Behind the scenes, Keith and several of my close friends were conspiring to throw me a surprise party. No detail was overlooked. Plans were formed and carried out for months beforehand without my having a single clue. When I unsuspectingly walked through the door to, "Surprise!" everything was revealed and the celebration was complete.

Does the same thing happen to us spiritually? Sometimes when we pray, it seems like nothing at all happens. The heavens appear unchanged and God is silent. What we cannot see is all that is happening in the heavenly realm behind our view. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." Sometimes that glass looks extremely dark. But there is much happening just beyond our limited earthly vision. Plans are being made, people are being moved into position, resources are being poured in, and excitement is building behind the scenes. Then suddenly, the truth is revealed and we see the answers from the Lord that we seek. Everything becomes clear at last.

I am reminded of Daniel after he sought God in prayer and anguish with no immediate answer from the Lord. Daniel 10:12-14 says, "…Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia." There was an immediate reaction in Heaven to Daniel’s prayer. But demonic warfare hindered the word being revealed to Daniel until three weeks later. Just because this prophet of God couldn’t see any change did not mean Heaven was brass.

It’s during the "in between" time that our faith grows strong and we mature in the Lord. Every infant impatiently cries for immediate gratification. Babies know nothing about patience. But as a good parent, when the child grows, we teach them that they need to trust us. Children learn that waiting is necessary throughout life as they mature into adulthood.

May we follow the example Daniel set for us. Let us persevere in seeking the Lord, kneel in humble repentance. Let’s remind ourselves that God is a good parent who is training us up in the way that we should go. Allow the circumstances and delays in answered prayer become opportunities for growth, faith, and maturity. Then having done all else, stand in active anticipation for the answer from Almighty, all-powerful, and undefeatable God of creation and our Heavenly Father. For we do not realize that just behind the corner, God is planning a surprise party with His gifts just for us!

Heavenly Father, we have such limited spiritual eyesight. And we thank You, Lord that nothing escapes Your view. We praise Your Name during times of waiting as well as times of revealed answered prayer. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

A spectacular event happened as Jesus was on the way to heal the daughter of Jarias that we find in Luke 8:43 – 48. It says, "As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. ‘Who touched me?’ Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.’ Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.’"

This woman had issues. She had a chronic bleeding disease that sapped her strength for twelve years, her finances were depleted, and she was socially and spiritually ostracized. Under the Levitical law (Leviticus 15:19), when a woman was menstrally bleeding, she was unclean for seven days. Anyone who touched her would also be unclean. She would be turned away from her family, her friends, the marketplace, and at the synagogue. No doubt, she was a hopeless, lonely, sick, and destitute person.

She heard that Jesus was coming through the area and faith leaped in her heart. Ignoring protocol, summing up her remaining strength, and persisting through the people who stood between her and her Healer, she touches Jesus and is healed of it all!

What would we do in her situation? It would be very easy to become so bitter against people and God that we are filled with hatred and self-pity, go out in the desert places and just die. She might have thought, "What do I care of Jesus is coming? He won’t help me. Nobody else has. Besides, it’s too hard. There are too many people and obstacles in my way." If she had chosen that stance, she would have missed the greatest blessing and miracle of her life. Do we allow bad attitudes keep us from achieving God’s will for us? This woman pressed through her many issues because she needed Jesus’ touch.

Both the crowd and this sick woman touched Jesus but in different ways. What the crowd was doing to Jesus was sunecho, which is to compress, compel, constrain, and arrest. Is that how we touch the Lord? Do we ever try to put Him in our preconceived boxes or tell Jesus how He should do things? Without intention, are we trying to make the Lord wear a straitjacket? That doesn’t work, you know. No wonder they all denied it when He asked, "Who touched me!"

This woman however did something different. What she did in the Greek is haptomahee, or to attach oneself to, adhere to, cling to. In spite of everything going against her, this desperate woman propelled herself through the obstacles with one goal – "I’ve got to touch Jesus." Her physical touch could have been light and brief, but her heart was clinging to the Savior.

