgiving with my turkey.  After I was outside the oven a picture was taken from above and given to the neurologist.  I was then ushered into a room with a shower and a mirror and given the things I needed to clean up.  I glanced at myself in the mirror and stood in amazement.  There in the mirror was a giant smurf.  What a job it was to clean myself up that day.  When I had my follow up doctors’ appointment back in Milwaukee, I had to explain why my toenails were still blue.   These tests came back normal.  So, the conclusion of the matter is that these truly were Laryngospasm’s

Over the last several weeks things have improved dramatically.  I thank God every day for the ability to fill my lungs with air, and to have freedom from the constant spasms that choked off my ability to breathe. As I share this testimony, I can walk a mile at a time.  I enjoy the freedom to live a normal life.  I still have contact with those I ministered to at the hospital, and they have become good friends.  Remember God is good, and He is a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows them that trust in Him.

Oh, by the way one of the songs I would listen to the most while this was going on was, “Breathe”, by Hillsong.

 He certainly is the most basic and sustaining element of my life.

Several years ago I had a very unique experience.  At the time I was somewhat overwhelmed but now in hindsight I can only laugh at the way it all unfolded. 

I had flown to Denver to spend time with our dear friend and brother Dieter Skowron.  This was not an unusual visit; we would often spend time together as time afforded us.

The first thing that we would customarily do on our way to Johnstown  is have lunch at a mexican restaurant that he would pick for its uniqueness and quality of food. The one he had chosen for our excursion today was very unique to say the least.  It was very small with only a few tables and the colors were very bright to the eyes as I looked at the many different painted walls.  Dieter mentioned to me, “don’t let the colors or the building scare you, the food is out of this world.”  I seemed to hear him say that same thing the last time we picked a restaurant like this.  That experience to say the least did not go well at all. I will let you read between the lines. 

The food that day was quite good and I certainly had my fill.  However after about an hour I started to feel ill.  This did not feel like food poisoning.  It was very painful in my abdomen. We waited for a while and since the pain only increased it was decided that a trip to the emergency room was necessary.  They wanted me to spend the night and examine me further but I felt that I needed to deliver the message God had given me to their church that night.  The doctor relented and gave me some drugs for the pain.  Which I decided to take only after I was done speaking.  I remember how severe the pain was as we drove into the parking lot.  I prayed that God would help me through.  Maybe this was satan’s way of keeping me from sharing the message that God had delivered to me for this wonderful congregation I thought as I walked to the platform that night.  The worship leader had a huge look of relief as he saw both of us come into the building.  Service had already been going on for a half hour and I know that he was wondering how long he could keep singing the same songs.  

I have to admit the pain was excruciating by this time.  However as I was introduced and the pulpit was turned over to me a miracle took place.  As I placed my hands upon that wooden pulpit and opened my Bible all the pain lifted and in its place I felt a very strong presence of the almighty.  The words seemed to flow from my mouth and God seemed to provide a special anointing.  However as soon as I finished and turned to go back to my chair the pain came again like a freight train causing me to grimace and bend a little at the waist.  I took as much of the pain medication as I could and it helped slightly.  All that night I lay awake in my room praying for relief and the dawn to come.

In the morning I asked for a ride to the hospital, even though I had my own rental vehicle the pain was more than I could handle. To make a long story short I spent the next week in a Greeley Colorado hospital. The diagnosis was diverticulitis, a very painful condition where a pocket forms in a person’s colon and then becomes infected.  This is especially dangerous for if those pockets burst it could cause sepsis and possibly death. Of course they kept me on IV antibiotics till the inflammation had somewhat subsided and till it was safe enough for me to go home.

That was good news, the bad news was that my friend had planned on me heading home after a few days and had other commitments with his family.  The doctor had ordered me not to take a plane flight home for another week till these pockets of inflammation were totally under control. He mentioned the pressure changes in flight could cause one or more of these inflamed pockets to burst and that would certainly not be a good thing. 

At this point in my healing I was getting around pretty well.  I encouraged DIeter to keep his commitment so he made arrangements for the delivery of food each day until he returned in a week. In my personal walk with God I had been going through a very dry time.  It always seemed that when Gods blessings fell I was always in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I had longed for a personal encounter with God but it seemed the train I was on was heading in the wrong direction. 

At this point in time I was quite depressed.  I  was still sick, I was physically and emotionally depleted.  Now at this time I was alone in a big house and my exciting vacation plans were swirling down the drain.  I again stress how alone and discouraged I was. I was too exhausted to cry and  was disappointed with God.  I had so looked forward to this time with Dieter and the trips we had planned to his special places in the mountains.  I thought instead of a friend I had become a burden to him and his family. 

I looked around the living area in the family room which I shared with a bedroom in the lower level of his home.  On the table I spied a video and casually picked it up.  It was called “Home Alone”.  I thought it was appropriate, so I slipped it into the VCR and leaned back and for a time was transported away from my discouragement.  When the movie ended it was just after 12:00 noon and I decided to lay down. Little did I know that God had not forgotten about my plans He had just decided to change them.  I thought I needed a vacation, God really knew that I needed a spiritual manifestation of His love for me. Really isn’t that the way God often works in our lives.  Someone once told me that if I wanted to make God laugh to just tell Him my plans.  Remember our ways are not God’s ways and our thoughts are not His thoughts.

As I crawled into bed and laid on my side, I have to confess I felt like crying.  I had asked my wife not to come, no use making her miserable as well I thought. I felt empty and again I emphasize,  I felt all alone. As I lay there staring at the blank wall I felt as if someone was there with me, laying next to me.  I felt an arm around my shoulders.  I must tell you very plainly that I was not asleep and I was not dreaming this.  When that arm touched my shoulder I immediately felt a wave of peace come over me.  I knew what was happening, I knew that this was an angel sent from God to encourage me and bring me peace.  Just as Elijah was ministered to by the angel as he lay under the juniper tree as he fled in fear from Jezebel, God was allowing this messenger from heaven to deliver me an element of His peace and encouragement.  I fell into a deep and restful sleep. 

From that moment on things were different in this big old empty house.  That load of despair seemed to be lifting gradually from my shoulders.  Near the middle of the week something extraordinary happened.  As I prepared for bed I did my nightly walk through to make sure the doors were locked and all the lights were off and everything was secure.  I crawled into bed and fell right asleep.  I opened my eyes to hear the sound of music and talking upstairs.  I wondered how someone could come in with deadbolts on the doors.  I came to the bottom of the steps and called up and asked who was there and there was no reply.  I came upstairs and checked the doors. They were still deadbolted from the inside.  All the lights were on and the radio was playing.  I shut off the radio and I stood there in wonder.  I know I had made sure everything was off the night before.  

