WORDS FROM GOD

Have you ever had the experience of needing a Bible verse at a certain time and a verse just sort of 'popped out' at you? Well those times are no accident or coincidence. I can recall this happening a good deal in my life. One of the most recent was back in the summer when I was starting to volunteer at the local pro life center as a counselor. Even though my degree is in counseling I had never been an 'official' counselor so the enemy was trying to get me scared making me feel I was inadequate and was going to say the wrong thing. I knew in my heart this was wrong because we are 'bathed' in prayer there before we enter the counseling room. In the morning when all the volunteer counselors arrive for our shift we go in the directors office and join hands and pray. One of the things we pray is that God will bring just the right client for the counselor. A perfect fit in other words.

On this particular day I started off about 45 minutes early to relax and read my Bible at a nearby Starbucks. I remember there being a time I was embarrassed to be reading the Bible in public then remembered Mark 8:38 which says "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation the Son of man will be ashamed of him when he comes in clouds of glory." Pretty powerful and to the point wouldn't you say? It is right up there with the 'headache' prayer where you are in a restaurant but do not really want people to know you are praying so you sort of hold your head like you have a head ache. People read the New York Times in Starbucks so why not read your 'owners manual' and get insight for each day?

Anyway at this day in Starbucks I was directed by the Holy Spirit to read Isaiah 61. It was the perfect chapter to read to give me the peace and the courage I needed to get on with my day of being a minister of the Lord, serving as his hands and feet to the hurting ladies coming to the Choose Life center that day. I did not know who I would see but God already did and he would give me the words to say. Briefly this chapter in Isaiah says " The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor  and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,  and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes, .." This was just what I needed for that day and to start off each time I went to the center. It gave me the peace and assurance I needed that God would be with me and give me just what I needed in every situation I encountered over there.

He did it for me and he can do it for you. The answers are right there in his word. Once again I urge you this day being the 17th day of the month to read the 17th Psalm and the 17th Proverb as a way to sort of get started on this journey to know God through his word. Blessings to you my friend.

PRAYER: Lord help us to love your word more than riches and gold. Forgive us if we have let our Bible become a dust catcher or worse yet, can not even find it. Help me to stop making excuses for not using it as a tool to get through every day of my life. In Jesus Name, Amen!