“Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea *(Look again!).” So he went up and looked, and said, “ There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” I Kings‬ ‭18:41-43‬

This is a story that is well know and is really reassuring when it comes to God’s faithfulness. It’s proof of a promise being fulfilled. However, the part that amazes is the prophet telling his servant Ahab, to look again, not just once, but seven times. I mean come on! Once, maybe twice… maybe three times, but seven times. Of course we know that seven is the number of completion… but still, seven times, I don’t know if I would have done it.

Anyway, he did and the seventh time he didn’t see rain, he saw a cloud, I know, you know, the size of a mans hand. But, the cloud represented rain and since they were in a drought and they were believing God for rain, so at the sight of a cloud the size of a man’s hand, they prepare for the rain! God will position so that you will prosper and produce more and this cloud is proof of God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises.

Ahab went up to Mount Carmel which means: a fruitful and bountiful place. He looked over the sea, and saw the cloud. Now if the cloud was over the sea, that means it would have even more of an opportunity to obtain more moisture from the evaporation of the ocean waters. God has a way of positioning things in a place where it can become more and fulfill a promise.

I couldn’t post this scripture without talking a little bit about it, however I really wanted to talk to you about this one phrase in this passage: “Look again.” I want to look at this scripture, not just in the since of believing God for a promise, but, in the sense of looking again and for being grateful for what you already have. I know, I’m really shifting gears and the focus. Nevertheless, we get focused on the wrong things and therefore we miss what we already have. They were believing for rain, but saw nothing until the small cloud.

1. When you look again, you may see what you didn’t see the first time.

2. When you look again, you may see that what you have, is really all you need.

3. When you look again, you may see although it’s not what you desire, it is enough for where you are right now.

4. When you look again, it will cause you to see that it’s not as bad as it could be.

5. When you look again, it will produce a faith that will allow you to see that:

• God is faithful.
• God has been faithful.
• And He always will be faithful.

So many have forfeited the future of hope at the foot of fear. When faced with difficulties or uncertainties we tend to relent instead of pressing forward, while believing for better or more. It’s also amazing how beautiful the past can appear when the future seems unattainable. In this scripture in Exodus 14, the children of Israel were on the brink of the promised land. However, the only thing standing between them and that promise was the Red Sea. With Pharaoh and his army fast approaching they found themselves sandwiched between what had been, what was, and what could be. Instead of believing, trusting and looking to God with a heart of trust. They cried out to Lord and to Moses and declared, “we would have been better off to be slaves in Egypt!” Because they were facing a difficult uncertainty, they declared that their past bondage would have be better than this, although their promise lied on the other side of what they were facing. And, all they had to to do was stand still and watch the Lord move on their behalf. I don’t know what you may be facing today. But, I pray these thoughts, scriptures and prayer encourages you to keep believing and that they keep you from going back to what used to be. Believe that things can be better and different! When there’s no way around it, you have to go through it to get to it… Don’t give up! You’re promise could be on the other side of what you’re facing.

*Don’t allow the uncertainty of a promised future make you forfeit it to a familiar past.

*Don’t allow uncertainty, conflicts and difficulties make you think the past is better than the future, all because it’s familiar and comfortable.

*Don’t allow fear to cause you to choose a dreadful past over a hopeful future.

“And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” Exodus 14:10-12

⁃ Trust God when you’re faced with an inconvenience.

⁃ Trust God when things don’t make sense.

⁃ Trust God when others don’t understand.

⁃ Trust God and He will show up unexpectedly and surprises you.

Psalm 103…

What do you need to trust God with today?

PRAYER:

Lord, give me the courage to step outside of what is safe and comfortable as I trust You to cover me with your all-sufficient grace. Holy Spirit teach me how to grow my capacity to handle life’s challenges from a posture of trust and expectation of good. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me, even when I don’t see it. You are my refuge and my strength and with You, all things are possible!

Inconvenience Will:

1. Test Your Faith 
2. Try Your Patience
3. Take you deeper by giving you an opportunity to do things differently.

Maybe you are questioning? Let your doubts be dissolved by deepening your faith in what you already know to be true.

Maybe your patience is being tried by inconveniences or even being cooped up with no place to go? See it as a blessing, not a burden. 

Maybe you like the way things are, or the way things used to be? Ask God for the grace to go deeper and do something different. Something that you’ve never done, may produce something you never knew could be.

Lastly, remember- everything that happens is not God, and everything that happens is not good. But, God is good and He will work all things for your good! 

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Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. – Luke 17:1-4

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If you think you won’t be offended, done wrong or misunderstood, you are fooling yourself. Unfortunately, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. The gospel of Luke records Jesus as saying, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!” In other words, He is saying, there will be opportunities in life that present themselves, with an invitation to be offended.

The Word Offense Defined…

g4625. σκάνδαλον skandalon; (“scandal;” probably from a derivative of 2578; a trap-stick (bent sapling), i.e. snare (figuratively, cause of displeasure or sin): — occasion to fall (of stumbling), offence, thing that offends, stumblingblock.

offence 9, stumbling block 3, occasion of stumbling 1, occasion to fall 1, thing that offends 1; the movable stick or trigger of a trap, a trap sticka trap, snareany impediment placed in the way and causing one to stumble or fall, (a stumbling block, occasion of stumbling) i.e. a rock which is a cause of stumbling

*Occasions of stumbling … the Greek word rendered STUMBLING “meant the trigger of a trap, contact with which would cause the trap to spring and impair.”