Then like a tsunami the Spirit of God came over me and God allowed me to feel the presence of the angels which filled the room.  It felt like  in my mind that a voice that spoke to me, saying that I had never for one instant  been alone.  God and His angels had walked with me through every aspect of this trip.  I was reminded that I had longed for just this sort of thing for a long time and this was the package it was wrapped in.  You are never closer to God than when you find yourself walking through the valley of the shadow of death.  You never have a better meal than the one you eat in the presence of your enemies.  Your cup is never more full when the road is hard and your flesh is weak.  Paul said it best, 

2 Corinthians 12 KJV

12 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.

6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

If you’re praying for a cloud burst of blessing expect the thunder to roll and the winds of adversity to blow.  But the sweetest rain comes through the darkest storm.

This trip was more than what I bargained for.  I never really got to enjoy the beauty of the Rocky Mountains but I was able to ascend into the hill of the Lord. There I found beautiful fountains of peace and trees filled with the fruit of renewal.  I came home a different man than I was when I left.

However, that was not the end of my experience.   The time had come for me to head back to Milwaukee.  I was flying Midwest airlines back.  My doctor had really wanted me to use a wheelchair at the airport.  He did not want me to jostle that diverticule in my abdomen until it was less inflamed. He also said that I would get through security faster and that immediately sold me on the idea. 

There were two skycaps that accompanied me to my gate.  I had given them my ticket and trusted them to get me to the right place.  Now if you have never been to Denver airport you might be surprised at its size.  They have subway trains that run between terminals.  It’s quite a big deal. I tipped the skycaps and thanked them and they left me there.  As I sat there I was surprised that so few people were even in the area.  The flight was scheduled to leave in 15 minutes and I was the only one there. 

It was then I took out my ticket and checked the gate number.  That number did not match the gate I was at nor did it match the terminal.  They had ineptly taken me to my seat number C3.  My ride had dropped me off, I could not afford to miss this flight home.  I desperately wanted to get home to my wife and kids. I made up my mind that I was going to be an olympic contender in the two mile run.  I jumped out of my wheel chair and ran as fast as I could.  The eyes of one little girl caught my attention as I sprinted by. I think she was telling her mother that the man must be healed as I jumped from the wheelchair.  I caught the next train heading to the terminal of my departure.  I jumped off the train and slid into the gate as they were just getting ready to shut the door. The stewardess looked at me as I huffed and puffed and said they had expected me to arrive in a wheelchair according to the information they had received. I could not think of an appropriate answer and just sort of shrugged my shoulders. 

The lesson I learned that day was this.  You can have the right airport, you can have the correct destination, you also can have a valid ticket.  However the plane only leaves from one gate, and it doesn’t matter if you have an excuse or not, if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time all you will be able to do is wave goodbye to your dreams. 

Every now and then we have special moments in our secret places in prayer. I would like to share one of mine with you. I can’t help but feel their will be some who will relate very much to the words I prayed that day, several years ago.

As I look over the lake this morning and contemplate the words I might express to you Lord, I realize that if I look at the short term I may feel nothing has really changed in our relationship in quite some time.  I have grown older, hopefully a little wiser.  Of course in my body I feel the changes of age, but the thing I most desire to see is the change in my relationship to you.  Am I closer to you or have I drifted away carried by the waves of activity and the winds of necessity.  It seems that it was not so long ago that you allowed an angel to appear to me and gave me a vision that shot my emotions upward, my focus changed and I saw the spiritual realm in a way that I had never seen before.   I seemed so close to you, I still feel the lasting effects of this period of time. Lord I do know that I should not be governed by what I see and how I feel. Lord my soul like the brown grass in summer reaches out to you with its fingers spread and its palms facing upward longing for that special touch of latter rain showering down upon it.

How many times in mans history have you heard these words from others like myself who feel they have strayed from that special place close to you.  Do I face tomorrow by reliving the memories of yesterday?  Do I function based on duty and obligation?  I realize that there is more to life that what I can see.  I know Lord that this cannot be all there is, there is more and more truth to be acquired and around me there still is the Lords encampment of protection and compassion.  

Lord you have so totally blessed me, and when I stop to look around at the things you have placed inside me and the presence that flows through me to others, I do stand amazed.  I feel the closest to you when I feel your love flowing through me to others.  I stand amazed as I watch its affect on those who feel it and experience its power.  But yet Lord why do I feel the emptiness inside my own heart?  Why do I struggle to pray and spend time with you?  Lord you are the most important thing in my life.  I do not want to face one day without you dwelling inside of me.  I worship you with all my heart; I praise you with all that I am.  I long to dwell with you and to sit in your presence in your Holy Place.   

Yesterday at the Lake as I watched my granddaughter Isa chase that floating tube that had broken away from its mooring, I realized that it was always floating just beyond her reach.  She was struggling to claim it but was never quite able to reach it.  I feel sometimes just like that as I pray,  your blessings our available but just beyond my reach as the waves of commitment and the winds of worldly attractions push what I desire just beyond my scope of physical ability.  My son was quick to see what was happening and jumped on his jet sky to overtake the tube and bring it on board, and then to pick up Isa and bring her back to the pier.  I guess that is what happens in the lives of your children, we break loose of our mooring and drift away, your word reaches out to us to pull us in but we pay no heed.  Then you break through the waves and winds of temptation as we cry out to you and pull us on board and bring us back to safety. 

This seems to be the spiritual routine of my life.  I remember Paul writing something like this,”who shall deliver me from the bondage of this death”.  Actually Lord I do find some comfort in his words, for it helps me to realize I am not alone in my dilemma. My life is not unique in itself.  The feelings that I experience from exhilaration to disappointment have been felt by many of those who have walked this path before me. Maybe that is why Paul wrote “Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened on to you: but rejoice, in as much as ye are partakers of Christ’s suffering: that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye: for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.”

I must realize that God never promised a world full of rainbows and days without darkness.  He did promise that he would help us through, even if we walked the path of Gods will without the support of those so very close to us. 

Let the faith that is within me shine more through my actions, even in the deserts and valleys of trial.  Let Gods praise be heard from the den of lions.  Let it ring from the mountain tops of blessing.  Let it come forth through the mundane days of my life.  GOD IS GREAT, AND HE IS GREATLY TO BE PRAISED.

Let the legacy of my life speak even after I am gone.  Not that I was a good man, but that  I was a godly man, who learned to live a consistent life based not on the climate of circumstances, or popularity but on the promises of God.  That I was able through the gifts given to me by God to touch those whom he loved with the love spread abroad by His Holy Spirit.  To bring Joy, Peace, and the grace to endure longsuffering even when it was not convenient.

Lord hold me in your strong arms of compassion, forgive me for things left undone and for thoughts and actions outside the scope of your expectations for my life. Cover me under that precious cleansing blood that has washed away my sins.  Let me once again pick up the shield of faith and the sword of your spirit that I might stand strong against the power of the enemy of my soul.  Let that helmet of salvation protect my thoughts from evil influences.  Let my feet be shod with the Gospel of peace, let me bring peace to those whose lives have been devastated and destroyed by the spoiler of humanity.  Let me lift high the cross of Christ for all to see, and declare the Name that is able to deliver from lives devastating plagues of carnality. Let courage replace my timidity, and your grace drive away the uncertainty in our relationship.  Let oceans of renewal sweep through me to a thirsty world and let me learn to be content with what I have in a physical sense.  Yet grant that I never stop reaching for the rock that is higher than I.  Until I reach the City of God and the place reserved for me at your table, I will continue to walk and live for you!

