Healing the Wounded Spirit

 People get abused. People get bullied. People get wounded in their spirit. You cannot see it like a wound in the flesh where you can see a cut or bullet wound. The wounded spirit is invisible. The wounds are just as real. Gaping wounded hearts have been slashed, cut, stomped, and beat up by bullies and other wicked people. Many suffered these wounds in grade school and carry the wounded spirit far into adulthood. They suffer from poor self esteem and trust issues. 

I know. I was sexually abused by multiple people in my extended family as well as a neighbor when I was too young to understand or defend myself. Once I got whipped with a bullwhip by an alcoholic uncle. The psychological scars lasted longer than the physical ones. I carried, and to some extent, still carry those wounds inside. 

People with wounded spirits often suffer in silence. They rarely talk about their wounds and become convinced nobody really cares anyway. People watch bullying take place and many do nothing to stop it. Authority figures turn a blind eye. The subtle message is nobody has the compassion or courage to defend the helpless. Where are those who will put a stop to the pain being inflicted on helpless victims. 

For my part, Jesus healed, and is still healing, my wounded spirit. I am thankful He loves the outcasts and the underdogs. I am grateful He has courage and compassion to enter into the pain and bring healing to wounded spirits. His word declares that God is near to those brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.[Ps 34:18]. Jesus knows that all people were created in His image. [Gen 1:26-27] He gives people intrinsic worth. He stands up to the bullies and abusers. They do not get away their heinous acts. They will pay for them in eternity if not down here on earth. [Gal 6:7-8]

I plead with all the wounded spirits to go to Jesus to find healing and hope you so desperately need. I also urge you to open up to someone you trust. You may feel like a victim today, but through Jesus you can experience victory. You also can stand up for others wounded in spirit with courage and compassion showing the way to help and hope. 

He Lived

 In 1879, the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote a note about George Whitfield, who evangelized England and the American Colonies in the 1700's. Spurgeon wrote, " HE LIVED. Other men seem to be only half-alive;, but Whitfield was all life, fire, wing, and force." How many of us are only half-alive? How many meander through their days without passion or purpose? Many people go through the motions every day. It is like they sleep walk through their lives. Robotic in routine. Passionless and purposeless. 

On the other hand, there are people who live like George Whitfield. The man was a fireball for God. He preached himself to an early grave proclaiming Jesus multiple times a day. He gave little thought to taking care of his body. He was consumed with a mission to win as many people to Christ as possible. Even when doctors advised him to slow down he refused. He did not just live. He lived for the Lord Jesus. He lived a life that had impact. He left a large influence on his times and on all who read about him. HE LIVED. 

The Apostle Paul was another person who really lived. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he penned my favorite verse. "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." [Phil 1:21] That sums it all up. While we have breath in our lungs we should live for and in Christ. We surrender ourselves to Him. We yield ourselves as vessels in His hands. We live with eternity in mind purposefully on mission for Him. That is living. We should long to live life to the fullest. To make the most use of the time we have, the gifts and abilities given to us, and live until the very end. 

That kind of living is much more than clocking in and clocking out on a joy that pays the bills but is not enjoyed. To really live is more than being stuck in a loveless marriage. It is more than dutiful enduring worship services. More than changing diapers and shuttling kids from one activity to the next. It is living with God fueled passion and God ordained purpose. 

When people think about you, do they have the same thoughts that Spurgeon had for Whitfield. We should make it our aim to really live while we are alive. To be fully present and engaged in whatever we are doing. Like me right now locked in getting these thoughts into print. I have no idea how few or many will read it. I do not know if it will resonate with anyone. I feel alive when I write and preach. I know in those moments I was born to do those things. Preaching and writing make me feel alive. There are people who have never discovered the purpose God created them to fulfill. When they do, they will come alive. 

May God help learn to live and not exist. May He help us to make our days count. As the Psalmist wrote in [Ps 90:12], "So teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom." We only get so many allotted days. We only get so many trips around the sun. While we have this gift we call life let us LIVE! Jonathan Edwards famously made a list of 70 resolutions to live by. One of his was to live with all his might while he did live. We are surrounded by people who are just trying to survive life. Others just to endure life. Where are the people who squeeze everything they can get out of life? Who use their days productively for God to do more with less abilities and resources than others. May it be said of each of us at our funeral or memorial service, "They lived. They lived life to the fullest."

