Last Friday, early in the morning before I woke up from my sleep, this Bible verse (2 Corinthians 8:9 ~ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.) came echoing in my mind and I started to meditate on it and realized that it is by His grace that though He was rich (very very very rich), yet for my sakes (because of me) He became poor (already became poor at the cross) so that through His poverty I might become rich! This Bible verse is all about His work, my believing and non of my doing. It is by His grace not by my own struggling effort to obey the principles and methods to make myself rich. It is through the Tree of Life not the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and yet again, I have fallen from grace… At this point of time, the Spirit was quick to affirm me with the word “REST and BELIEVE”!!!
While I was on my way to office, I went to bank to withdraw some money. When I was at the Tally Machine, I could not find my ATM card in my wallet! I have lost my ATM card!!! I have no idea when I lost it!!! As I tried to recall the last date I used my card, it was about 10 days ago while transferring money to my son in KL… I could have leaved my ATM card in the machine then!!! It has been 10 days since then, what will happen to my saving???
I call my wife to access my account through the internet and thanks God, the money was still in my account. At that moment, the verse that I meditated earlier that morning came back echoing in my heart and this time the verse gained more weigh in my spirit and indeed, it is all about His grace. A fresh impression of REST and BELIEVE from the Spirit came upon me again... I then, decided to come back to report of my lost ATM Card when the bank opened for business.
When I reached my office, I took out my Destined to Reign daily devotional and began to expect what the Lord had to say... I was marveled and goose bumps all over! Let’s see why…
See The Miraculous When You Give Thanks
John 11:41 ~ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
Jesus lived a life of thanksgiving. He always thanked His Father for what He had and for always hearing Him when He prayed. That was how He released miracles in His life.
In the story of the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1–13), Jesus’ attitude was one of thankfulness. He took a little boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fishes gave thanks and had them distributed. He gave thanks for the little that was there and the little multiplied. Not only did the people eat as much as they wanted, there were 12 baskets full of leftovers!
So when you see the meager balance in your bank account, thank the Lord for what you have. That’s your “five loaves and two fish”. When you give Him thanks that He is your provider and the source of your supply, in spite of the little you have, your little will become much, with leftovers!
Even when faced with the impossible, the solution was still, “Father, I thank You…” When Jesus stood outside Lazarus’ tomb, and the people took away the stone that was covering the tomb, He did not see the situation as hopeless and impossible. He simply lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” Then, He proceeded to call forth Lazarus, and the man came forth alive once more!
The raising of Lazarus, who had been dead for more than four days, was one of Jesus’ greatest miracles. And He accomplished this by saying, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” He thanked His way to an awesome miracle.
My friend, the next time you find yourself praying, “God, please do this for me! Please give me...” stop! Instead, say, “Thank You God, for hearing me. And because You have heard me, I thank You that I have what I asked for.” And when you thank God, the little that you have will multiply. Your impossible situations will turn around to reflect God’s provision. And resurrection life will hit you!
What have I been doing? I have been listening to grace messages day in and day out and yet did not rest but busy working out my life through the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. I can still find a lot of religiosity in me and without my knowing, I fall from grace from time to time! I was reminded by the Spirit to believe and to labor to enter His rest. I was reminded to give thanks for what I have and see the miraculous happen in my life. I was also reminded to live a life of thanksgiving...
Father, I thank You that You have heard Me for You have prompted me to REST and BELIEVE... and by Your grace, the rest is Yours!
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, indeed we all fall from grace from time to time when we fall back to relying on our self effort. Let us labour to enter into that rest. :)