Ezekiel 37

1The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by His Spirit and set me down in the middle of the valley, and it was full of bones. 2He led me all around among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, and indeed, they were very dry. 3Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” “O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.”…

Berean Study Bible 

Ezekiel looked around at the piles of bones.  They littered the valley floor bleached by the sun and shining white.  Each bone represented a life lived but now gone.  All that remained of its passing were these bleached remains and distant memories.  For a moment let me lead you to a different view of this picture.  We know according to scripture that these bones represent a nation yet to be reborn and live again.  A restored nation, the nation of Israel. 

Each of us in reality will someday find ourselves  looking over what once was. The laughter now departed the memories and milestones of victories and untold struggles.  Each bearing witness to a moment in time that has left a memorial of our passing.  The bones lay scattered amidst the valleys and mountaintops of our past, bleached white by the sun of time.  

It is very interesting to me that God asked Ezekiel the question that He did.  “Son of man, can these bones come to life”.  Ezekiel must have stood silent for a moment as he contemplated the scope of what the Lord was asking.  He had never seen such a thing happen in his lifetime.  However his answer is a summation of His knowledge of God and his sovereign power.  “Only you know…”    

Oftentimes as I look back through the pages of the life I have lived, it seems I can once again  hear the sounds of laughter and feel the strength of youth along with the fragrance of victories and defeats experienced. The birth of a child, our first home, wedding vows and the trips with our children as we shared their joy of learning.  I can see our first home mission church and remember the hours of prayer and work my wife and I shared together to watch God’s garden grow before our eyes.  Amidst the bones I can still see the happy faces of those who found meaning through their new relationship with a loving and personal God.  However it seems that soon I again find myself standing amidst the bleached bones of what once was and the Lord asks me the question, “can these bones live again?”

As I look longingly down at what once was I to say as Ezkiel, “Lord only you know”.  You see now I do not appear as I once did.  The strength of youth has faded and my body has lost its ability to handle the workload it once did.   Oh but friend my mind is alive and filled with countless stories of battles fought and won.  The taste of cool refreshing water amidst the dryness of the deserts of struggle.  It seems that age tries to hide the acquired knowledge and lock away the wisdom gained through the past.  I say, “Lord only to begin my journey with the wisdom now acquired.”  Oh the pits I would have avoided.  The things I would have done differently and other things I would not have done at all.  The wisdom that has been stored in the vaults of my learning would help guide me around the ambushments of the enemy and the flags of victory would stand on more mountaintops conquered through God’s grace and fortitude. Each bone lying unattended cries out silently of a moment lived and a tear shed and a life given to a cause greater than itself. 

Can these bones live again?  They are still living through the lives they touched and the knowledge imparted to the following generation.  As I think of those who have touched my life I begin to realize that I carry the touch of their burden for God in my own life.  As I have touched others I have multiplied their life as it has joined with mine and the one who has received it.  

I realize I may not be able to run a mile or climb a mountain, but as long as I breathe I can still  speak of the wonders of a life well lived and share the testimonies of countless battles and victories won.

JOY SHARED IS JOY MAGNIFIED

1 Pet 1:6-9

 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

One of those songs that has seemed to have fallen by the wayside in our Christian library of music is “Joy Unspeakable”.  Written by Barney Warren in 1900 it carried  with it a message of exhilaration. 

The 4th verse of that song seems to carry the theme implied by Peter which he shared in the scripture we just read. 

I have found the joy no tongue can tell,

How its waves of glory roll;

It is like a great o’erflowing wee,

Springing up within my soul.

The Bible talks about Joy and the important part that it plays in our Christian life. 

Let me jump back to the book of Nehemiah for an illustration. In Nehemiah 8 the people have asked Ezra to bring out the law of the Lord and read it to them.  Nehemiah the governor is present as it is read throughout the entire day.  Notice what happens. 

Nehemiah 8:1-10

1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.

5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear[a] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Even though the conviction that came forth from reading the law brought a spirit of repentance and grief, Nehemiah instructed the people to remember the Joy of the Lord is their strength.  It does not say the sorrow of the Lord, or the brokenness of repentance is their strength but the JOY of the Lord is their strength. 

People will only serve God under condemnation for so long before they start searching for something that leads to a merry heart.  

Solomon writes in the book of Proverbs these words. 

Proverbs 17:22 seems to sum it up nicely. 

A merry heart does good, like medicine,

But a broken spirit dries the bones. NKJ

The very foundation of praise is built on two principles, brokenness and joy.  You may ask how these two pieces could ever fit together in one puzzle.  Brokenness reflects the human condition and joy reveals the dimension of God.  I am not talking about a smile, I am talking about jubilant worship which cannot be contained. To the worshipper it provides liberty of spirit and glorifies God.  Notice this event which takes place in Luke 19. 

Luke 19: 37-40

Peshitta Holy Bible

When he approached the descent of the Mount of Bayth Zaytay, all the crowds of disciples began rejoicing and praising God with loud voices for all the mighty works that they had seen.

38And they were saying, “Blessed is The King who comes in the name of THE LORD JEHOVAH; peace in Heaven and glory in The Highest.”

39But some of the Pharisees from among the crowds were saying to him, “Rabbi, rebuke your disciples.” 40He said to them, “I say to you that if these would be silent, the stones would be crying out loud.”

The worship expressed here is not a chanting type of worship, it is the kind of worship David expressed when the Ark of the Covenant was brought back to the house of the Lord in 2 Samuel. 

2 Samuel 6:14 NIV

14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.[a] 15 So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.

I remember when I was pastoring in Plymouth WI the many times that during our worship a spirit of Joy would come upon our congregation.  People would start to laugh and the joy would spread throughout all those present.  No one could put their finger on what they were laughing about only that the Joy of the Lord had filled the house. Galatians the fifth chapter talks about the fruits of the Spirit.  Love, Joy, Peace being the first three.  On those days someone had reached out their hand and plucked some Joy from the tree of life and everyone shared in the wonderful flavor of this marvelous gift. 

I am not talking about a joy that is worked up, I am talking about spontaneous joy that originates from a thankful heart.  As I was reading my Bible the other day I came across something that stuck out to me and I thought it was rather strange.  It is found in Matthew 9.

Matthew 9

NIV

27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.

28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

As I read this I had to stop for a moment and scratch my head.  As many of you know who have followed my blog I have a vivid imagination and as I pictured this event in my mind I marveled at Jesus’ request of these two men.  

Now for just a moment imagine the magnitude of this handicap.  These two were blind and as the Bible says they followed Jesus crying out for mercy and healing.  They could not have accomplished this feat by themselves; they needed someone to lead them where Jesus traveled.  It does not say whether these two had been born blind but we do know the implications of blindness whether it be short term or long term.  Work was hard to find and they may have had to beg to survive day by day.  As you can see they were desperate for deliverance from this condition.  They no doubt believed that Jesus could heal them or they would not have been so persistent. 

