Category: Bible Characters

  • Still Small Voice – Hearing God

    Moorecroft Regional Park

    An update for those who knew “Cowboy Joe”, the service will be  held at 1 PM, Tuesday, October 21, at Century Meadows Baptist in Camrose.

    One of the highlights of our recent visit to Vancouver Island was an unexpected jewel. We had never heard of Moorecroft Park (near Nanoose Bay) until we saw signs along the highway. 

    I almost drove by, but as we entered the intersection, I felt compelled to turn and head to the park. Another split second would have been too late, and we would have driven by.

    It was by far the most beautiful and peaceful of all the parks and places we visited. We watched a seal cavort in the crystal clear waters and enjoyed more seals outside the sheltered cove. The scenery off the point was stunning.

    Our visit there was refreshing in every way. Kathy and I repeatedly praised God for the beauty of the spot. I don’t doubt that the Holy Spirit called me to make that turn because I had every intention of passing it by.

    Sometimes, we need to take a break from the busyness or routine of our everyday lives. We need to allow ourselves the opportunity to refocus. Moorecroft Park allowed us to do just that.

    If I had ignored the compulsion to turn, we would still have seen beautiful sights. We would have had a great mini-holiday, but it would have been poorer. Often, we accept good when we could have far better with Him.

    The Holy Spirit often works that way. He is the still, small voice that whispers to us. We can carry on and ignore Him, but our lives are poorer for doing so. 

    When Elijah was depressed, defeated, and on the run, the Lord provided for Him. The Lord appeared to Him in the still small voice.

    There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 1 Kings 19:9-12

    We can miss the voice of God and the blessings by not paying attention. It’s true that God often appears in big ways. Jesus worked miracles and drew huge crowds. More often, though, His voice is quiet and intimate.

    He speaks in many ways. It can be through the Word, a sign or wonder, the words of a friend or pastor, or even a whisper. Are you listening?

    May God richly bless you.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

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  • Reading Paul’s Mail – A Taste of the Pauline Epistles

    a row of Canada Post community mailboxes

    I order some of my shirts online. I’d rather shop locally, but can  rarely find what I want, and if I do find it, the sizing is wrong or the pricing is outrageous.

    The one company delivers via the postal service, and I’m expecting a delivery, so I have been thinking about the mail recently.

    I do miss getting regular mail delivered to our door. Now we have a community mailbox, and 95% or more of what we get are flyers and the occasional bill. I’m old enough to remember when the post was the most common way of getting news and keeping in touch. Long-distance calls were made after 6 PM or on weekends and were still expensive, so you rarely phoned, sending a letter instead.

    The Apostle Paul was a prolific letter writer. He didn’t have the phone or the internet. Depending on which scholars you believe, Paul wrote between seven and thirteen of the New Testament epistles. I’m sure that he wrote many more that never made it into the canon of Scripture.

    Every one of his letters contains a corrective of some kind to the church. I’m certain that receiving his letters was a mixed blessing.

    This morning, I was reading and praying through his missive to the church in Rome. There is some powerful stuff in his epistle, starting from the opening lines.

    Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:1-7

    He opens by identifying himself. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.. Our culture is very sensitive about certain topics. The word servant here is doulos in the Greek, and it is sometimes translated as bondservant. What it really means is slave.

    Paul understood that he owed everything to Christ, and his life was dedicated to the Lord’s service. How many professing Christians today understand that truth?

    His task was “to bring about the obedience of faith.” That’s interesting wording and a mind-blowing concept.

    Coming to faith in Jesus is an act of obedience to God’s calling on our lives. We can debate the mechanics of how that occurs, but to reject God’s call is an act of willful rebellion, an act of incredible sin.

    Even our ability to move in that obedience is up to Him. The faith to respond is a gift.

    For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

    The Lord created us. He died in our stead. He calls us. He empowers us with the faith we need. All that we are and will be is because of His great love for us. 

    He did all that despite our broken and sinful nature, wandering hearts, and tendency to wander. What an incredible set of gifts He has given us.

    In reading his letters, we can see that Paul understood all that. By God’s grace, Paul was transformed from a hater of Jesus to a willing slave. How can we not follow his example to love and serve the one who has done it all? 

    Take some time today to offer praise and thanksgiving.

    Kevin

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