Did you ever notice the progression of sin as described in Psalm 1? “Walk in the counsel of the wicked.” At this point, you are still moving. “Stand in the path of sinners.” Now you have stopped, and sin has a hold on you although you are still standing. “Sit in the seat of scoffers.” Now, you are in big trouble, you have joined the group of habitual sinners.

King David advised this: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law, he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:1-4

Choices!

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Psalm 42:11

I am reminded that King David, the shepherd boy and slayer of the giant, was in despair many times as it is expressed in the book of Psalm. He always looked to God for his sustenance and survival.

Life is like that, you cannot be a part of this evil and sinful world and not feel depressed, anxious or overwhelmed by what people push on your life. Accidents and unforeseen problems arise every day.

Find a Bible verse that can push your sight back to the One who can give you the strength, courage and fortitude to keep on keeping on. My go-to verse is found in Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.”

What happens when we align our lives with the Lord? We are enabled to bear the burden through His strength and power. Not only that, but our lives become a witness of God’s sustaining power and love as it reflects out to others.

“We must mirror God’s love in the midst of a world of hatred. We are the mirrors of God’s love, so we must show Jesus by our lives.”

This is a quote by Corrie Ten Boom who lived in the Netherlands during the time Hitler was trying to annihilate Jews in Germany. Her family was caught hiding Jews in their home. They were sent to a Nazi concentration camp where her mother, father, and sister died of maltreatment. She was released accidentally after four months due to a clerical error! Her ability to find hope and encourage others during this time came from her relationship with God. She lived 38 years after this experience writing and public speaking of the love of God.

Bill Elliff

Do you have an enemy breathing down your neck? Are you worried that some problem, difficulty, or opposition is going to consume you? Do you realize there is something or someone who could create great difficulty for you, possibly even destroy you?

GOD SEES
God is not oblivious to your situation. He sees and knows. You can live in fear and worry. You can try to fight your battles on your own, but it is a useless exercise. But if you cry out to the God of heaven and earth in faith, He will answer and deliver you in the perfect time and the perfect way.

AN UNFORGETTABLE REMINDER

God had led the Israelites out of 430 years of Egyptian slavery, and they were headed to the Promised Land. He was leading them by a circuitous route on purpose, and they were confused.

This was amplified when they realized the most powerful army in the world was in hot pursuit, and their backs were against the Red Sea.

As Pharaoh drew near, the sons of Israel looked, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they became very frightened; so the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD. (Exodus 4:10)

But Moses had God’s assurance and stood to calm their hearts and give direction.

But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.” (Exodus 14:13-14)

A COMPLETE DELIVERANCE
You know the rest of the story. God brought a mighty wind and parted the sea so the people (millions of them) could walk across on dry land.

The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. (Verse 22)

The Egyptian army followed them into the sea bed, but at the exact right moment (God is always precise and accurate in His timing), God brought the army into confusion and then unleashed the sea upon them.

The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained. But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians. (Verses 28-30)

The “entire army” was destroyed. Every obstacle was removed, and every enemy was overcome, never to bother Israel again.

THE SAME GOD
God can always be trusted. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He loves those who follow Him with everlasting love and cares for all who look to Him. If you cry out to Him, He will deliver you at the perfect time and in the perfect way.

It may not—probably will not—be a deliverance accomplished in the way you would assume, but deliverance nonetheless. The uniqueness of the deliverance reminds us that He is God and assures that only He should be glorified for what was accomplished.

God knows what He is about with your life. Trust the God who is before you and take your eyes off the enemies behind you.

“Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.” Luke 1:6

One day as Zachariah was carrying out his appointed job to burn incense to the Lord, the angel Gabriel appeared to him. He told Zachariah that he and his wife had been chosen to have a son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah. They were to consecrate their son and give him the name of John. Zachariah was unable to reason what the angel had spoken to him because he and his wife were very old and beyond childbearing years. Because of his unbelief, the angel told him he would be unable to speak until the baby was born. This happened immediately because Luke recorded that when he went home, he was only able to communicate through hand gestures.