When Jesus stopped what He was doing and  touched their eyes they were opened and they could see.  Maybe it was the first time they had seen the beauty of creation or the face of someone loved.  How totally overwhelming to say the least.  What stands out is what Jesus asked them to do. “And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.

 Let no man know it.”   Lets see all your life you have walked with a guide stick and been led by others.  You have been on the downtown corner  begging alms for so long everyone is on a first name basis with you.  How do you disguise such a miracle, how do you quench the emotional explosion of happiness that erupting from your heart.   It would be like asking a bird not to sing, or your heart not to beat.  Jesus understandably was trying to control the magnitude of His popularity so that he could finish His work here on earth.  For the greater his popularity the greater the envy of those in religious authority.  Their hatred for Christ was already boiling over and they wrung their hands every time another miracle was proclaimed on the streets of their cities. 

Let’s look at another example on this topic in Mark.

Mark 7

NIV

32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

This is a very similar example.  This man is deaf and no doubt because he could not hear his speech was affected.  This man has many who cared deeply about him for as we read we find that they pleaded with Jesus to put His hand upon him and grant him what He had done for  countless others.  

Jesus spoke the words be opened and immediately his ears were opened and his tongue loosed.  In this case Jesus charges not only the man but those who had brought him to tell no man.  

Maybe in your lifetime you can remember an event so powerful that it caused you to jump for joy and shout at the top of your lungs in gratitude.  I am not talking about receiving a birthday gift or something material.  I am thinking of something that changed your life.  

There are two things that come to my mind immediately, one is physical and the other one is spiritual.  Let me tackle the physical one first. 

It was around 2006, I had just moved into recovery at the hospital after having my gallbladder removed.  It was when I stood up that all of a sudden I had a severe pain in my head.  I was on the verge of passing out when they rushed me into the emergency room and then from there in for an MRI. 

 I remember the concern on the doctor’s face when he shared the results. Steve,  he said we found something in your brain that concerns us and we want to immediately refer you to a Neurological surgeon. I was fortunate to be placed in the hands of the head of neurology at St Luke’s hospital in Milwaukee.  This Doctor was very well respected and experienced.  After the examination and more scans he told me that surgery had to be done soon and that this mass had to be removed.  The surgery would involve cutting into my skull and delicate brain surgery. I was told after the surgery to expect seizures as part of the recovery.  To say that I was terrified of what lay ahead would be an understatement.  I prayed fervently for God’s intervention.  

My fellow pastors surrounded me in prayer and when the time came the doctor wanted to do just one more scan to make sure of his plan of attack.

 I well remember coming into his office with my wife and brother that afternoon.  He placed the pictures on a lighted background and stared for quite some time and then abruptly went to his office phone and called the radiologist.  You see the doctor was upset at the fact that this growth was not there.  That’s right it was no longer present in the scans.  We had the previous scans with it present and this one without it. 

I remember him looking at me with a strange look on his face and telling me that there was no need for a surgery at all.  He could not seem to understand that the great physician had already operated and his services were no longer needed.  

Can you imagine how we all felt as we laughed and patted each other on the back and praised God for what He had done as we left his office. Could you imagine the doctor telling me not to share what had just happened and keep it to myself.  I have not stopped talking about it all these years later. 

My next example is of a spiritual nature.  This takes place when I am a 20 year old young man.  I have started attending a pentecostal church. It is not a large church but those present were totally sold out to the Lord Jesus.   This is possibly my second time in attendance.  The previous week I had been baptized and my life had dramatically changed,  Spiritually I was still incomplete, the drinking glass of my life was clean but it was still empty.  From the beginning I was infused with hope for the future.  It was  knowing that God loved me and had been waiting so long for me to acknowledge His hand upon my troubled life that made me look forward to what could be and not what had been. 

 Pastor Tamel had finished a very moving and anointed message and as was the custom of those present everyone came around the small altar to pray. I had grown up in a very traditional church and this type of prayer was new to me.  Actually my prayer skills were terribly lacking or near nonexistent.  It was not the fault of my previous pastors, it was my attitude.

 I remember kneeling on the floor and bowing my head and saying to myself,  “how will I ever be able to pray like those around me.”  They were exuberant and seemed to know just what to say.  It was then that someone tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear to turn my head and look at my sister in law who like myself had just started attending.  I did not know alot of these people around me very well at all, but I certainly knew Liz.  

There she was with the biggest smile and tears running down her face, they were tears of joy.  The man next to me then leaned down and said in an excited voice your sister in law just received the Holy Spirit.  I had no idea what he was talking about, all I knew is what I was seeing and I wanted whatever she had just experienced.  

I laugh when I think of my rudimentary prayer that evening.  I took my attention off of those around me and started talking to God like He was standing right in front of me.  I was desirous for this experience, I had not had much joy in my life, matter of fact my life up to that point of baptism  had nearly and literally ceased to produce any happiness. There had been too many terrible decisions that I had made in life.  

I was desperate for that kind of joy and peace.  I started to call out His name, the name of Jesus.  It was then the strangest thing happened.  I felt a peace come over me and emotion started to cascade down on me like water pouring down from heaven.  I started to cry, not tears of sorrow. They were like rain drops falling from clouds full of happiness.  My lips started to stammer, which I immediately felt I had to shut down.  I felt like I was losing control and I did not know whether I could trust what was happening to me. It was almost overpowering.  It was then a voice spoke inside my mind and brought back a recent memory where I had taken  a pill from a friend at work that was supposed to be awesome.  I trusted my friend that it was not dangerous.   That night I nearly got fired from my job.  God seemed to ask me if I could trust Him as much as I had trusted my friend that night at work.  After hesitating for a  moment I decided that I could absolutely trust God with my whole life and being.   I decided to surrender to this experience if it was important to God it was important to me.  The more I praised Him the greater the experience.  Soon I was talking with words I could not understand, all I know is this,  that the more I yielded to what was happening the greater the flow of Love, Joy and Peace. It was like all the fruits of the Spirit falling from the tree at one time.  Peace, joy, and love raining down from heaven.  It was energizing. No one had taught me about this experience.  It was like being born again.  When I came down to earth I cannot express in words how I felt.   I, a card carrying introvert, was hugging everyone around me. I was laughing and full of joy.  I loved these people like I had never loved before.  Men women children I saw them in a different and radiant way.  I could not tear myself away from where I was, I wanted to stay there forever.    

It was then that the first test of this experience and its power came.  As I stood there a lady approached me, she was crying and kept apologizing to me.  It was then she told me that my beautiful maroon  66 mustang had just been t-boned in the parking lot. It was done by accident.

Before that service that car was everything to me. It really was one of the few things in my life that was not tarnished.  What happened next let me know that what had happened that night was more than just speaking in an unknown tongue; this experience had changed my heart as well.  I held her as she wept and told her not to worry that it was just a car.

