Reading an exert from a book written by the famous Christian evangelist and man of God, Benny Hinn, I was struck by an incident in his life that showed his complete and utter, child-like dependance on God to reveal His perfect will for his life.
The story goes that Benny Hinn had just met Suzanne- who is now his wife- and wanted to make sure that she was the right woman for him, so he set up 'fleeces' or tests for God to answer and make His will regarding this issue perfectly known. One of these tests involved asking God that Suzanne would specifically tell him, 'Benny, I've made you a cheesecake', which would confirm his suspicion that they were to be together. It seems almost amusing and very remarkable that Suzanne did say this word-for-word, very thing to Benny.
I really like this idea of 'fleeces' or tests. I believe, as I've already related in another one of my articles, that there can be so many voices in today's society; voices in our head, voices from the media, voices of those close to us and meaning well but not quite hitting the nail on the head, and the voice of the enemy, to name but a few; that we can get entirely confused as to what is the Real voice. Perhaps more of us ought to be doing as Benny Hinn did, and expecting more of these 'signs'.
I get serveral things from this story. 1) It shows Benny's utter dependance and child-like trust on and in God to reveal His perfect will to him, 2) It shows Benny's desire to have God's perfect will acted out in every area of his life.
I think I can definetely learn from this. I often like to adopt this 'fleece' method when trying to filter out all the confusing voices from the voice of the Spirit, or my heart. But sometimes I am doubtful as to whether God would really answer me in this way. I need to repent for my lack of trust in the One who is powerful enough, loving enough and good enough to reveal His will any way He chooses, and most certainly in a way that will make it perfectly clear and keep me from being confused.
Certainly, there are clear black-and-white issues laid down in the Scriptures which we can take as God's voice to the whole world, irrevokably. But there are other occassions, questions we have regarding greyer areas, or times of decision in our lives, where we would just like God to make His specific will for us clearer than crystal. We need to stop doubting God and His ability to do this, and we need to stop doubting His deep, deep love for us, which wants the very best for us in every situation, and to give us the security of knowing we are in His perfect will.
If God allowed Benny Hinn to use these 'fleeces' in order to find out what God wanted for Him, He will most certainly allow us to do the same. If we want God's will in our lives, He will move heaven and earth to show us the Way.
Friday, 5 February 2010
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
The Focus of Life... Living Worship
Sometimes life gets crowded. Sometimes everything seems to be caving in on you, everything that you leaned on is shaking, your very foundations are being uprooted, and suddenly you're forced to reach out and grasp the hand of the One Who's been holding you up all along.
This might sound fairly dramatic, but I'm sure we can all relate to this feeling of life just seeming too much to handle. It's times like this, times when you're being pushed and pulled in all directions, and your stress levels have increased to what feels like their maximum level, that you're forced into action of some kind or another. Hopefully, we will do the right thing and turn quickly to Jesus, Who's really the Only Person who can help us with our problems.
But sometimes we don't turn to Jesus. Sometimes we try and handle it all on our own. When we feel down, we run to the telephone. Or we run to the shopping centre. Or to the fridge. We battle on in our own strength, letting the stress and pain of life, which inevitably comes to us all at some time or another, build up like a great wall inside of us, until it can become almost impenetratable, and it will take a miracle for it to be broken down.
This may sound fairly pessimistic, but trials and tribulations do and will come to us all. It is a part and fact of life. But we don't have to let them get us down. We can let them mould us and shape, and force us into the arms of Jesus, where we actually find all we've been looking for in the first place.
One of the 'good things' that can happen while we're suffering, inwardly or outwardly, is that we're brought to a place of remembering what is most important in life. I think one of the greatest callings in a Christian's life, perhaps the greatest calling, is to worship Jesus.
When we're suffering and sore, worshipping can seem like one of the last things we would want to do. But isn't it ironic that when we do choose to make the 'sacrifice of praise', suddenly our great problems, which seemed like mountains in our eyes, become like molehills?
Worshipping isn't just a motion. It's not just singing a nice song or raising our hands in a service. It isn't just reading the Word or praying. It can be all of these things, but it's more than that. It's the direction and focus of our heart, the looking of our spiritual eyes to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our salvation. It's the genuine heart-attitude of thanksgiving and praise, and the offering of hope and trust, in any situation. Perhaps most importantly, it's loving God with our everything.
We can worship in many ways. Doing anything with and for Jesus is an act of worship. We could be cleaning, tidying, having a meal with friends, getting dressed or singing in church. Our whole lives can become an offering of worship to Jesus, in every and any situation, whether our present circumstances seem difficult or not. And when we truly worship Him we discover meaning and purpose in our lives, and the joy and peace which comes from loving God with a sincere heart.
This might sound fairly dramatic, but I'm sure we can all relate to this feeling of life just seeming too much to handle. It's times like this, times when you're being pushed and pulled in all directions, and your stress levels have increased to what feels like their maximum level, that you're forced into action of some kind or another. Hopefully, we will do the right thing and turn quickly to Jesus, Who's really the Only Person who can help us with our problems.
But sometimes we don't turn to Jesus. Sometimes we try and handle it all on our own. When we feel down, we run to the telephone. Or we run to the shopping centre. Or to the fridge. We battle on in our own strength, letting the stress and pain of life, which inevitably comes to us all at some time or another, build up like a great wall inside of us, until it can become almost impenetratable, and it will take a miracle for it to be broken down.
This may sound fairly pessimistic, but trials and tribulations do and will come to us all. It is a part and fact of life. But we don't have to let them get us down. We can let them mould us and shape, and force us into the arms of Jesus, where we actually find all we've been looking for in the first place.
One of the 'good things' that can happen while we're suffering, inwardly or outwardly, is that we're brought to a place of remembering what is most important in life. I think one of the greatest callings in a Christian's life, perhaps the greatest calling, is to worship Jesus.
When we're suffering and sore, worshipping can seem like one of the last things we would want to do. But isn't it ironic that when we do choose to make the 'sacrifice of praise', suddenly our great problems, which seemed like mountains in our eyes, become like molehills?
Worshipping isn't just a motion. It's not just singing a nice song or raising our hands in a service. It isn't just reading the Word or praying. It can be all of these things, but it's more than that. It's the direction and focus of our heart, the looking of our spiritual eyes to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our salvation. It's the genuine heart-attitude of thanksgiving and praise, and the offering of hope and trust, in any situation. Perhaps most importantly, it's loving God with our everything.
We can worship in many ways. Doing anything with and for Jesus is an act of worship. We could be cleaning, tidying, having a meal with friends, getting dressed or singing in church. Our whole lives can become an offering of worship to Jesus, in every and any situation, whether our present circumstances seem difficult or not. And when we truly worship Him we discover meaning and purpose in our lives, and the joy and peace which comes from loving God with a sincere heart.
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