It happened just as the angel said and Elizabeth became pregnant with a child. The story moves forward to tell that when she was about six months along, her cousin Mary visited her to tell her about the blessings from God that she too would have a son. As Mary was sharing the news with Elizabeth about the angel Gabriel’s appearance to her telling her she would be the mother of the Son of the Most High, and that he would reign over the house of Jacob forever and of His kingdom, there would be no end. At the moment she was telling this, the baby Elizabeth was carrying leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth was now able to believe and comprehend the magnitude of what Mary had just said.

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her.” Luke 1:45

There was great rejoicing between the two ladies as they marveled at what God was doing in their lives. Mary stayed with Elizabeth until the baby was born.

On the eighth day, Elizabeth, Zachariah, and family were at the baby’s ceremony of circumcision. This was also the time to name the child. Everyone wanted to call the son after his father’s name, but Zachariah wrote on a writing tablet that the boy’s name should be called John. As soon as this happened, Zachariah was able to speak, and he began praising God. His word “John” indicated a remembrance of the angel’s words spoken to him in the temple nine months before.

Luke records that the child grew and became strong in spirit and that he stayed in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel at which time he began speaking of the prophesy of the Messiah’s coming and preaching repentance of sins. Luke 3:15, 16

During this time, John was hearing word of a man who was healing people and performing miracles, so he sent two of his disciples to inquire as to whether he was indeed the Christ, the promised Messiah. One of the reasons for John the Baptist ministry was to preach of the coming of the Messiah and as it turned out, God had a special blessing for John because Jesus came to him to be baptized. Can you imagine this extraordinary opportunity to baptize the Son of God? Read in Matthew 3, about the baptism of Jesus and the confirmation by God Almighty that this was, is, and will ever be His Son.

As John preached repentance and didn’t shy away from calling sin what it was, he reproved the acts of a Jew called Herod, who had been appointed to be a Roman ruler over the area of Galilea. Because John was very vocal about the evilness of Herod, and that Herod was breaking God’s law by being married to his brother’s wife, Herod had him placed in jail. That wasn’t enough for Herod’s wife, Herodias. She and her daughter plotted a scheme to please Herod with their actions so that he would grant them their wishes. Their wish was John’s head on a platter.

What can we take away from this story today about John the Baptist? John was bold, he was resolute, and he was obedient to God. Even in the face of opposition and danger, he stayed true to his calling and God’s purpose.

Jesus gives John the highest compliment when he says, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist, yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11

Are you like Simon Peter? One day you are following Jesus, trying to be a good person and the next day the world comes falling down. It took him a while to grasp the understanding of the Savior and the kingdom to come. But one day, it finally all became real to him, and from that day until his death, he never abandoned his service, his followship, or his anticipation of the heavenly home.

A rugged man called Simon Peter was fishing in the area of Capernaum, next thing you know he was following a man called Jesus. One day he was going from town to town as he listened to Jesus speak and perform miracles, and the next thing you know he was gathering up baskets of leftover bread and fish from a miracle Jesus performed as he fed a group of over 5,000 people from a boy’s lunch of two fish and five loaves.

One day, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up to the top of a mountain near Nazareth where they witnessed the transformation of Jesus into a glorious, illuminated robe of light. They could barely see that Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah. Then another day, the same group went with Jesus to pray at the Garden of Gethsemane, and as the Roman soldiers appeared to take Jesus away, Peter cut off the ear of a servant in defense of Jesus and yet a short time later denied that he even knew Jesus three different times.

After the resurrection, Jesus met once again with his disciples. He looked at Peter and He said, “Peter, do you love me?” Peter had denied him three times and now Jesus asked him three times, “Peter, do you love me.?” You see Jesus had a great task for him; to be the leader of the remaining disciples and preach about the Kingdom of Heaven.

“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to Him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’” This was the day Peter’s heart encompassed the very essence of understanding as his heart no longer strayed from his belief and knowledge of the living Savior.

One day Jews from all nations were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Weeks, which was a Jewish festival after harvest time when they would offer first fruits at the temple. A mighty wind was heard by them, and they all began to come together. The eleven stood and one man began to speak. You see, Peter and the disciples were meeting with a group of about 120 believers when the commotion began. As Peter spoke, the Holy Spirit put into each man’s ear the speech in his own language. Read Peter’s speech in Acts 2:14-40 This is an excerpt “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.’” Act 2:38-39 The book of Acts records that 3,000 souls were added to the body of believers that day.

