"WAITING ON GOD"

By: Donna Selma Lind

                  Dear God, I'm waiting. Where are you?

There have been times in my life when I feel like I am in God's waiting room. Do you know the place? Have you ever been there? It's that in between place. That place that is neither here nor there. It's a place of pause and delay. A time between two acts. A holding pattern.

PLEASE STANDBY!

God's waiting room, the place where I sit and wait...and wait...and wait.

 What are you waiting for?  
Directions. 
Directions for where? 
I don't know. That's why I'm waiting!

There are nearly three hundred references in the Bible in regards to waiting. 
The Heroes of the Faith chapter in Hebrews 11 contains an All Star line up of folks who waited on God for something. Noah, Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, David and many more spent a "time out" in God's waiting room.

We are not the only ones that have endured a period of waiting. A test of  time requires an unwavering faith in a God whose ways are not our ways. 

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." Isaiah 55:8

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord , plans to prosper you and not to harm you,to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

What does your waiting room look like?

Are you waiting for test results from the doctor?
Are you waiting for a new job or promotion?
Are you waiting for someone to love or someone to love you?
Are you waiting to know if you should stay or go?
Are you waiting for a financial miracle?
Are you waiting for your marriage to be restored?
Are you waiting for an addiction to be broken ?
Are you waiting for a divorce to be final?
Are you waiting for a prodigal child to return home?

What are you waiting for? Whatever it is God has not forgotten you! He loves you and if He is allowing you to wait it is for a reason! Trust Him!


 The Bible has given us some very clear answers and promises to ponder while we are waiting.

SEEK HIM:
"The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." Lamentations 3:25

BE STILL:
"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him."Psalm 37:7

BE STRONG:
"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" 
Psalm 27:14

HOLD FAST:
"Hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God." Hosea 12:6

PRAISE HIM:
"I will praise you forever, because you have done it. I will wait for your name for it is good in the presence of the godly." Psalm 52:9

I love the lyrics to John Waller's song from the FIREPROOF Movie:

Click on this video below, turn up the volume and ENJOY!

"But they who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

WORSHIP WHILE YOUR'E WAITING!

HALLELUJAH!   PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

DONNA SELMA LIND

"JESUS LOVES ME"

By: Donna Selma Lind

My husband and I went for our weekly visit to the Nursing Home to see  Daddy . We arrived just in time for the Morning Devotions and Sing-a-Long. There was about a dozen or so residents gathered together in the sitting room. All eyes were on the Activities Director as she read the daily Bible verse, told a few stories and sang a couple of old songs.

I felt a bit discouraged as Daddy just sat motionless in his wheelchair.  

The Parkinson's disease has robbed him of  his voice and ability to communicate. Most of the time now he is unable to speak.  Every once in a while he tries to whisper something and I will lean in and put my ear next to His lips in order to hear him.

Today he sat quietly listening to the Director sing . There was only a couple of the folks joining in while the rest of the group sat still, frozen and unresponsive. 

I gazed around the room surveying  each person who was there wondering what their lives were like before they came to live out their last days here in this home. I know that one lady was a School Teacher, there is a friendly gentleman who was a Salesman, Daddy was an Iron worker and his roommate was a Pastor.

Each one had God given gifts,talents and a purpose for their lives. They have families, spouses, children and grandchildren. Some are war heroes and some are everyday heroes. All from different backgrounds and walks of life yet somehow now they have become a family to each other in this final season of their lives. 

The Leader continued her schedule of songs and most of the people remained still and detatched. She turned the page of the songbook and sang out six words that changed the atmosphere. 

"JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW."  

Suddenly, as if someone flipped a switch, the residents sat up in their chairs and came to life! They all chimed in "FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO." 

"YES , JESUS LOVES ME, YES, JESUS LOVES ME."

 I felt like I was watching a scene from the movie "COCOON"and they had all just been  bathed in the "Fountain of Youth." 

"But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of  water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14

  Every person there was alive and vibrantly restored as they sang the words "JESUS LOVES ME." 

Somewhere buried in the depths of their hearts and souls they had tucked away this song, these words and the promises of God. 