 Where did the old Steve go, the one who would have been so upset. I praised God and rejoiced that night that God had given me such a special and powerful gift. I remember telling this lady that it was just a car and meant it. This experience and this influx of emotion  did not stop that night.  I continued in my job  working in assembly putting together large steel boxes which held large transformers.  I was singing and joyful and people were wondering what I was taking. 

At work I could not keep silent about what had happened to me.  People were amazed at how it had changed me.  One person asked if I had any of that Holy Ghost to sell. Thinking it was like angel dust which was a name for a narcotic that was popular at that time. 

 That was the old me, I never needed drugs after that.  The Spirit of God was beginning to guide me in this new way of life and it seemed that I talked to God all the time.  

You see when you receive something of great value you cannot help but share it and rejoice in it. This is seen clearly in Mark the 7th chapter. 

Mark 7:24, NIV: “Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.”

There was a magnetism that drew people to where He was.  When the Spirit of God is operating in your life you will not need to worry about finding people to witness to,  they will seek you out wherever you are. 

Jesus could not keep the people away for even a short time as others watched the Joy expressed in the healings and deliverance He provided for others.  It spread like a sweet smelling fragrance.  

Joy is the sugar of the kingdom, with  it you can turn the most bitter of circumstances into something sweet and appealing.   

Psalm 23 New International  Version

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he refreshes my soul.He guides me along the right path for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

    your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord  forever.

One of my favorite psalms is Psalms 23.  The word pictures presented here bring both feelings of peace as well as feelings of security.  The Lord portrays Himself as a shepherd, one who does not drive the sheep but leads the sheep to places of restoration and peace. When the Lord leads the way you will lack nothing.  It does not say you will have everything but you will not lack the things that you need.  As you lie amidst the green pastures, which insinuates an abundance of nourishment you will find peace and contentment. Nearby are the still waters which quench the thirst of even the hottest days.  In this place there is refreshing and renewal.  However even with the good refreshing days come the dark days when all around you the shadows seem to close in  and the rocky hills block your view and you find yourself living in this one moment of time.  Fear is nearby but it does not come nigh your heart for the Lord is leading you.  His rod corrects your direction and His staff keeps you from straying.  In the green pastures we find restoration, in the valleys we find growth and experiences that help us to mature in our journey towards the high places. 

I remember when I was a child that I often felt that monsters lurked in my closet and under my bed.  I would not allow my foot to stray off the side of my bed lest it be grabbed by this lurking troll and I be pulled under the mattresses and devoured to never be seen again. I remember calling at times out to my dad and he would appear in the doorway and reassure me that everything was alright.  He was in the next room and I was sure that he would never let anything happen to me.  He was stronger than any troll or monster that might want to devour little children.  Knowing this I would go to sleep as I listened to his breathing in the next room which brought me comfort.  

In our lives we will encounter those struggles that seem to block the sunlight and cause the shadows of fear to close in around us.  It’s then that if you listen you will hear the Lord speak to your heart that He is nearby encouraging you to keep walking with Him. He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you and nothing by any means shall hurt you. There is an assurance that comes from walking with Him not just in the good days but in all days.  Your trust is built upon life’s experiences. It is hard to trust something or someone that you have not proven. 

I had a time in my life that I experienced that valley of fear as it closed in around me.  Telling me that I was alone with no way out of the suffering and pain I was experiencing.  Death taunted me and wanted to rob me of my wavering faith.  I cried out to God for help.  I did not want to live in the environment of darkness and pain and struggle.  I longed for the green pastures and still waters where the warmth of the day and the light of the morning offered my soul contentment.  The nights were the worst time of the day, amidst my suffering sleep fled and I was tormented by thoughts and imaginations of what could be, lurking in the shadows of doubt.   I remember quoting the scripture that says that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)  Lord I prayed I know that I should not be wrestling with this. Why then do I have it surrounding me and taunting me every moment of the day.  Little did I realize at that moment that God was instructing me and teaching me a most valuable lesson.  A verse one day rushed into my mind and it seemed this was a reply to my silent cries.  

1John 4:18 Berean Bible

18There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. 19We love because He first loved us.…

If I have tried to cast this fear out I said to myself and have not succeeded does this mean Lord that my love is not perfect.  Is there something wrong in my relationship for Lord I declared I certainly love you with all of my heart.  It is then that thoughts flooded my mind from heaven.  Steve, what is the foundation of love built on.  What is it that allows love to stand against the hardest storms of life and the most trying of circumstances. Well Lord, I said, I would say that it would be trust.  Without trust no relationship can stand for any length of time.  It was then a memory of my dear old dad and I came into my mind.  When I was about five one of the things that I enjoyed the most was when he would give me an airplane ride.  He would grab one foot and one hand and then spin in circles and gravity would lose its grip and for a time it seemed I could fly.  Then a still small voice seemed to speak to me, “were you afraid when your dad did this.”  Absolutely not I said to myself for I knew that my dad would never allow anything to happen to me that would hurt me.  At that moment God was asking me this question,  “can you trust me like that.  Have I ever failed you or hurt you.  Even on the most wild rides of your life did I ever let you go.”  “No Lord I exclaimed”, “then you can trust me in the future for you have no evidence of my lack of provision in your past.”

I then thought of this scripture. 

Jude 1:24 King James Version

 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

We can trust Him on the sunny days but what about in the midst of the storm.  You never know how deep the foundation of your trust goes down until the house of your life is shaken.  If it’s built on the sands of fantasy chances are it will fall.  However if it is built on the experiences of the past and mixed with the cement of trust your house will not fall.  Oh sure you will be shaken but you will find that when all is said and done that you are still standing as the shadows flee and the sun once again shines.  You will find yourself standing a little taller after the valley and your trust a little more stronger. 

So regardless today whether you’re in that green lush pasture, or walking through that deep dark valley the same God is right beside you. Remember your flesh benefits from the pasture and still water, but your Spirit is given strength in the valley of trial and temptation. 

Just remember how David finished his psalm, he said that goodness and mercy shall follow him all the days of his life.  It did not say that goodness and mercy would lead him. 

Follow the shepherd wherever He leads you for He watches out for your soul. 

2 Kings 6 New International Version

8 Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”9 The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”12 “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14 Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Sometimes as we go about the duties and responsibilities given us by God there are going to be those who take issue with the words we speak and the manner in which we live.  They are not pleased by the messages we deliver for they go contrary to their goals and plans.  In this portion of scripture we have a classic example.  Elisha is given revelation by the Lord  to the plans of King of Aram who is intent on causing Israel harm. He is foiled by the armies of Israel at every turn and he has become extremely angry. He seeks the life of Elisha. 

Jesus spoke to His followers these words ,

17This is My command to you: Love one another. 18If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.…  John 15 Berean Study Bible

Most of the trials we face are going to be brought about by others.  Some of those trials will not be related to the cause of Christ but many may not.  It is imperative that you realize that you are not an island unto yourself.  

David recorded in Psalm 23 these words. 