A few years before Peter died as a martyr, he wrote a letter of encouragement to the Christians in the area of modern-day Turkey which was, at the time, controlled by the Roman Emperor Nero. They were under much persecution for their faith.

“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed.” I Peter 3:14

What a difference a Savior makes!

I hope you will be encouraged as you read about the situation of David, the shepherd boy, and Gideon, a lowly farmer, and their overwhelming situations requiring a God-size solution.
A story in 1 Samuel 17, gives an example of trusting God with our problems and battles. David, the youngest son of Jesse, tended his father’s sheep while his older brothers were in a battle: Israel against the Philistines. One day the father asked David to carry provisions to the brothers and report to his father what was happening. When he got to the battlefield, one of the Philistine soldiers was making fun of the armies of the living God. David was upset that this giant would declare that no one could come against him and live.

“For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David repeated this as he went through the camp and even approached King Saul with these words. The king answered him that he was only a youth and Goliath had been “a man of war” from his youth. David proclaimed that he had taken down lions and bears and that this Philistine would be like one of them. “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Verse 36. With that, the king provided him with his armor and sword. This was not what David was accustomed to he preferred to use what he had been using in the field as he guarded the sheep. King Saul said, “Go and the Lord be with you!”

David prepared to meet this warrior with five stones from the creek and a sling. As he approached the loud-mouthed, boasting, and taunting Philistine, David answered him with these words: “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”
He continued to tell Goliath that the Lord would deliver him into his hands. Why would God deliver the Philistine into the hands of David? We find the answer in verse 47:“…and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the Battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hand.”

Where did David place this problem? The problem was placed in the hands of the Lord and the confidence David had going into this battle was given him by his knowledge of who God was and how God had been with him in the past.

Another story I want to call your attention to is about Gideon. You will find the whole story in Judges 7. I will briefly tell you that Gideon was the least of his family, and they were the weakest tribe of Manasseh. And yet, the Lord chose David to lead a military army into battle to overcome the Midianites who were harassing, stealing, and encroaching on land God had given Israel. Gideon had to be convinced that the Lord was calling him for the enormous task, so he tested the Lord.

Finally convinced that God was calling him to lead the battle against the Midianites, his first assignment was to take down the altars of foreign Gods that were in his own father’s household and to erect an altar of burnt offerings to the living God: cleansing and purifying before the battle. Messengers were then sent out to the tribes to come to the Jezreel Valley, ready for battle against the Midianites who had been harassing, stealing, and killing the Israelites for a long time. The number of battle-ready men numbered 32,000. God told Gideon to send home those men that were fearful and 22,000 of the men returned to their homes.

The Lord then told Gideon to test the men to see which ones would lay down their weapons and lap water like a dog or keep their weapons in one hand while kneeling to scoop up water in the other hand. God told Gideon to send home the ones prepared. What? This would be scaring me about now. Only three hundred men remained with Gideon out of. To give you an idea of how many men were lying in the valley with their camels, the Bible describes them as many as the sand on the seashore in abundance.

That night before the battle, with Gideon still lacking confidence, God sent him and a servant down to the enemy camp where Gideon overheard a group of soldiers expressing their fear that they were going against God’s army. They had heard many stories of how God had saved His people. Gideon came back to the tent with confidence and continued with the plans God had given him.

This sounds unrealistic to you and me, but God works His miracles His way not man’s way. This battle was no exception. Just before dawn, three hundred men, each with a clay jar over a torch and a trumpet, positioned themselves on all sides. At the signal, which was a shout “a sword for the Lord and for Gideon,” they were to break the clay jar and blow their trumpet. I don’t know about you, but it just doesn’t seem like it will work!

However, since it was God’s plan, God’s way, the enemy became so confused that they were killing each other or running for the hills. Gideon’s army pursued those running until they were out of the territory and villages and kings were captured. The Bible states that the people wanted to make Gideon and his sons king over the land. But Gideon’s answer to them was that God would rule the land. You can read the full story in Judges 6-8

In this tumultuous world, we will have struggles and battles. Hopefully, these stories will remind you that God is the answer. David and Gideon knew God and His power and were able through God’s strength to overcome adversity. Once again God used ordinary people, His name was once again on the people’s minds and hearts and even today is a part of our understanding of God and His love for us.