The Tunnel of Tribulation

 Life is made up of different seasons. There are joyous occasions to celebrate like a first date, a first kiss, a wedding, the birth of a child, the blessing of grandchildren, and other milestone moments. People gather. They have wide smiles spread across their faces. Most people are overjoyed on such occasions. 

On the other hand, there are long stretches of life we call the tunnel of tribulation. I refer to it as a tunnel because it is long and dark. You can't see the light at the end of the tunnel when you enter or even when you are in the middle of it. It is disorienting. It is not pleasant. The one thing you want is to get through the tunnel of tribulation as fast as possible. Sometimes this season lasts much longer than we desire. 

We've all endured this tunnel of tribulation at times. It may come in the form of death of an aging parent or even the premature death of a child. It may involve navigating the turbulent adolescent years with a child. It could involve one financial set back after another. It could also include working through a wounded spirit due to abuse or bullying. This may also be a season of declining health. The tunnel of tribulation could involve numerous situations. 

We should not be surprised. Jesus told us we would experience such tribulations. He told us in Jn 16:33 that we would have tribulation in this world. In Him, we can find peace to endure it and find courage because He has overcome the world. Peter wrote in I Peter 4:12-13 that we should not be surprised at the fiery ordeals we faced that test us, and to remember that people all over the world face tribulations. It is part of the human experience. 

We can get bitter. Many choose this option. They grow bitter toward  God, family, friends, and coworkers. These are unpleasant people to be around. They have a doom and gloom attitude about everything and everyone. You can also choose the option of faith. To trust God to get you through the tunnel of tribulation to better days. This is perfectly illustrated after God delivered Israel through the parting of the Red Sea, they came to a place called Mara in the desert. The only body of water in the place was so bitter they could not drink it. They complained to Moses and grumbled against God. God instructed Moses to throw a tree into the water to make it drinkable. Right after this God led Israel to Elim. There were 12 springs of water and 70 date Palm trees to find shelter. The Mara season did end and the season of Elim came. Ex 15:22-27

Some of you are in Mara. It is the tunnel of tribulation. By faith believe that Elim is also coming. We endure Mara to get to Elim. The tunnel of tribulation does not last forever. You never know when your season of Elim will come around the next bend.   

7 Days to 7 Minutes

 A lady revealed yesterday in our Bible study class that she is looking for another vehicle. I shared our story about the two vehicles in the last month through God's provision. I told her what God did for us I knew He could also do for her. I then asked if she was wanted it debt free. She said that would be nice, but she had about $7,000 set aside to purchase one. We stopped teaching and prayed for God to help this lady get a new vehicle. 

I told her after the prayer that I am going to ask God to provide for her in the next seven days. That is when a second lady spoke up, "I have your car." They talked about some details while we all listened. I slammed my fists on the table and shouted, "Look at God!" That is when the lady with the car commented, "You said seven days, but God may have done it in seven minutes." I knew I had to write about that incident. 

I love it when God answers in seven minutes and not seven days. I have lived long enough and walked with God long enough to know that sometimes the answers to our prayers do not come in seven days, nor seven weeks, nor seven months. Sometimes God's delays may take years. That does not mean that He does not hear the first time. It does not mean that He does not care. There are all sorts of factors involved in God's timing. The point is He is faithful and loving. 

So loving in fact that at times He says no to the things we request of Him. I am very thankful for the times He says yes. I've also learned to be thankful when He denies my request because He knows what is best. There are so many prayer denials that I can look back in hindsight and see the handiwork of God. He saved me from some wrong choices. It is best to trust God's guidance and His timing when it comes to answered prayers. 

There are times when He chooses to answer quickly. Yesterday was a surprise. To see God go to work that quickly for several people to witness excited us. It was a boost to our faith. The lady had need of a car. Her car is no longer safe to operate. She lives out in the country and needs dependable transportation. Her resources are limited. God saw her need. He heard her petitions. His resources are unlimited. According to Ps 24:1 and Ps 50:10 the whole earth belongs to the Lord and everything in it. He already had possession of her car. It was just a matter of time for Jehovah Jireh to transfer that vehicle into her possession. LOOK AT GOD!

One Third

God did it again. I've asked and believed God for six vehicles without any debt for my family for the past two years. God did the first one when a family gave Brenda a 2013 Ford Edge. She still cries driving it to work in thankfulness to God for His provision. We still rejoice that God did it again. He came through in answer to prayer to meet a need in our lives. 