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  King James Version

In scripture we see a multitude of references where God showed Himself a present help in a time of trouble.

Psalm 46:1 Amplified Bible

God is our refuge and strength [mighty and impenetrable], A very present and well-proved help in trouble.

He was present for the hebrew children as they were cast into the fiery furnace and delivered them from the flames.  He was there for Daniel when he was cast into a den of hungry lions and delivered him from any harm. He opened the Red Sea for Israel to escape the chariots of pharaoh.  This list goes on and on.  The point is this as He was with those who have preceded us He also will be with all His children.  

Isaiah 41:10 New King James Version

10 Fear not, for I am with you;Be not dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you,Yes, I will help you,I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Deuteronomy 31:6 New King James Version

6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Jesus emphasized this point before His crucifixion when he spoke these words to His disciples.

Hebrew 13:5-8 New King James Version

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say:“The Lord is my helper;I will not fear.What can man do to me?”

I don’t know about you but I love light, not just the light of truth, but sunlight.  I find it encouraging.  I love a spring day with the smell of fresh cut hay and the warm breeze blowing on my face. Gone are the short dark days of winter with their chilling winds.  Life is like the seasons.  We cannot stay in the season that we enjoy most.  At least not up here in the north.  Each season serves a purpose.  In the winter the land is allowed to rest.  In spring life comes forth and new growth springs up.  In summer the hot long days and increased sunlight cause the crops to flourish.  The summer rains provide their own kind of refreshing as they purge the air and provide a cleanness that you can smell. Then comes fall, the harvest of the corn and vegetables of all types.  The many farm stands with all types of fruit.  Fall is my second favorite season, spring being the first.  

Your life is like the seasons.  Their are the times of renewal, as well as the times of growth and harvest.  However there are dark times where light is limited and you are often confined to dark and lonely situations.   But hold on things will soon change.  The days will get longer and temperatures once again will rise. Through each of the seasons of life however there is one constant that does not change but always remains the same. God’s love and God’s faithful presence is always beside you and as a born again Christian it is inside of you. So no matter what is going on around you God is still shining bright within you.  Providing strength and comfort even in the darkest of days.

Some years ago I received my great grandmother and grandfather’s Bible.  Presented to them in 1876 by great granddad’s mother.   I slowly went through the pages looking at the newspaper clippings and the things they had marked and underlined.  It was a glimpse into each of their hearts revealing thoughts and experiences they went through not only through personal life but through two world wars and a great depression. I came across a hand written poem no doubt written down by great grandma.  

This is what it said:

I walked a road of sorrow,

A road so dark with care,

I was so, so, certain that no one else was there,

But when I looked around me on this road on which I trod

I found two sets of footprints, my own and those of God.

This poem no doubt meant very much to them both for no doubt they may have felt all alone and possibly misplaced  their faith for a moment at different dark times in life.  However when they took a moment to look around they found that they had never not even for one moment been alone.  For the presence of God was there with them the whole time. 

If you will take a moment and ask God to reveal what is unseen, maybe like Elisha’s servant you will see that this is far from the case as well.

Jeremiah 38  Berean  Bible 

…5“Here he is,” replied King Zedekiah. “He is in your hands, since the king can do nothing to stop you.” 6So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

Each time I read the book of Jeremiah I stand in awe of this prophet’s  tenacity.  He was a man on a mission and much like the apostle Paul he is totally sold out to fulfilling his God given task.  You see most of Jeremiah’s messages were not flowery and sprinkled with sweet nothings.  His messages to Israel were most always about the sin and debauchery of a people intent on rejecting God’s authority and following false idols. Idols made with man’s hands of stone and wood.  Combined with the message of many false prophets who served to insight the people into deeper sin. The nation was spiraling out of control towards God’s  judgment. 

Babylon was to be the hand that God used to bring about His judgment on Israel.  Certainly this could not happen, they thought. They declared we have for so long followed this pattern of living. Certainly it will continue on.  It does not matter how long you may have done something, it still does not make it right and soon the invoice for your actions will come due.  Jeremiah was the tick behind the dog’s ear so to speak.  He was a bother, he was a nuisance, he was the conscience that they had locked behind the doors of their rebellion.  They looked for ways to block his voice.  Their false accusations could have filled a small town library. King Zedikiah finally turned him over to the rebellious mobs to do with him what they wished.  It was to  the cistern of Malchiah that he would go.  This cistern was so deep in the earth they needed ropes to lower him down.  In this cistern there was no water, only muddy clay into which he sank. 

It was in this terrible place  that Jeremiah called out to God.  There he was alone in this dark horrible place and for what reason?  Jeremiah had only been following God’s direction.  It would have been so easy to have followed the model of Jonah and ran in the other direction and taken a cruise to a much more friendly climate.  Jeremiah’s  life shows us that God’s will may at times bring us to places we would not choose to go on our own.  Does that mean that God does not care about our circumstances, does it mean  that he is unaware of our condition?  Not in the least.   We see in Jeremiah’s case God made provision for his removal from this pit by moving upon  the heart of a Cushite  named Ebed-melech

Jeremiah 38 Berean Bible

So they took Jeremiah and dropped him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes into the cistern, which had no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

7Now Ebed-melech the Cushite,c a court officiald in the royal palace, heard that Jeremiah had been put into the cistern. While the king was sitting at the Gate of Benjamin, 8Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and said to the king, 9“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have dropped him into the cistern, where he will starve to death, for there is no more bread in the city.”

10So the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

11Then Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern.

12Ebed-melech the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah, “Put these worn-out rags and clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so, 13and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

God can move upon open hearts to intercede for His people as was the case with Jeremiah.  He opens prison doors as he did for Paul and Silas,  He can move on nature and send birds to feed his prophet as he did with Elisha. The pit was for a season, it was not a final destination.  I cannot think of another prophet that had such intimate communication with God other than Ezekiel.   Those moments of visitation gave him strength in the pits of despair and weariness.  He had no great following, very few if any ever really responded to his preaching.  However Jeremiah was successful in doing what God commanded and warning his people of impending judgment.  Things in your life today may not seem to be going in the direction  that you want.  You may find yourself in a pit up to your knees in muck and  It may seem the faucet of blessing is broken. However do not become discouraged.  Keep on fulfilling the call and purpose that God has given you in life.  For the deeper the pits in your life today the higher the mountain tops will be in your future.  

It seems the harder the struggle the closer and more dependent we become in our relationship with God.  Things in life do not always work out in the way we want them to.  Jeremiah may have envisioned the masses repenting and turning back to God.  Maybe like the people of Nineveh did at the preaching of Jonah. Instead they cast him aside and abused him. 