When she touched Him, power was drawn from Him. This power or dunamis also includes ability, abundance, and strength. She not only received physical healing that day, but so much more. This woman received her health, spiritual standing, friends, and peace. The financial drain was stopped and best of all, she began a relationship with Jesus through faith in Him.

When we press toward Him undeterred by anything that would try to hinder us and cling to Jesus, then miracles happen and we are changed. The power of God is released as we come to Him with faith and willingness to do what it takes to reach Him. Let’s not try to get Jesus to conform or perform how we desire, rather let us hold fast to Him. God wants to mold us into His image. Remember He is the potter and we are the clay.

Heavenly Father, we need the touch of the Savior, Healer, Deliverer, Provider, and Friend – Jesus Christ. We determine in our hearts to not waiver when the going gets tough, but remind ourselves that one touch from You changes everything. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

In today’s society, it’s more important than ever to make a concentrated effort to build and nurture healthy, godly relationships. In the 1950’s, there was a strong sense of family and community. There were neighborhood families who visited each other regularly over coffee and the barbecue grill. Extended families lived and worked in the same area and helped raise each other’s children. Churches were filled with people whose ancestors worshipped in the same pews. But in the 21^st century, those days are only memories.

Today’s society is much more impersonal and isolated, which is ironic since through modern communication advances, we can know what’s happening across the globe within seconds and chat online with others around the world. It’s not unusual to have information overload yet not know your next door neighbor’s names.

This fact was brought home to me just this past year. My next door neighbor had been in ill health for years. I’d speak to them when I was out in the yard or checking my mail if I happened to see them outside, but rarely have I called their home just to chat. One particular morning I saw the wife puttering around the yard when I stepped outside. "How’s Mr. Lawson feeling today" I asked her. She gave me a peculiar look and replied, "He passed away six weeks ago!" I was grieved and horrified that I had been not only oblivious to what was happening around me, but failed to minister to my grieving neighbor in her time of need.

The importance of our relationships, particularly within the Christian community is quite clear in Scripture. Hebrews 10:23-25 says, "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

God made us to be social beings. We need each other, whether we believe that or not. It’s easy to withdraw from others and build walls if people have hurt or disappointed us. But that is not God’s will for His children. In the Garden of Eden, after God had created the heavens, earth, and everything in it, He created man and called it all good. Sin had not entered the world and Adam had unhindered fellowship with Almighty God. But even in this perfect place, the Lord said one thing was not good. Man was alone. He needed human relationships.

The Lord wants us to be cheerleaders for one another, or as the Word says, "spur one another on" in the things of God. Sometimes we are the one encouraging and at other times we are the ones in need. It takes time and perseverance as well as unconditional love to be successful at this task. Thank God, He equips us with everything we need to do what He asks of us. We are empowered by His Holy Spirit as believers to do the will of the Father. What He asks of us is obedience to that will.

In these days, the Church must arise and love one another in deed as well as in word. We live in an evil world that is becoming more estranged from each other by the day. God has called us to do exactly the opposite of that. We need daily encouraging, fellowship, and guidance from our Lord and from His people. When God looks on the earth and asks, "Whom shall I send," let our reply be this: "Here am I, Lord. Send me."

Heavenly Father, heal the wounded parts of our hearts from the pain of the past and help us open ourselves to others by Your Holy Spirit in true agape’ Christian love. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

There is a phrase in sociology called "self-fulfilling prophecy." This is when you believe and/or say something will (or won’t) occur which affects your behavior and attitude that results in it actually coming to pass. For example, if you believe you will never get the promotion at work you’d like, you will probably say something to that effect to others. Your actions will reflect what you believe, either consciously or unconsciously. That, in turn affects how others interact with you. As a result, you actually sabotage your likelihood of getting that advancement you were seeking. Conversely, if you have a can-do attitude, it will be reflected in your conduct and speech that will often result in achieving your goal.