"Thy word I have hid in my heart."Psalm 119:11

Instantaneously they were transported back to their childhood and the happy memories they each recalled. Remembering not only the lyrics and melody but the sweet and blessed assurance of  their Savior. 

Now everyone in the room had a smile on their face. They were singing and clapping and dancing !  Just knowing that Jesus Loves them ignited within their hearts the reason for their hope!

Looking over at my Daddy, I reached out to hold his crippled hand, and for those few sacred moments in time his posture seemed to straighten up , he smiled and with tears in his eyes he whispered the words:

 "JESUS LOVES ME THIS I KNOW . FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.  

LITTLE ONES TO HIM BELONG, THEY ARE WEAK BUT HE IS STRONG. YES, JESUS LOVES ME. YES, JESUS LOVES ME. YES,  JESUS LOVES ME. THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO."

When Jesus is invited into a room  He brings Love! He brings Joy! He brings life!

"The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." Zephaniah 3:17

HALLELUJAH! 

PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

DONNA SELMA LIND

"HELLO GOD IS THAT YOU?"

By: Donna Selma Lind

"Hello God is that you? How do I know for sure it is you calling and this is not a prank call?
It sounds like you, but I am not totally sure it is you. Can you speak a little clearer and louder so I can hear your voice better?"

Does this conversation sound familiar? Do you have a hard time knowing when God is speaking to you? 
I'll be honest, sometimes I have trouble discerning the voice of God.

It was pretty obvious for Moses, God spoke to him in a burning bush. The Lord came to Isaiah in dreams. Daniel had visions. Elijah was in a cave when God spoke to him in a still small voice.

God still speaks to His children. He loves us and desires to communicate with us. Our Heavenly Father longs for us to sit in His presence and get to know Him. This is key to discerning when and what He is speaking to us. 

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

So how do we know when it's God talking? How do we know it's His voice?

I believe we hear from three voices:  God. The Enemy, and our Own Flesh. 

How can we tell the difference?

The voice of God brings Peace.  
"For God  is not a God of disorder but of peace." 1 Corinthians 14:33

The voice of God brings Truth.
"When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth." John 16:13

The voice of God brings Love. 
"Whoever does not love , does not know God , because God is love. " 1 John 4:8

The voice of God brings Life.
"It is the spirit of God who brings life.The flesh profits nothing." John 6:63


The voice of the Enemy brings Confusion.
" For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."  James 3:16

The voice of the Enemy brings Lies.
"The devil is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44

The voice of the Enemy brings Fear. 
"God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and love and a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

The voice of the Enemy brings Death.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy." John 10:10



The voice of our Own Flesh brings Sin.
"Now the deeds of our flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. " Galatians 5:19-21

What are some things we can do to make sure we are hearing God's voice and not the Enemy or our Own voice?

Let's go back to our earlier telephone conversation.

Look at your phone. You have three features I want you to remember.

PAUSE~  CALLER I.D. ~ VOICE MAIL 

When you want to make sure that  it is God  calling:

# PAUSE - Put the call on Pause. Stop. Pray. Fast. Seek the Lord for His will in His word.

# CALLER I.D. - Check the Caller I.D. to see who is calling. Does the voice and the message line up with the identity (ID) and character of Christ? Does it bring peace, joy, love and the fruits of the spirit? Does it bring life and Glory to God? 

# VOICE MAIL - Listen to the Voice Mail. Does the voice bear witness to your spirit? Is the voice confirmation of what God has been showing you? Is it a pushy, bullying voice that causes guilt, fear and condemnation? Or is it a still small voice that encourages, edify's and brings you peace?

"My sheep know my voice." John 10:27


When you get right down to it, the more time we spend getting to know God, the easier it will be to recognize His voice when He is calling. The more conversations we have together the easier it will be to know what He sounds like, His character, identity, desires and plans for our lives. 
The more "Face Time" we have with God  the closer we'll become and the easier it will be to hang up on the Devil when he calls! 

"HELLO GOD IS THAT YOU? IT IS SO GOOD TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!"

HALLELUJAH! 

PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

DONNA SELMA LIND