My wife and I started our ministry in Home Missions. We moved to a little town in central Wisconsin where there was a need for the gospel message.  It was a difficult time with some highs but many more lows.   For every one that came there were many more who turned us down.  We continued to preach and hold on to the mission God assigned us.  Now these many years later a church stands proud and strong still sharing the message of hope.  Remember before a plant can grow a seed must be placed in the soil.  It’s there in the dark and damp soil that life springs forth and reaches towards the light of day.  In its season it brings forth leaves and fruit which in turn brings forth more plants and more fruit.  Just remember that orchard may have started with one seed, a seed all alone with none to offer support. If it could speak maybe it would tell you that it was taken from the light of day and just dropped in this hole and left to die.    However its time came to rise above the earth and enjoy the warming sunshine and the refreshing rain and your time will come as well if you hold tight and remember God has entrusted you with a plan and if you follow it there will always be a light at the end of your tunnel. 

Just remember every time you see a butterfly that its life  started as a worm that was later locked up in a dark cocoon for a season.   When the time was right it came out and no longer crawled on the earth but soared above it riding on the waves of the wind. 

Galatians 6:8 King James Version
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Daniel 2 New International Version

2 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers[a] to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.[b]”

There are some things we do know about Nebuchadnezzar 11.  The year of his birth is uncertain, but it is not likely to have been before 630 BCE, for according to tradition Nebuchadnezzar began his military career as a young man, appearing as a military administrator by 610. He is first mentioned by his father as working as a labourer in the restoration of the temple of Marduk, the chief god of the city of Babylon and the national god of Babylonia.

After his father’s death on August 16, 605, Nebuchadnezzar returned to Babylon and ascended the throne within three weeks. This rapid consolidation of his accession and the fact that he could return to Syria shortly afterward reflected his strong grip on the empire.

So needless to say that his man was not soft by any means he had climbed the ladder to this position. His kingdom encompassed land from Black Sea to the north of Russia to the Persian Gulf and then to  Egypt. He without doubt was the most powerful man in the world.  

Yet we find in the second year of his reign God sends a dream to warn him of what is yet to come.  With much responsibility comes much anxiety.  God refers to him as His servant because He used him to bring judgment upon His rebellious people.  It is interesting to note that God can use those who do not know Him to accomplish His will. 

Nebuchadnezzar cannot remember the dream and yet it was so troubling that he can no longer sleep.  Of course his astrologers and wisemen did not know how to interpret a dream that he could not remember.  In his fury he declares that he is going to kill the astrologers and wisemen in his kingdom, for what good are they if they cannot help him when he needs them the most.  Daniel, Shadrach Meschah and Abendego were part of that number.  God uses Daniel to reveal the dream and give its interpretation. This dream in its content and revelation was the mother of prophecies to the world.  For it showed the rise and fall of empires to the day of Christ’s return. 

Daniel 2 New International Version

31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold (BABYLON), its chest and arms of silver,(PERSIAN)its belly and thighs of bronze(GREECIAN), 33 its legs of iron9(ROMAN, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.(REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE) 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them(GODS kINGDOM). 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

God was allowing Nebuchadnezzar a view into the world’s future.  What strikes me as strange is all that he seems to focus on is his role as the head of the image.  He misses the message of the dream and fails to prepare for what is yet to be fulfilled. Isn’t that the way of all men most generally, many times they cannot see the forest for the trees.

Daniel 2 New International Version

36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

I was watching a home video the other day of a little girl receiving this luxury electric car from her parents.  It was parked next to the family’s car to show that she too was a big girl.  To the surprise of her parents one of the birthday balloons started to float away and she forgot all about the gift and ran right past it without a second glance as she focused on the orange balloon.   I wonder how often that happens in our life.  God gives us something that is notable, so impressive and so costly and we look right past it and give our attention to the wrappings and not the substance of the gift. Oh he was thankful to Daniel for helping him see the dream but he never grasped the meaning of the dream.  He solely was focused on the head of gold and the words that showed forth his power. 

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”

48 Then the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men.

We clearly see this displayed in the next chapter.  King Nebuchadnezza builds a huge image of gold and declares all the peoples of every nation should at the sound of the music bow down and worship the image.  

Daniel 3:

3 King Nebuchadnezzar ordered a gold statue to be built ninety feet high and nine feet wide. He had it set up in Dura Valley near the city of Babylon, 2 and he commanded his governors, advisors, treasurers, judges, and his other officials to come from everywhere in his kingdom to the dedication of the statue. 3 So all of them came and stood in front of it.4 Then an official stood up and announced:People of every nation and race, now listen to the king’s command! 5 Trumpets, flutes, harps, and all other kinds of musical instruments will soon start playing. When you hear the music, you must bow down and worship the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Anyone who refuses will at once be thrown into a flaming furnace.

I believe that  King Nebuchadnezzar saw himself in the statue.  Remember he was the head of gold in the dream.  He wanted to be noticed, he wanted the world to recognize his power and ability.  He failed to realize that God had placed him in that position and that God could take him out of that position as quickly as he had placed him in it.  Isn’t that part of our human condition.  In our modern society you often times hear the word humanism. The religion of humanism/  Let’s look at the definition. 

Hu·man·ism 

/ˈ(h)yo͞oməˌnizəm/

noun

1. an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.

Definition comes from “Oxford Languages”

My dear friend it is not about us oh yes we are part of the picture but we are not the center of focus.  God is at the center of what is happening and of what is to come.  Even Hitler in his warped way of thinking was fulfilling a prophecy which would bring about the restoration of Israel.  Hitler thought he was annihilating the jews when really he was helping to establish a restored Jewish nation. 

In King Nebuchadnezzar’s case his arrogance was about to bring about a humbling experience  that had never been seen before in any way shape or form.  

In Daniel 4 God sends  King Nebuchadnezzar another dream, this dream would be a warning onto him that if he did not repent of his pride that God would humble him before the world. 

Daniel 4 Berean Bible

18This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you are able, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”

24This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree that the Most High has issued against my lord the king:

25You will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling will be with the beasts of the field. You will feed on grass like an ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.

26As for the command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots, your kingdom will be restored to you as soon as you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27Therefore, may my advice be pleasing to you, O king. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed. Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity.”

God is allowing this King an opportunity to escape this seven year experience. Repent of your sins and change your ways and perhaps God will have mercy upon you.  

Unfortunately this did not happen, he was drunk with power and his pride blocked out the cries of this warning, he was intent on following his destructive behavior. 

I do not know if you have heard of a trap that was used to catch monkeys.  It still may be used as far as I know for monkeys have not changed, they still have their monkey characteristics.  Not many of you may remember the old milk bottles with the flanged area on top and the narrow neck and wide bottom.  Well what would happen is a hunter would take a banana and push in through the narrow opening of the bottle and then tie the bottle securely to a tree.  The unsuspecting monkey would come by and see the banana in the bottle.  His desire to have the banana caused him to force his hand through the narrow opening of the bottle and then grab the banana.  However when he grasped the banana his fisted hand was too big to get out of the bottle with the banana.  There he would stand for hours not letting go of the banana.  It was his banana and he was not going to let it go.  The hunter would come by and find the monkey, yet the monkey still would not let go.  All the time he was a free monkey to do what he wanted.  However as long as he held on to that banana he was a captive monkey and lost his freedom to swing from trees and enjoy  life.  In the end he lost the banana and his freedom.  Isn’t that a perfect picture of our world.  We want something that is not ours and instead of letting go of that particular thing, you grasp it with all your might.  You  can fill in the blank for it could be just about anything that keeps you captive.  It could be an addiction, it could be hatred or envy, it could be bitterness or hurt, but as long as you hold on to it you remain a captive.  The hunter can come and take you at his convenience. 

