“Faith
for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly
delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some
things only learned in a fiery furnace.”— Oswald Chambers
George Washington Carver became one of the most honored and
respected scientists of his generation by focusing on the very simple peanut.
Eventually he would discover some three hundred uses for this most basic and
seemingly insignificant common food. Carver attributed all of his scientific
discoveries to God.
A recently licensed
pilot was flying his private plane in a cloudy day. He was not very experienced
in instrument landing. When the control tower was to bring him in, he began to
get panicky. Then a stern voice came over the radio, “You just obey
instructions, we’ll take care of the obstructions.”
The American Atheists organization paid $20,000 for a billboard near the Lincoln Tunnel in North Bergen, New Jersey. The sign had a silhouette of Three Wise Men approaching a nativity. The words, “You KNOW it’s a Myth. This Season, Celebrate REASON!” were printed in bold. The billboard was meant to encourage atheists to quit celebrating Christmas, and to attack the “myth” that Christianity owns the solstice season.
“I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or
else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or
else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be
satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine
revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at
best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much.”—Charles Spurgeon
“To look at the window . . .as I did that first day . . . to look out at
this kind of creation and not believe in God is to me impossible.”—John Glenn, speaking about his view of the Earth from the space shuttle
Discovery
Samuel Brengle was a worker with the Salvation Army in Boston many years
ago. As he passed by a saloon, some men threw a brick at his head. Their aim
was good, and Brengle nearly died. As it was, he spent eighteen months in
recovery. During that time he wrote a little book entitled Helps to Holiness.
Thousands of copies were published.
One of the most destructive weeds that crop farmers must deal
with is the Canadian thistle. It has an extensive root system that makes it
extremely difficult to eradicate once it is established. The root structure can
reach a depth of fifteen feet, and the roots can also spread out the same
distance horizontally. These prolific roots crowd out the plants. Just twenty
thistles in one square mile of field can reduce barley yield by a third or
alfalfa yield by one half! Canadian thistle is also very damaging to feed
crops, as livestock will not graze near it.
The story is told about a little boy who had been invited to a friend’s
birthday party. He was so excited and started counting the days until the
party. But the morning of the party he was devastated when he found that a
blizzard had struck their little town. The snow was falling in wet, heavy
flakes, and the wind was howling. “I don’t think you should go to the
party,” his father said. The little boy was so disappointed.
Famed World War II tank commander General George Patton said,
“Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.” If you give in to your fears, you
are on the path to defeat. If instead you stand strong in spite of your fears,
you are on the path to victory. And we must never forget that we are not in the
battle alone. With the power of God on our side, we cannot be defeated.
Amy Carmichael, missionary to India wrote, “Blessed are the
single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace…If you refuse to be hurried and
pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness
of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you know what His will
is.”
Some time ago I came across this “message from God” that shows
His love and concern for you and I so beautifully:
My Precious Child,
I am in control. I am sovereign. I am able to make things happen the way I want
them to go. Yes, I allow you to make your own choices. And I know you don’t
fully understand how these ideas can operate side by side. But I’m able to work
within and around the choices you make to cause My ultimate purposes to succeed.
For this, you must trust Me. Ask Me about your choices and plans. My wisdom is
yours if you’ll ask.
The story is told of artist Paul Gustave Dore who was traveling in Europe
when he faced a predicament. He reached a border crossing and discovered that
he had misplaced his passport. Without his papers, the officer wouldn’t allow
Dore to pass. Finally, Dore was given a test to prove his identity. The
official gave him a piece of paper and a pencil and requested he draw a group
of nearby peasants. Dore did so with such ease that the official was convinced
he was indeed the famed artist.
The story is told about the father of a vacationing family who came
across a large sign that read, “Road Closed. Do Not Enter.” The man proceeded
around the sign because he was confident it would save them time. His wife was
resistant to the adventure, but there was no turning back for this persistent
road warrior. After a few miles of successful navigation, he began to boast
about his gift of discernment. His proud smile was quickly replaced with humble
sweat when the road led to a washed-out bridge. He turned the car around and
retraced his tracks to the main road.
Arabian horses are trained rigorously in the middle eastern deserts. The horses must learn
to fully obey their master. This obedience is tested by depriving the horses of
water for many days and then turning them loose near water. As the horses get
to the edge of the water, and just before they drink of the much needed water.
The trainer blows his whistle. If the horses have learned to obey they turn
around and come back to the trainer who then gives them as much water as they need.
Mendelssohn once visited
the cathedral at Fribourg, and having heard the great organ, went into the
organ loft and asked to be allowed to play it. The old organist, in jealousy
for his instrument, at first refused, but was afterward prevailed on to allow
the great German composer to try the colossal “thunderer” of the cathedral. After standing by in an ecstasy of delight and amazement for a few moments, he
suddenly laid his hands on the shoulders of the musician and exclaimed: “Who
are you? What is your name?”
During
a time of great drought, the Scottish preacher Dr. Guthrie prayed for rain in
the morning service. As he went to church in the afternoon, his daughter, Mary,
said, “Here is the umbrella, Papa.”
“What
do we need it for,” he asked.
“You
prayed for rain this morning, and don’t you expect God will send it?”
They carried the
umbrella, and when they came home they were glad to take shelter under it from
the drenching storm.
If
our faith be worth anything, it will stand the test. Gilt is afraid of fire,
but gold is not: the paste gem dreads to be touched by the diamond, but the
true jewel fears no test. It is a poor faith which can only trust God when
friends are true, the body full of health, and the business profitable; but
that is true faith which holds by the Lord’s faithfulness when friends are
gone, when the body is sick, when spirits are depressed, and the light of our
Father’s countenance is hidden.
When evangelist Gypsy Smith got saved, an elderly gentleman
explained to him the importance of trusting Christ alone. Gypsy Smith replied, “I
cannot trust myself, for I am nothing; and I cannot trust in what I have, for I
have nothing; and I cannot trust in what I know, for I know nothing.” The only thing left for him to trust in was Jesus Christ.
Source:
Gypsy Smith, His Life and Work;
Rodney Smith
Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College