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:3

“You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.” Deuteronomy 3:22

A nurse came into my hospital room yesterday morning to prepare me for back surgery. We visited for a few minutes and she said to me that I seemed to be going into the surgery with a confidence which would help me as I went through the process.

All of a sudden, the Bible story I had just read fit what she was seeing in me. I saw this as an opportunity to talk to her about Jesus.

I said, “may I share a story?”  “Sure.” So I read this story.

^“Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ’Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’” ‘He replied, You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him’”

Matthew 8:23-27

What she saw in me yesterday was that I had just placed my storm in the hands of the one with power to do something. As a result my peace and confidence reflected out to her and provided an opportunity to talk about the Lord.

“So, when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose; He guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (Mel-keys-idek).” Hebrews 6:17-20

At the beginning of the book of Hebrews, written to the Jewish Christians, the writer addresses the foolishness of Judaism and the superiority of Christ. The ten commandments cannot redeem you they only point you to the One who can.

Then in Hebrews, chapter five, he switches gears and begins the “What is wrong with you?” Don’t you know better? You are still on milk when you should be moving on to mature actions. You are arguing about things that are settled instead of moving to the important ministry that God has for you to do. You are still arguing over the color of the carpet, what position the piano should be in, and who is sitting in your seat in the pew. Watch it, you might be fitting the description in Hebrews of a baby Christian!

Moving to the sixth chapter, he begins to explain why we should be mature in our lifestyle: we have hope that is sure and steadfast. That hope is a promise from God, it is not secured with anything or by anyone in this world, it is designed by God Himself.

Look at the first part of this passage: It says, “God desires” that we be strongly encouraged. The writer of Hebrews has given you some important facts. One is God’s purpose and promise to Abraham which was that he would have many descendants and they would bless nations and out of his descendants would be kings and they would possess all the land God promised to Abraham. Now Abraham was 75 years old when this promise was made and was 100 when his first son, Isaac was born. I don’t know about you, but my faith would have sure been tested. The second important fact is that God’s purpose was given with an oath or covenant Himself.

Tying the first part of the scripture to the rest of the scripture is important. The writer is pointing out that we are a part of that promise. As a Christian, we are heirs of the same promise and purpose. Our faith in God, as Abraham’s faith in God, gives us a hope that is secured by the oath of God and bought by the blood of His Son. Jesus Himself said that Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing the salvation of the Lord. (John 8:56-58)

The writer then moves to the point that we run into the refuge for strong encouragement that we might hold fast to the hope that is the anchor of our soul.

I read an illustration that helped me put into perspective the anchor holds as used in Hebrews: When a storm is brewing, a fisherman will take his anchor and climb up in the rocks to find a solid and secure place so when the water rises and the wind tosses the boat around, the anchor will keep the boat from breaking away into the sea. We may be more familiar with the anchor being dropped down into the water to hold us in place as we fish or to steady the boat in case of a storm. Either way, the Hebrews writer used the anchor to portray strength and steadfastness.

As if all of this is not enough to give you strong encouragement, the author references the traditions of the Old Testament or old covenant in order to help them understand who Jesus is and that He is much more than what the high priest in Jewish traditions was.

Look what Matthew recorded. Matthew 27:50 “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit and behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

Let me give you a little more background from the Old Testament and Jewish Talmud to illustrate how meaningful and purposeful the tearing of the curtain from top to bottom was and how that fits into our secure anchor.

The original temple had three sections: the first curtain separated the people from the priest. The second curtain separated the priest from Holy God. The third curtain which was 60’ long and 30’ tall and 4” thick and was reported to have taken 300 priest to manipulate it. It was filled with God’s presence and the Ark of the Covenant. Once a year the high priest, who was the only one allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, would take a blood sacrifice to be sprinkled on the mercy seat to make atonement for the sins of the people.

That is why it is so significant that Matthew included in his book the fact that when Jesus died on the cross, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom. This was final, no longer was there a need for a high priest because Jesus was now the highest of high priest on our behalf. He is, was, and continues to be the only atonement acceptable to Creator God.

John recorded what Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” John 14:6

Understanding of these two passages contributes even more insight into the passage in Hebrews: Jesus is the high priest forever and He is the only way to the Father. It gives us more knowledge of just what the writer was trying to say about the importance of hope, secured for us by Jesus who is our High Priest making intercession to God on our behalf.