That is exactly what happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel 4 Berean Bible

Twelve months later, as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30the king exclaimed, “Is this not Babylon the Great, which I myself have built by the might of my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

31While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: “It is decreed to you, King Nebuchadnezzar, that the kingdom has departed from you. 32You will be driven away from mankind to live with the beasts of the field, and you will feed on grass like an ox. And seven times will pass you by, until you acknowledge that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes.”

33At that moment the sentence against Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from mankind. He ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.

How are the mighty fallen?  It was not God’s choice, it was the King’s choice. He is the one that was warned, all he had to do was correct his behavior.  I heard an interview of a famous football player.  He had just about everything.  He had great skill and talent as well as wealth.  He said this in an interview, he declares that he could not believe in a  God that would send people to hell.  He actually was mistaken in his concept of this, for God never wanted anyone to go to hell.  It was originally created for the devil and his angels.  However many  choose to align with the ways of the prince and power of this world, which is Satan and turn from God’s warnings and embrace  their faults. Not heeding the warnings from God’s word to change their direction.  He so wanted mankind to be blessed that He Himself bore their judgment on the cross.  All that was expected of mankind was to acknowledge that sacrifice and identify with His work on calvary. 

Where do you stand today?  Do not allow the blessings of life to become a god in your life.  I think the book or Romans sums it up so very well. 

Romans 1 Berean Bible

21For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

24Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise!f Amen.

The best way to ensure that we do not become vain is to live in a constant state of thankfulness.  Each time that you walk into prayer you should do it with an attitude of thankfulness as the scripture states. 

Psalm 100:4

New International Version

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

There once was a man who lost his paycheck.  Money was tight and they lived hand to mouth.  He was frantic and tearing everything in his house apart. This went on for some time and finally his wife saw his dilemma and decided to help.  She asked her husband what he had lost and he explained that it was his paycheck.  The man’s wife then inquired where he was and what he was doing when he lost it. He mentioned he had worked late into the evening and that he had lost it on the short walk home.  His wife then asked if he had lost it on the way home then  why was he searching in the house.  The man then looked at his wife as though she was a brick short of a full load and said  I am looking here because there’s much more light in the horse than there is outside in the dark. duh! 

I can really relate to having lost something valuable and the panic that comes when you cannot find it.  Actually the older I get this happens more often.  I do remember one time in particular that this happened and how overwhelmed I was with panic as I searched desperately to find what I had lost. It was the week before Easter and our college was closing for spring break.  I had arranged time off from my part time job and was looking forward to flying back home to be with friends and family. That morning as I waited for the van to take a group of us students to the airport. I  checked and double checked to make sure everything was packed and ready to go.  I did not want to miss the van or my flight.  I had placed my plane ticket in my suit coat pocket and every now and then as I prepared to leave I would pat it to make sure it was still there.  We had all loaded into the van and before we left our van driver reminded us all that before he pulled out to check to make sure we had our tickets.  I almost did not check because I was so certain it was there.  However when I checked this one last time it was gone. I had this terrible feeling in my stomach.  The van driver said he would give me 5 minutes to run and find it.  I ran back to my room, I was certain it must have fallen out of my pocket while I was packing.  I tore everything apart. I looked under the bed, I tore apart my suitcase.  It was gone.  With sadness I watched as the van as it pulled away.  I had spent all the money I had to buy that ticket.  I called the airport and told them what had happened and they said I could purchase another ticket for another flight but I would have to file the necessary paperwork for a refund and that would take some time to be approved and my money credited. Words cannot express my disappointment. I had so longed to go home.  I had just about given up,  but one last time I pleaded with God to help me find that ticket. I was walking between the dormitory and chapel and to my left was a highway and on the other side was a large field with scrub grass. I had glanced across the highway and then refocused back on my walk towards the chapel.  However something had caught my eye and I looked back. About a hundred yards away there was one weed that was taller than all the others and caught on the top of it was something that was blowing in the wind.  I thought at first to just keep walking on but then said to myself what else I have to do and decided to check this sight out.  It was when I got near that my heart skipped for it looked like my plane ticket. It was barely hanging on to this dead weed and I quickly grasped it.  It had been hanging on all this time waiting for me to find it.  I laughed and said thank you God you’re amazing. All this time I had been looking in the wrong place.  I contacted the airline and the man I talked to, I believe is the same one I had talked to earlier, mentioned that if I would return the ticket they would mail me a refund.  I think this gentleman had a burst of compassion and mentioned you know what you bring that ticket with you and I will make sure you get on the next flight out.  He made an exception in the rules so that I could make it home.  I had tears rolling down my face.  I was so amazed at how God had turned a tragedy into a learning experience.  Some lessons are not learned in the pages of a book.  Sometimes the experiences of life reveal the awesomeness of God in ways you could not imagine.  

Take for instance Mary Magdalene as she ran to the tomb of Jesus she was looking for a corpse, she was chasing memories and hopes that had crashed amidst the agony and suffering of the cross.  She was looking for the right thing in the wrong place.  It was just natural that he would be in the tomb that is where His body was placed when we lost HIm. 

John 20 New International Version

1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 

6Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 

10Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.11Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

When she turned away from the past and looked towards the future she  heard  her name and there standing right in front of her was the one she had thought she had lost. He called her name again and when she looked into His face she realized that He had been there all the time.   She was just looking in the wrong place for He was no longer dead and had no need of a tomb. 

What is it you have lost? Have you lost your joy, have you lost your way.  Have you lost your purpose? Maybe you’re looking for it in the wrong place.  It may be right behind you.  Maybe it’s time to refocus your attention.  Maybe at the beginning of this New Year you will find a dimension in God that you have been seeking for a long time.  

Maybe you are doing what is the most convenient  to do and your search is only frustrating you for your not looking in the last place you were when you lost your vision.  

The most important thing you can do is look away from what you expect and look to areas where you find the unexpected. 

A miracle by definition Miracle definition, an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural .

Look at the disciples on the road to Emmaus. 

Luke 24 New International Version

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”19 “What things?” he asked.“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

They realized after the fact  the one they were grieving for was right in front of them.  They had felt His words burning in their heart but their eyes could not see Him for they were grieving a crucified savior not looking for a resurrected one. 

This year make it a point to focus your search.  Focus on God’s Word for he can be found in its pages.  Look for Him in prayer for He is nigh to all that call on Him.  Most likely He has been by your side all this time waiting for you to turn and around and see that He is calling your name.  You will find that the search is not as difficult as you have made it in the past, for he actually wants you to seek Him so that He can reveal Himself to you in a divine and awesome way.