The importance of our expectations, thoughts, and speech is expressed in the Scripture. Luke 6:45 says, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things," Philippians 4:8 tells us.

God is good and He loves us. That is such a simple and absolute truth, but sometimes people think the Lord is trying to trick them. The Lord is not some scowling, angry Being, sitting with a giant club to smack us over the heads at every mistake we make. He has good plans and purposes for believers. The bad things that happen are not "acts of God," but rather are a result of sin entering mankind through the enemy of our souls, Satan. We live in a fallen world that required the Savior, Jesus Christ as our Redeemer and Savior. Love for us was the motivation for God to send His Son to earth to pay the ultimate price for our sakes.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 promises us, " ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’ " The One who formed us in our mothers’ wombs also has a purpose for our lives. We don’t have to wander aimlessly through this existence before we reach Heaven.

Since these things are true, let us expect wonderful, positive things for our future. As we serve the Lord to the best of our ability, we can trust Him to direct our steps and lead us continually in His perfect will. Sometimes His will leads us on top of the mountain with the sun shining on our faces. Don’t we all love it when that happens?

Other times, He leads us into the desert and the wilderness. Just because we are Christians, we are not excluded from hard times. But we are promised that even through the valley of the shadow of death, our Lord will be right there with us, guiding us through the dark times. Our faith may be tested, but it is for our ultimate good that God allows it. Muscle is built through resistance and use. Spiritually, we grow the same way. The Lord desires to teach us and grow us up in Him and he uses trials to get us there. So the Bible is true when it says in Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Even what the Devil tries to use to harm us will be turned around to help us by God’s power. May we look for the good purposes and plans the Lord has in store for His people. Let us talk about how God is for us, not against us.

Heavenly Father, You are a good Parent who is taking care of us, Your children. We trust You and expect great things. In Jesus’ name, amen.

There was a man who had four very good friends. In fact, these buddies demonstrated perseverance, faith, and selfless love. What’s more, the man was severely handicapped with paralysis. How far would you or I go to help a friend?

In Mark 2, we read an account of how far four companions went to help out a friend. "…when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ‘Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, ‘Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….’ He said to the paralytic, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ HE got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’"

This man’s freedom from paralysis was so important to his friends, they took risks that cost them something. Think about it. I can almost hear them discussing between themselves, "If we can get our friend to Jesus, He will be able to help him." "Let’s do it! The Lord has healed others, He will do it for our buddy!" Can you imagine their frustration after carrying the paralytic from his house to where Jesus was only to find it impossible to reach Him? They must have known that Jesus was their friend’s only hope of being made whole. If they couldn’t reach Jesus, the paralyzed man would be condemned to motionless and utter dependence for the rest of his life. It was their love for their friend and faith in the Lord that moved them to extreme action.

It took creative and determined thinking to get him around that crowd. Working as a team, they dug a hole in the roof right in front of the Savior. This plan took time, planning, and teamwork on their part. The paralyzed man could do nothing but wait. He was totally bound inside his motionless body. "We’re getting closer to the Lord." "Just a few more minutes." I can almost see their excitement grow as sweat poured from their brows.

When they completed their task and their friend was lowered before Jesus, He saw their faith. Not only did He heal the man’s body, but He set the man free from his sins as well. In spite of skeptics or unbelievers, Jesus went above and beyond what these friends desired of Him.

Jesus is more than enough for all of our needs. He can make us completely whole. The paralytic was unable to reach the Lord by himself. But with the help of his friends, who helped bear his burdens, they all reached Jesus and experienced His miraculous power. The paralyzed man was liberated from sin and set free from illness. His independence came through Jesus, to the amazement of everyone around and the glory of Almighty God.

May we walk in the freedom that was bought for us by the blood of the Lamb. Let us be mindful of the price He paid for our healing and redemption. Our lives need to bring glory and honor to our Lord.

Heavenly Father, may we be vessels in Your Hands that glorify our Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.