God did it again today. A couple made us a deal on a 2013 Nissan Armada where we could afford the vehicle without going into debt. He provided again. One third of the six vehicle miracle has been performed. Why would I doubt Him to perform the other two thirds of this miracle. I have sons still in school driving dilapidated vehicles with no ability to afford to get a new one. Two of the other sons are established in their careers, one without a vehicle, and the other with a worn out one. I ask God for His provision so neither son has to go into debt on transportation. I also ask and believe for six vehicles because it gives God more glory. This is my first chance to glorify God once the vehicle was transferred into my possession. I praise Him. I give Him all the glory. He did  it again. 

I had planned to get my vehicle last after God supplied all the others. I had to put my 2004 Yukon in the shop. They told me the engine could not be repaired and I needed a whole new engine along with other issues. That forced me to need a vehicle quicker than I anticipated. God anticipated it and met the need. I am humbled by the power of God. Humbled by His faithfulness. Humbled by His ability to do anything. Truly nothing is impossible with Him. 

God has already provided two vehicles. According to Ps 24:1 the whole earth and everything in it belongs to Him. Including four additional vehicles. He has access to each of them. When it pleases Him and glorifies Him the most, I believe He will transfer those four vehicles into our possession. I am ready and willing to testify of God's faithfulness for each of those like I am doing for the first two. 

I recall one of the first times I told anyone I was praying for six vehicles with no debt. People were skeptical. If I had the money to pay cash for the vehicles, I would not even bother God except to seek direction for which to purchase. I committed to God to not go into debt for vehicles anymore. So we ask and trust. This means a lot of waiting. On days like today, it is exhilarating. It enlarges my platform to brag on God. It allows me to tell what great things He has done for us. What He has done and continues to do for the Edwards He can do for any of you. One third down. Two thirds to go. 

Where Did You Lose It

 Where did you lose it? I'm not referring to some lost item you have not been able to locate for some time. I am referring to your passion and love for God. Where did you lose it? Did you willfully choose to disobey God? Can you go back in your memory to a specific instance where you pulled a Jonah refusing to obey? Many have done this in the past. 

You know when you lose your first love. You find yourself numb from His presence.  Your heart hardens. You may do the same things you did before such as pray, read your Bible, and gather for corporate worship only something is missing. It feels like you are just going through the motions. Doing the routine like rituals instead of pursuing a loving relationship with the Lord. Can you go back in your mind to a sinful choice that started the slow drift away from Him? 

Maybe you got hurt. You may even blame God for the pain. You question why He did not protect you. Some go so far as to blame God for inflicting the pain. You have never been the same. You carry a deep seeded bitter grudge against God or someone else. It has hindered your love for God going on years. 

Many people pack the pews on Sundays who lost their first love. They act like everything is the same on the outside as they go through external motions. It is the inside that becomes callused. Cold. We are living in a Laodicean church age with lukewarm believers justifying their condition. They are not cold. They may not be hot either. They exist somewhere in the middle. Such living makes Jesus want to vomit. It is a hard word, but one that is needed. Lukewarm living makes Jesus sick to His stomach. [Rev 3:15-16] 

If we want to be restored to our first love, we have to discern where we lost it. Some lost it in a never ending cycle of busyness. Some of that busyness might even be for God. We can stay so busy doing things for God that we miss spending time with God. Is that where you lost your first love? 

 [Rev 2:4-5] The Laodiceans were commended for doing many things well. They worked hard and persevered through trials. They endured for the sake of the name of Jesus. For all the good, Jesus had one thing against them. They left their first love. He called them to repent and remember from where they had fallen. Can you recall times in your walk with the Lord when you loved Him more, had more passion to serve Him, and were closer to Him. We are all called to remember those times and to repent going back to what we did when He was our first love. 

He is supposed to be first in importance. First in priority. The supreme love of our lives. Our highest ranking love. He deserves our greatest affection, our most passionate pursuit, and our highest priority. To fail here is to fail at the very heart of our relationship with Him. The masses show up and offer shallow worship, ritualistic prayers, apathetic attitudes toward His word, and petrified hearts to His moving. 

It's time to go back to where we lost it. It is time for repentance. It is time for renewal and restoration of that relationship with our Savior. Pleading with Him to return our desire for Him to be our first love. It is time to adjust our lives accordingly. It is time to come back to our first love putting Jesus in His rightful place. 

