The "Secret Blessings of God"

This morning, I received an Email from my Sister in Indiana, and I'd like to share with you what she said:

"we are always thankful for our health but more than that, the secret blessings God gives always come in our greatest times of trial. So when we need, you know as well as I, that our greatest gifts come from God."

This got me thinking!

 

"The Secret Blessings God Gives"!  Have you ever been aware of the secret blessings from God in your time of need? 

For instance:  My Nephew and his wife have two small children.  He has worked in a trucking company as the Administrative Office Manager, keeping track of all the traffic coming in and out of the company; he has worked on the Loading Docks and on heavy equipment as well as in the office as Dispatcher.  He's done this for the past 10 years and now, right before Christmas, he was called into the office by the higher-ups and told he was being let-go for financial reasons.  The company is hurting right now and they have to trim the payroll.  So they trimmed his payroll!

In a situation like this, with two small children at home, one would have a tendency to get down and depressed and wonder "WHY GOD?" 

Not my Nephew and his wife!  They are Christians and trust God!  They know that He has never let them down in the past and won't let them down now.  They just went to church as usual on Sunday and in their Sunday School Class, shared a prayer request, asking for prayer for him to be able to find another job quickly. Without them knowing anything about it, this group of Christians did more than pray! 

They put their faith into action as James talks about in the Bible: 

 James 2:17-20  "Even so faith if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea, if a man say, "Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils believe, and tremble.  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"

So we see that just 'having faith' is not enough!  It's what we do with that faith that matters!  We can't sit in our church week after week, like a sponge, just soaking it all up and not giving anything back in return.  Do you know what happens to a sponge if it just keeps soaking up water? Before long, it is water-logged and just oozes out.  We as Christians were meant to soak up God's blessings and then 'squeeze them out' over others in return.  Not trying to keep it all to ourselves.

This small family, found themselves the recipients of "the secret blessings of God" in their time of need!  This Sunday School class got together, unbeknownst to my Nephew and his family, and collected boxes and boxes of food to carry them through this time!  They not only gave food, but a GIFT CARD so that the would be able to take care of their children's Christmas gifts!  Their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit caused them to think what would be the greatest hurt for a parent at this time of year without money.  Children don't understand the worries that their parents have; they just know that Christmas is coming and they've always gotten gifts in the past.  This would hurt a parent more than anything; to not be able to give gifts to their children.  God made us that way because HE is a GIVING GOD and loves bestowing "gifts" on His children!  This group of Christians were sensitive to that and wanted to alleviate this concern for one of their group. God will bless them abundantly because you 'can't out-give God'!  He sees each kind act that we do and because He loves us, He will not let that go unrewarded.  These giving people will experience a joy that others will not, this Christmas. Giving truly is better than receiving!

One would think that coming on 'hard times' in this world, would be a bad thing!  But instead, it opens up an opportunity for our wonderful LORD to show us how HE can take care of us and bestow those wonderful "secret blessings" in our time of need! This builds our faith!  Each time we place our trust in God in times of great need, our faith is strengthened to continue walking with Him and doing even greater things in the future.

It's wonderful to walk with the Lord day by day and see Him work in our lives!

Malachi 3:10  "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

And again in James 4:8  "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you."

When we walk in obedience day by day with the LORD, and seek His face, we can be in no greater place and in no better hands!  We will be daily recipients of the "secret blessings of God", whether they be actual physical blessings or spiritual.  Either way, there's no better place to be!

Psalm 5:12 "For Thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield."

Psalm 37:39 "But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble."

Psalm 46:1  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble."

I wish for you that you will walk with the Lord this Christmas and into the New Year; holding His hand and following in His steps!

For myself, I plan to read, study and meditate on His Word more; trust Him more; and try to be a blessing to others, sharing His secret blessings on my life and letting them spill over onto others!

From our Home to Yours,

Merry Christmas!

Marriage Advice

This is a picture of my parents, when my Dad was still with us. He's in Heaven now and my Mom is about to celebrate her 80th birthday. My parents were married for 62 years.

Today, marriages just aren't making it.  Why is that?  I personally believe that one of the best reasons is that people are not really "in love" when they get married. They're "in lust".  Marriage, no matter how you look at it, is hard, once the honeymoon wears off.  Then add to that: children, monthly bills, maybe loss of a job, illness, all the stresses that come with two people living together for a number of years. Most couples today just don't have what it takes to 'stick it out'.  

Why do we hear so many people say that they "just don't love" their mate anymore?  Or that they "fell out of love" with their spouse.  I believe that love is a conscious decision that one makes, not something that they 'fall into' or 'fall out of''.  Many couples today just don't take the time to even see if they are compatible before they 'fall into' bed with each other.  "Love" is a commitment and a sacrifice; wanting someone else's good above your own.  It's unselfish; totally.

My parents loved each other unselfishly; each sacrificing the things they loved for the other and for their children.  You all know what I'm talking about;  giving up "my time" and "my friends" because I'd rather be with you and do what you want to do.  Wanting that other person's happiness more than their own. Raising a family and then sacrificing the things "you" want, in order to give them to your children.

Sacrifice.  There is so little of that today.  Instead we hear men and women saying they 'just want out'.  Why is that?  A majority of the time it's because they've allowed someone (maybe at the office or over the Internet) to get a little "in-road" into their affections and interests.  They made room for that other person in their life, maybe during a moment of boredom in their marriage. Let me tell you, long-term marriages are subject to a little familiarity and boredom from time to time.  Let's face it, there are times in all of our marriages that we "just don't feel it" anymore.  

When you truly love your mate, as Christ loves us, you move ahead and keep going and pray and ask God to restore that love and affection.  We "take it and don't insist on our own way or our own rights".  That's what love is. (Of course, I'm not speaking of a physically abusive situation.)

A dead person has no "rights".  Read Romans Chapter 6.

I thank God for my parents and the love they demonstrated for all six of their children.  Did they ever quarrel or disagree?  Of course they did! Did they stay together through it all?  Yes, they did.  And I thank God for that commitment that was shown to each of us.

There is nothing that is hurting our nation more than the break-up of our homes and families.  There is nothing that hurts our children more than to see their home broken up; to have to divide their time and affection between two parents.  In order to justify their actions, parents deceive themselves into thinking that they can 'make it up' to their kids by giving them more "things". More things is not what they want!  More time with a Mother and  Father that love them UNSELFISHLY is what they want and need.  To have their home whole and secure again, is what they need.  To see two parents living out what it means to really love and sacrifice and put someone else's good above their own, is what they need and want.  Putting 'their' welfare above their own wants and desires. Another deception that parents use to justify their actions for breaking up their home is that  "the kids will be better off when we aren't fighting anymore".  There would BE no fighting if Mom and Dad would set aside their own pride and get on their knees and ask God to help them and to save their marriage. 

I know there are no pat answers for every situation and that there really are some good reasons for divorce today; but the majority of those that divorce are doing it for the wrong reasons and sacrificing their children on the altar of their own self-centered desires. It's time to take a good look at where our nation is going and ask if it's worth it.

Here is a good link to some really good advice on marriage:

 http://www.marriagebuilders.com/graphic/mbi8114_fear.html

And here is an excellent link to some really good helps for the home:

 http://www.awana.org

May God save our nation and our homes!