When you placed your trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, it is through Him that you have been redeemed, secured, and are being held firm. He is your intercessor. Through Him you have communication with the heavenly Father and have been given a gift of spiritual guidance through the Holy Spirit. His death on the cross provided that passage from death to eternal life. He is the steadfast anchor that holds.

There is nothing in this world that will give you the strength and courage and confidence to stay strong in the middle of a storm except that assurance that Jesus Christ has put that anchor squarely in the presence of almighty God.

Is anyone out there that hasn’t heard about or is becoming wrapped up in the Monday event of the Eclipse?

I will be looking. I’ve been watching the beautiful sunrises and sunsets over the past few months and I can’t remember when I’ve seen such a series of breath-taking beauty . God definitely has us looking up in anticipation and this all reminds me of the scripture that tells us to be alert and keep watch

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of My return.” Matthew 25:13 NLT

What I will be remembering when I gaze through my glasses as the moon passes in front of the sun is the scripture that describes an event that happened when our Lord was crucified. The Bible tells us that as Christ hung on the cross there was darkness that lasted almost three hours.

^{Matt 27:45, 46 “}Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”

Do you know what God had to do to stop the sun and the moon and all of the stars for three hours? The Eclipse we will see on April 8^th will last only four minutes but all will be watching and all will marvel whether they give God credit or not.

As for me, as I watch, I will be thinking about the darkness that happened at the crucifixion of Jesus. That God could not look upon His Son as He bore all the sins of the world. Jesus died as the son of man! But glorious day, He rose out of that grave as the SON OF GOD.

I want to share two stories from the Bible that will help answer this question. You and I are always asking in our humanistic way: Why didn’t God heal him; Why didn’t God stop the incident; Why is God allowing this? These questions are prevalent in our lives daily and it is a study that would take a lot of research. (I have study workbooks available that will delve deeper into these questions if you look at the section of this website under Books and Study Materials.)

For now, I want to talk about two incidents in the Bible when Moses was called by God to do a task and when Paul, the writer and apostle of Christ, was called to spread the gospel to other cities and countries.

Moses was actually a Hebrew but as a young baby was discovered by the sister of the Egyptian Pharoh and so was raised and educated in the Egyptian Pharoh’s house. As an adult, he came upon an incident where a Hebrew slave was being beaten and he killed the Egyptian overseer and buried him so no one would know. But it was found out and he fled Egypt and for forty years he lived as a shepherd in the land of Midian.

At the time God called Moses from a burning bush in the wilderness, he had been a sheep herder for forty years. Moses told God to use his brother Aaron because he could speak better than him. If God had a task for Moses that required him to be well groomed, well versed in the Egyptian language, an orator, persistent, persuading, etc. then why wouldn’t God heal him of his speech impediment? After all, he would be speaking directly to the most important Egyptian Pharaoh, possibly King Ramses II, and he would be asking for the release of 600,00 male slaves and more than that when you add the women and children.

If you are not familiar with the story of God calling Moses to the task of speaking to the Pharoah to release the Israelites who by this time had been in Egyptian bondage for over 400 years, you can read it in Exodus 3:1-14.

“Moses said to the Lord, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” Exodus 4:10 NIV

“But Moses said to the Lord, ‘Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?” Exodus 6:28-7:7 Why would God use a man with a speaking problem to do such an overwhelming task?

Now turn your attention to the New Testament and to the prayer of Paul the writer of thirteen or fourteen books or letters in the bible and the man called by God to carry the good news of Christ to many cities and countries. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, you can read that Paul has prayed to God three times for Him to remove the “thorn in the flesh.” Whatever this is, Paul decidedly acknowledges to God that if he is to do the job God has called him to, he will need God to remove the obstacle.

Why didn’t God heal the “thorn” (metaphor for pain) even though he prayed three times for healing, and he was setting out on a massive task that God had placed on his shoulders?

The answer God gave to Moses was: “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now, therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” Exodus 4:11-12 ESV

God gave Paul an answer. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Paul added his testimony; “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

When Moses and Paul took their eyes off their situations and focused on the task God had given them, God gave them all that they needed through His power to accomplish the work despite their handicaps. Testimonies and examples of what can happen when we are about the Lord’s business are in the Bible and those lives around you who are dedicating themselves to God’s service.

Jesus said as He prayed to God before the crucifixion: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:36 ESV