Who Is God

 By listening to some people talk you would think God had a last name as in the word damn, short for damnation. Who is God? Is He one of many gods. A search on the computer reveals historically there have been over 18,000 gods. Get this straight. There may be 18,000 little "g" gods. There is only one God! He called Himself "I am that I am" in Exodus 3:14. He is self existent. He is self sustaining. Put another way, that simply means He was not created. He has always been. 

In I Timothy 1:17, God is described in several ways. First, He is a King. Not just a king. He is the King. A divine and sovereign ruler over the affairs of the universe. People are subject to Him. He is the ultimate authority in the universe. Many refuse to believe that. Many deny that He even exists. He has outlived and outlasted all of them. He will do the same with current skeptics. 

Next, He is eternal. That is hard to wrap our finite minds around. We live in the limitation of time. We have a date of origin and will have a date of expiration. God has neither. He has always existed. He will never die. He does not age. He is not an old grandfatherly deity decrepit and too feeble to work wonders. He is as vibrant, strong, omniscient, as He has ever been. 

He is immortal. That means He is imperishable and incorruptible. God does not age. He is not weakened with the passing of time. He is not slipping mentally. He cannot be destroyed. He is not challenged. He has no rivals. He stands alone as the supreme deity.  Unequaled. Incomparable. Exclusive. Distinguished. 

He is all the above and invisible. He is unseen. His works are visible. He is not. In fact, nobody can see God and live. That is what God told Moses in Exodus 33:18 when Moses asked to see God's glory. God responded that nobody could see Him and live. He put Moses in the cleft of a rock and let Moses see the backside of His glory. Moses face radiated with glory a long time afterward. 

Even saying all of that does not scratch the surface. God is like an iceberg plunging deeper than we can see. He is like a mountain that no person can ever climb to the summit. He is wiser than we can comprehend. Greater than we know. He is therefore to be honored. That means He is to be valued and respected. The masses give Him no value nor do they consider Him worthy of any respect.  He will have the last word and people will honor and respect Him in the end. 

We are to glory in Him. The word glory means to praise in approval. We have the choice to glory in Him voluntarily now. The day will come when people will do it involuntarily. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. He will not be toppled ever. He will not be outlasted. He will stand uncontested as the only God through the ages forever. That is just a small sampling of who God is. 

A Deeper Commitment

 The older I get and the longer I've followed Jesus, I find myself longing for a deeper commitment to Him. To not be satisfied with past experiences or my current level of devotion. I know there is always room for improvement. There is closer communion with Jesus possible. There are new heights to discover and deeper depths to explore. There is more. 

I want to know Him more. Our youngest son, Turner, who is studying to be a youth minister and a psychologist, recently asked me if I could ask God for one thing what would it be. I did not hesitate to answer. This has been a matter of prayer for a long time. I want to know Him more and hear Him more clearly. N\I don't content to settle for what He can do for me. I want to know Him more. I want draw closer. I do not want to settle to know more about Him. Many Christians do that. They settle for gaining information. I want a closer relationship. I know that cannot happen without spending more time alone in His presence. To prefer His company over the company of the crowds. That is why one of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 63:8 in the King James Version. "My soul followeth hard after Thee O God." Following hard is more than a verse. It is an attitude of life. To be in constant pursuit of God to know Him more. Paul wrote that we should strive to know God in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings in Phil 3:10.

Another sign of a deeper commitment is to please Jesus more. Put another way, that simply means to obey Him more. To do the things He commands us to do. Like tell others about Him. I just walked out of a meeting with two ladies from a volunteer organization who will be using our facilities in the near future. I will probably never see these two ladies again since they are front people for the volunteer group, and will not actually be a part of the team that comes. After our business ended, I asked them both where they would spend eternity, and talked about Jesus' death on the cross taking the place for our punishment. I did not put them on the spot for a decision. I did please Jesus by spreading His good news. I wish I always did that. I missed an opportunity with a lady at Sonic earlier this morning. I don't always please the Lord. Many times I fail and must come back to Him in repentance. It is my desire to please Him more and more in all areas of my life. To strive to submit and be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live in holiness. I Pet 1:15-16

Another way to show deeper commitment is to glorify the Lord more. In John 15:7-8, Jesus told us one way we glorify Him is to bear abundant fruit. In Matthew 5:16, He also instructed that we can glorify Him by doing good works. That is my desire. To glorify Him when I preach, teach, write, and serve. Not trying to draw attention to myself. Not seeking to be honored. Deflecting accolades and attention to Him. I coached football, basketball, and baseball to glorify God. I wrote books and numerous blogs to help people and glorify Him. I desire to glorify Him by the way I endure trials and suffering. I want to glorify Him by answers to prayer when I get to testify to brag on Him. He gets the glory when we baptize someone. He is glorified through a sermon or gospel witness, He deserves all the glory. It is all about Him. Not about us. 

