Out of the Ordinary

"Isaac pleaded with the LORD on behalf of his wife,

because she was unable to have children.

The LORD answered Isaac's prayer,

and Rebekah became pregnant with twins.

But the two children struggled with each other in her womb.

So she went to ask the LORD about it.

'Why is this happening to me?' she asked.

And the LORD told her,

'The sons in your womb will become two nations.

From the very beginning,

the two nations will be rivals.

One nation will be stronger than the other;

and the older son will serve your younger son.'"

Genesis 25:21-23 NLT

The mockingbird landed on the fern that swung gracefully in the springtime breeze where it hung on my family's front porch.  Spotting the unusual happening through my front window, I perked up.  "Lord," I prayed as I watched the scene unfold before me,  "I've never seen that kind of bird land in our ferns; it's usually the finches that come calling.  What does this mean?"

Soon, I received the sense that something was not right.  As the day wore on, God revealed to me the meaning of the rare sighting:  The mockingbird was targeting the eggs the finches had laid in a carefully-made nest snuggled in the center of the hanging plant.  The Lord was using this scene to warn me that the children in our afterschool program were in some kind of jeopardy.  

As the kids arrived later that day, I saw the threat:  the neighbor's brother who always seemed to be watching our home while he smoked on the porch, openly frolicked with his girlfriend while the rest of the family was away at work and school, and seemed to be generally up to no good was talking to one of the kids as they passed by his house on the way to ours.  Feeling a sense of foreboding, I later talked to my neighbor about the antics of her brother, and soon he was packing up his belongings and moving on.  God had used the sign to alert me to the threat this man posed.

When things happen that are out of the ordinary, it is wise to go to God for enlightenment.

Lesson

I arrived right on time for my weekly Bible study at my friend Karen's home.  Not seeing my usual greeter, their energetic Boxer-Pit Bull mix, I wondered if Buddy might be tied up in the back yard.  Distracted by my thoughts, I opened the door and was surprised by a set of muddy paws scrambling up into my Yukon.  "Buddy, you're all muddy!"  I exclaimed, the anxious tone in my voice only serving to heighten the animal's energy level.  "Sit!"  I ordered in my sternest voice.  My command only seemed to add to his excitement at my presence.  I carefully exited my vehicle and he proceeded to anoint me with mud.  I finally made it to the top of the stairs where I climbed behind the railing erected to keep him off the porch. Just then, my friend opened the door and came out on the porch, "Hi, Cindy!  Oh, what happened?"

After cleaning up, we talked about the incident.  "Usually, Buddy does not act this way.  All the other times I've come to visit, he waits for me to get out of the car before he greets me, and he never jumps up on me."

As we sought the Lord's guidance, He showed us the kingdom lesson found in the muddy Buddy incident;  We often leave the door open for Satan's work in our lives, many times without even realizing it.  Letting anger fester, for instance, gives Satan a foothold in my life, and withholding forgiveness also makes me vulnerable to his destructive work.  (Ephesians 4:27, 2 Corinthians 2:11)  Instead of staying alert and keeping submitted to the Lord, I easily fall into temptation before I even know what is happening, just like I unknowingly opened the door to a waiting muddy dog. (1 Peter 5:8,James 4:7)

Just as God used the unusual incident of the dog jumping into my truck as a sign to teach my friend and I an important lesson about His kingdom, He uses all kinds of things around me to enlighten me about Him and His kingdom ways. (Romans 1:20)  The only questions is this:  Am I paying attention?

Out of the ordinary circumstances can be used by God to teach me kingdom lessons.

Prophecy

Her abdomen erupted as if there was a battle taking place within her womb.  Sleep was nearly impossible since there was near-constant movement within.  I didn't know bearing children would be so disruptive to my normal life!  I can scarcely get anything done with all the commotion occurring within my belly.

Instead of going to a doctor or consulting the older, more experienced women, Rebekah went to the Lord for an explanation.  While a human may have given her a physical reason for her unusual pregnancy, the Lord gave her a prophecy concerning her condition:  There were two rival nations represented by the twins within her womb. (Genesis 25:21-23)

While it has been said by some that God does not give prophecies any more, I tend to disagree.  God's character is unchanging.  Even though I have the benefit of His indwelling Spirit, He is still free to give me a heads up about what is to come using any means necessary. (Acts 2:17-18) Sometimes, like the previously mentioned mockingbird in the fern, He alerts me to a future event using unusual events happening in my life.

Out of the ordinary circumstances can be used by God to warn of upcoming happenings or to reveal what is yet to come.

Understanding

He set off down the road riding his trusty donkey.  Soon, however, the animal seemed to turn against him, veering off into a field.  "What is wrong with you?  Get back onto the road!"  The angry man cried as he beat his beast.

Soon he found himself on a stretch of road between two walls.  Suddenly, his donkey pressed up against the wall, crushing his foot.  "Arrrgggg!  What has gotten into you?  I think you broke my foot!"  he raged as he liberally used his cane upon the beast's back.

The final straw was placed when the donkey simply laid down in the middle of a narrow lane.  "That's it!  I'm gonna kill you!"  No sooner had the words left his mouth than the animal began to speak to him.  "What have I ever done to you that you would treat me so cruelly?"

"You made me look like an idiot!  If I had a sword, I'd have stabbed you dead on the spot!"

"Have I ever done anything like this in all the years I have served you?"

The man's anger subsided and he said, "No."