>>> What I believe Luke is conveying to us through Jesus words is this: It’s impossible for you to go through life and not be offended and even worse than that, the one who sets a trap or manipulates to cause an offense, woe to him!

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Don’t become who hurt you! -Toby Mac

Don’t make someone new in your life pay for the debt of someone old in your life. -RTK

Don’t allow the hurts of the past determine the joy of your future.

Don’t allow the negative you’ve gone through, to define you negatively.

Don’t get ‘caught up’ in, what will keep you ‘held up’.

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Troubles, Tests and Traps …

> Troubles: (what we all have in common)

1. Your outlook ultimately determines your outcome.

2. Your tragedy doesn’t depict you; your attitude does.

3. Don’t allow what happened to you; deter you. Allow it to develop a determination, that will propel you to a new level of destiny. Continue reading “Troubles, Tests and Traps” →

There is always a ‘story’ behind ‘the story’. Any story that now consists of blessings and success usually has behind it a story of struggle, risk or tragedy. These types of stories have usually been met ‘head on’ with obedience, courage or faith. Great people who have accomplished great things are normally just ordinary people who have surrendered their current scenario through radial faith, while facing adversity with a tenacious courage to believe that what ‘can be’, is better than ‘what is’. Most people don’t experience great gain without first having experienced a great set back. People who now are experiencing much, have been given that opportunity by risking the unknown, through blind obedience, surrender, and faith. Surrender, obedience, sacrifice, risk, courage, and faith are all ingredients that can change an outcome. The ‘story of your life’, doesn’t have to be… ‘the story of your life’. When someone says, “that’s the story of my life”, they are usually referring to a negative reoccurrence. But, what would happen if you had the audacity to believe it could be different?

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Let’s look at a few biblical scenarios where the story changed and the outcome became obviously different…

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• Elisha Burned Everything and Followed Elijah. (I Kings 19:19) / *(II Kings 13:21)

> Elisha’s ‘Story‘ could have been: “he was out in a field plowing with his oxen.”

>> Instead… he was able to see twice as many miracles as Elijah, and even in his death, the miracles continued when the band of Moabites threw a dead body in his grave, and the dead body came to life… What if he would have just kept plowing? Or, what if he would have kept his plow and oxen?

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• Ruth Left Her Native Country (all she knew). (Ruth 1:6) – Ruth 2 & 4

> Ruth’s ‘Story‘ could have been: she lived in Moab on a piece of land her husband left her… wondering whatever happened to her mother-in-law?

>> Instead… she married Boaz and set on the porch with her mother in law, being served by servants, watching the hired hands work in the field that her and her new husband now owned. She also had a baby named Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David. She is now in the lineage of Jesus… What if she had stayed in the land that was familiar?

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• The Woman With the Issue of Blood Risk Everything to Be Healed. (Mark 5)

> The Woman With the Issue of Blood’s ‘Story‘ could have been: “there was a women who had an issue of blood. She went to every doctor in town and spent all she had… and never got any better.”

>> Instead… she was able to be healed, have peace, and be made well… What if she would have stayed home that day?

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• The Little Lad – Gave All He Had. (Matthew 14) “When you give all you have God will give you more than you began with.”

> The Little Lad’s ‘Story‘ could have been: my mom packed a nice lunch that I ate while everyone else went hungry.

>> Instead… he was an eye witness to one of the greatest miracles of Jesus’ ministry. He was able to bless others, not just satisfy his own needs. He was the only one who didn’t have a need, but through his surrender, courage and faith, he gave what he had, to meet the needs of others. He was also able to eat more than his mom had packed him. And, He watched as the disciples gathered up 12 baskets full of leftovers… What if he had kept his lunch that day?

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• The Man On the Mat Left All He Had Known. (the familiar & comfortable). (John 5) – *do you want to be made well?

> The Mans ‘Story‘ could have been: there was a man who had been disabled for over thirty eights years… he was laid by the pool daily as he watched others being made well of whatever ailment they had.

>> Instead… his story was, he picked up his mat and was immediately made well. He got up and conquered what had conquered him and carried the very thing that comforted him… What if he had continued to lay there and be critical instead of getting up in faith?

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• The Disciples Left Their Livelihood and the Biggest Catch of Their Lives. (Luke 5)

> The Disciples ‘Story‘ could have been: after a useless day of fishing, the fishermen washed their nets, put up their boats, and they went home that morning tired and frustrated from fishing all night and catching nothing!

>> Instead… they caught the biggest catch of their careers. Left all they had, and all they knew, to follow the savior of the world, to become fishers of men… now having front row seats, to the miracles; sharing in the life, the legacy, and the ministry of Jesus… What if they hadn’t said, “nevertheless Lord, at your word we will go out into the deep and let down our nets for another catch?

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What do you need to surrender so that your ‘Story‘ can be different? Your life? Your family? Your future? Your finances? Your children? Your spouse? Your career? It seems that when we try to hold on to what we really need to let go of, it never goes well. However, It also seems when people give up and go “all in”, that’s when God goes “all out.” What are you willing to surrender? Quit trying and surrender. Quit struggling and surrender. Nonetheless, surrender is never easy and what if you’re like me, what if you feel like you have surrendered in obedience, yet, you still haven’t seen a tangible result? What do you do then? I tell you what you do… YOU SURRENDER and YOU TRUST, because just like these biblical accounts we just looked at, you never know what could be waiting… on the other side of your surrendered trust!

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