We can show deeper devotion to our God and His Son Jesus Christ by constantly striving to know Him more. Our commitment is demonstrated and we continually discipline ourselves to please Him more. He is most pleased when we deflect any person glory and deflect it all onto Him. 

Fellowship of the Burning Heart

 Jesus appeared to two people walking on the Emmaus road in Luke 24. They did not recognize Him at first. It was only after He broke bread and gave it to them that their eyes were opened to understand the risen Jesus was in their presence. Immediately Jesus disappeared. The two made a curious statement in [Luke 24:32]. They commented, "Were our hearts not burning within us while He was speaking to us."

The year was 1947 and renowned teacher, Henrietta Mears, taught at a retreat where several young men and women were in attendance. Several would later play prominent roles in ministry endeavors. Among them was Bill Bright, who founded Campus Crusade for Christ, and Richard Halverson, who later became Chaplain of the U.S. Senate. That night Mears challenged the young men and women to fully commit themselves to the cause of Christ, and to be expendable for Christ. A few of those students went silently to a study room to pray. 

Those students and Mears wrote out a contract and signed it to remember their decision to fully commit to the Lord that night. They pledged to maintain devotions through prayer and Bible study for the remainder of their lives. They pledged self denial and to live disciplined lives for the Lord. They also pledged to holy living. Lastly, they pledged to witness for Jesus and to bring at least one person to salvation every twelves months. They identified themselves as the Fellowship of Burning Hearts. 

The famous preacher and author A.W. Tozer also wrote about the Fellowship of Burning Hearts. He identified those included in this fellowship as those who loved Jesus Christ. Not just a casual love. To love Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. [Matt 22:38]  He wrote that those in the fellowship would love Jesus and enjoy the worship of Him so much that they would not have to be entertained in worship services. Tozer continued that for those in this fellowship Jesus was their everything. Their all in all. People in the fellowship would abandon themselves to the pursuit of Jesus. They would also be unashamed to testify for Jesus to those who did not know Him. 

The fellowship of burning blazing hearts was formed informally over seven decades ago. Some have joined this fellowship over those years. Most have never even heard of it. Do the things Mears and Tozer wrote about describe your relationship with Jesus? Or do you find yourself a member of the fraternal order of lukewarm living? 

You cannot passionately pursue Jesus and not have Him set your heart ablaze. It is impossible to live in Laodicean lukewarmness when you spend time in the presence of the foremost burning heart of all time in Jesus Christ. Will you abandon yourself to Him? Will you pursue Him relentlessly as Mears and Tozer did? Tozer even wrote a classic book titled, The Pursuit of God. I long to be a part of this fellowship of burning hearts. Never satisfied but always hungering for more of Him. Unashamed to testify about Him. Seeking to burn more and more in His presence. Contented in Jesus and not needing nor even desiring to be entertained as a cheap substitute for substantive and soul satisfying worship. O Lord, let me burn for you so hotly and brightly that others are attracted to the flame and set ablaze as well.   

Holy Ambition

 From as far back as I can remember I had ambition. I used to sit in elementary classes practicing my autograph because I had ambition to be a professional athlete. I worked out in my junior high and high school years alone in the hottest part of the summers to excel in sports. I pushed my body and mind through ambition to succeed so I could play college football. 

When Jesus saved me, He did not take away my ambition. He redirected that ambition. It became a holy ambition, or at least it started out that way. I never dreamed I would become a pastor and preacher. In my early years in ministry, my ambition was to lead the biggest youth group in town. I worked relentlessly sharing my faith with students and saw dozens and dozens get gloriously saved. God grew that youth group. We saw multiple rows of pews filled with teenagers on Sunday mornings. We were big and influential. 