Then he could see what the donkey had perceived all along:  A mighty warrior angel stood in the roadway, sword drawn, blocking the way. (paraphrased from Numbers 22:21-34)

Just as Balaam didn't see what was really happening to cause his donkey to balk, so there is much in my life that I do not perceive.  Lost keys seem like an aggravation to me but could be the means to slow me down and protect me from an accident that would happen if I was on the road at the wrong time.

Needed surgery being cancelled at the last minute seems like a disappointment but in reality, God is protecting me from unforeseen danger.  A lack of funds necessitating a call to a creditor seems like an embarrassment and hardship, but if I could see with spiritual eyes I would understand how God is using it to put me in touch with the sister in Christ on the other end of the phone line.

Out of the ordinary circumstances can be used by God to provide understanding to the work of His mighty hand in my life.

I can either view unexpected events as a curiosity, or I can seek God's guidance.  When I go to to Him, I may find a hidden lesson,  a warning regarding my future, or a bit of understanding hidden within the circumstances.  For this reason, out of the ordinary events become a window into God's kingdom.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will pay attention to what God is teaching me this day.

When am I apt to ignore the unusual, assuming it's just a quirk?

How do I forget that God is constantly at work all around me?     

Watch Out

"Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand,

and the very things they do understand by instinct

--as irrational animals do--

will destroy them.

Woe to them!

They have taken the way of Cain;

they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error;

they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion."

Jude 10-11

There are many voices coming from many directions giving me many different messages.  Some are from television ministries, others blare from the radio, while countless speak to me from the Internet.    I cannot ignore the fact that there are numerous influences which come up around me telling me how I should live.  How do I discern which is godly counsel?

 I must be careful to not believe the lies of godless men.  Instead, I need to know how to recognize those who are ready to lead me away from the path of righteousness.  Not only do they mock and curse what they don't understand, following what seems good to them, but they also walk on the same path as some with whom I may be familiar.

Cain

He was a simple farmer, working the soil and harvesting it's fruit.  When it came time to sacrifice, he didn't do exactly as God instructed but rather gave what he thought was good enough.  God was not pleased with his half-hearted attempt at obedience and warned him that, "Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you.  But you must subdue it and be its master." (Genesis 4:7)

God knew that Cain's heart was filled with revenge, jealousy and anger.  He perceived that Cain viewed himself as the victim; as the mistreated, unappreciated brother who tried so hard but just couldn't do anything right.  In reality, he was shown that sin was his real problem.  Instead of heeding the warning, though, he chose to continue in the destructive pattern and believe that he was getting the short end of the stick.  He must have thought, my spoiled little brother can't do anything wrong.  My life would be so much better without him to make me look bad.

Tragically, Cain killed his own brother, proving God right that sin would master him if he didn't rule over it.  Instead, he let sin have it's way in his life.

People in positions of authority or influence are especially vulnerable to falling into sin because there is so much at stake.  Consequently, it is important that I pay attention to the heart of those from whom I take advice.  If I sense a Cain-like attitude where revenge, jealousy and disobedience drive their actions, I better step back and reconsider their words.  Another red flag rises up if I notice an angry spirit when they are warned of their defiant ways.  A humble leader takes godly cautions to heart.

I can recognize the lies of godless men by the spirit of Cain that drives them.

Balaam

His words did not reflect the nature of his heart.  While he said, "Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the LORD my God," (Numbers 22:18) in his heart he was considering the bribe.  His greed made his words insincere and merely a disclosure of his price for compliance.

Many men and women are driven by greed.  Their words may sound good, but if I look closely I will see the real motivation of their actions: riches.  These leaders are blind to the spiritual reality and are unable to lead me closer to Christ.  Instead, taking their advice will only take me further from Him.  

Another aspect of Balaam's folly is that he didn't accept God at His Word.  Instead of taking His first answer to heart, Balaam expected God to amend His reply to better benefit him.  While it would have been nice to receive a generous gift, his willingness to even consider it as a possibility showed that he cared more about lining his own pocket than deliver the message exactly in the way God instructed.  A man who adapts the Word to fit his own needs is not a voice to which I need to listen.

I can recognize the lies of godless men by the spirit of Balaam that drives them.

Korah

It just wasn't fair.  Moses got all the glamorous jobs and received all the glory, but God had set aside the entire nation as His.  Why should one man stand above the rest?  Surely his time as God's chosen leader for Israel is over;  he's getting a bit too big for his britches and I'm just the one to take him down a few notches.

Korah was power hungry, arrogant and downright cheeky.  He knew he could do a better job than Moses in leading the people, and in so thinking put himself in the place of God.  As a result, things didn't turn out too well for Korah and his supporters:  They were swiftly swallowed up by the earth as an act of judgement against his insolence. (Numbers 16)

Power drives a lot of people to take on positions of influence where they use their authority to manipulate people into their own way of thinking.  Instead of driving followers closer the Christ, these godless men only serve their own purposes, suppressing the faith of many.  

Bullies can be recognized by their fruit:  selfish ambition, discord, envy and hatred can all be found in the heart of one who is following in the footsteps of Korah and seeing their service for God as a right, not a calling.

I can recognize the lies of godless men by the spirit of Korah that drives them.

There are many voices who tell me about God and His kingdom, but only those who come from someone wholeheartedly devoted to pleasing Him will ring true.   All others can be weeded out by the pride, selfishness, jealously, greed, lust for power and disregard of God's will.  These fruits of the flesh were all present in Cain, Balaam and Korah and can be held up as an example of who not to follow.  I must always watch out for those who may lead me astray so I can stay on the path God has for me.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can listen carefully and with discernment to the advice of those who claim to know God.

When do I take advice because it sounds good but I don't consider the source of the words?

How am I gullible when it comes to my faith?