I left that ministry to become a pastor. My ambition to see the church grow intensified. We did grow in that first church. We doubled in size. It was during this season that God had to refine my ambition. I wanted the growth because I wanted the accolades. We won the award for the fasted growing church in our area one year. It was hollow. Between when we turned in our attendance statistics and the time I received the award our church split. Over the next few years attendance dwindled dismally. I cut my salary voluntarily several times. We met outside in the warmer weather on Sunday evenings because we could not afford to run the air conditioning all day on Sundays. I did not tell the church that, but they probably knew it. 

Over and over again I kept that ambition to see churches grow. To baptize more people. To see attendance increase. Always ambition for more. I struggled with contentment. Instead I chased ambitious success. God had to refine that ambition. I encountered systematic failure over and over again. Failed church plants. Decreasing attendance. Relocations. Only to experience more failure. 

It took decades for God to get me to a place of real holy ambition. To become kingdom of God minded. To reset my mind to not ambitiously focus on building my kingdom. Matt 6:33 exhorts us to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first. Paul challenged us to learn to be content in all circumstances in Phil 4:10-12. Holy ambition means to let God set the parameters of our ambition. I am still driven and focused. Still forward focused. Still ambitious. I set a goal this year to lead a minimum of 12 people to Christ. I ambitiously set a goal to baptize 100 people this year. I have never even seen 50 people baptized in my ministry. Only God can do that. Here is the difference than in my early ministry. I wanted to grow and baptize people because it was biblical, but I also wanted the recognition. 

Today, I shun the recognition. I want to glorify God. I got an email last week from the editor of a denominational magazine wanting to do an article on our church. I prayed over it and did not feel a peace about it. I want to guard against pride or ever stealing glory from God. I prefer to do my work with ambition, but behind the scenes where only God sees. I don't want to be in the spotlight. The only recognition I desire is from God. He will reward in eternity. I do not desire the accolades and my pride certainly does not need it. God gets the glory for 100 baptisms. My name or even the name of our church is not the focus. God saving people is all about His glory. It is all about Him. John the Baptist put it perfectly when he said in John 3:30, "He must increase and I must decrease." That is holy ambition. 

A Thousand Compensations

 I have served smaller churches most of my ministry. I have never had retirement set up as part of a salary packages. I will have to work as long as I am physically and mentally able to do so. No problem because I love my work. Small churches mean small salaries. On more than one occasion I have worked bi-vocationally. I am here to say emphatically that God makes up the difference. God's provision for pastors come in a thousand compensations. 

I heard that last statement today listening to a pastor speak on a podcast. God provides for pastors in a thousand compensations. Brenda and I have seen that repeatedly over the past three decades. It may bore you, but I am going to make a list of things God provided for us. Vacuum cleaner. Beds. Chest of drawers. Chairs. Dining table. 9 vehicles. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. Televisions. Bags of groceries. Tuition payments for school. Tanks of gasoline. Suits. Ties. I could d go on and on. God makes up the difference when there is lack. 

God proves Himself faithful to His people over and over again. He also does this for His pastors in unique ways. Many congregations are not able to adequately compensate their pastor. Some just choose not to do so even though they have adequate resources. It doesn't matter. God is able to make up the difference. His storehouse is amply supplied. He never runs out of resources. According to Ps 24:1 the whole earth is His and everything in it. Ps 50:10 is a reminder that our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He can meet any need. He knows every address for His people. He can get His provision to those who need it most. 

In I Kings 17, God used ravens to provide for His prophet Elijah. Night and day God commanded the flight of the ravens to deliver meat to His servant. How out of the ordinary. Miraculous. He is able to do those kind of things even to this day. I experienced it again this morning. 

My time with the Lord this morning landed in I Kings 17. My faith was lagging. My vehicle had multiple mechanical issues. I planned to take it to a mechanic and dreaded the diagnosis. Before the morning was over, I experienced God answering another prayer of provision. Provision in answer to something I've prayed for at least two years. I was offered to buy a vehicle that we can afford without going into debt. The offer left me speechless. I certainly prayed for God's provision of vehicles. I just never saw the means by which He would make that provision. Just another reminder that in my life God has a thousand compensations besides my salary. It is humbling, astonishing, and cause for rejoicing. He did it again. 

I asked God for six vehicles without any debt. I did not ask Him for brand new vehicles. I asked Him for debt free vehicles. God has provided two of the six in the last month. If He can do that, and He has, I trust that He can certainly provide the other four in His way and in His timing in a thousand compensations. To my God be the glory.