Finding the Faith

by: Lisa Petrarca

I've spent so much time in prayer and feel that the Lord always answers. When we received our new house without a single bit of effort on our part...we were then left with another lesson. He showed us His faithfulness and then continued to stretch our faith.

We were left without a single dollar to live on.

Now here is where my human nature began to kick in. I started to worry and doubt. I felt the stress overwhelming me.

Even after the Lord opened every single door...I still doubted that He would continue to provide.

Why?

I know that He has continuously answered my prayers, according to His will. But that doubt can be so powerful, so all consuming.

I stopped myself and began to earnestly pray for more faith and trust. To be free from the worry. As the day progressed, I found myself stopping whenever a negative thought entered my mind and I would pray.

What power in the knowledge that the Lord is with me ALL DAY, just at the call of His name. He is only waiting to hear from me.

As I let go and trusted, He once again provided for us.

The people we had borrowed some money from, told us that they prayed about it and they didn't want us to pay them back. This was the exact amount of money that we needed to live for the next month.

The Lord worked through amazing, faithful, caring, trusting, loving people.

So I ask myself and you...when the Lord sends you answers to your prayers, do you thank Him and then continue to worry about the next problem?

Pray for more faith in the coming weeks, so that you will know that Jesus gave us an example to live by, so that through Him we will be able to have complete trust and faith in our Father in Heaven.

The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Psalm 145:13-20

Lets Make a Deal

While clicking through the channels, I found one of my old favorite shows that is back on the air...”Let’s Make a Deal.” 

Everyone comes to the show dressed up in costumes. They try to get the host to notice them & choose them as a contestant. The object is to pick a door with prizes behind it…you have three doors to choose from. There is only ONE door that has the great gifts. After picking your door, the host will then try to tempt you to give it up and take money instead.

The young girl on this particular day chose Door #1. The host then began the temptation process.

“I’ll give you $300.00 for your Door.”

She jumped up and down, and then wiggled back and forth while trying to decide, finally shaking her head.

“NO...I’m sticking with the Door.”

The host then pulled out more money.

“$700.00 for your door.”

This temptation was a little tougher. She put her head down in deep thought, wiggled and then quietly, as if unsure, said, 

"No."

The host brought out his final offer, thumbing through the cash directly in front of her face...tempting...taunting...

"$2000.00 in cash, you don’t even know what’s behind that door. You can see this cash and I’m sure a young girl like yourself could use the money."

She now seemed resolved, determined to receive her prize behind Door #1...

"Yes, I know it’s a lot of money, but I’m sticking with my decision."

The host was a little surprised, thinking that he could surely persuade her.

"Well, since you don’t want the money, let’s see what you’ve won...
An all expense paid trip worth over $40,000.00!"

She screamed, danced, jumped & hugged the host. She made the right decision!
We face the same situation everyday...Let’sMake a Deal! As you choose to follow Jesus; to live a life that will bring you the greatest prize of all...peace, love, comfort, forgiveness and eternity with Him, you’ve found the lasting treasure! You’ve chosen the right door. However, throughout your day, you’re often tempted to choose something else, something instead of the door that leads you to TRUE happiness in and through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Pay attention to your daily choices...are they leading you away from the “Door” that leads you closer to the Lord and the ultimate prize?

Be determined in your daily decisions! Ask Jesus to flood you with His truth and wisdom each day so you’ll be able to withstand the fiery darts of the enemy. Remember, we know what’s behind the door that we’ve chosen…Salvation!

Do not let them depart from your eyes; For they are life to those who find them. And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.

Proverbs 4:21-27

The Broken Wheel

Story By: Lisa Petrarca

My car began to rattle, first the steering wheel then the seat, until it felt like a minor earthquake was happening inside. Several weeks prior I had noticed the steel thread on my tire was beginning to show, but I knew that without money and time, I would have to hope that I didn't have a blow out.

The longer I waited the worse the shaking became. Turns seemed to be the worst. I would grip tightly onto the wheel trying to control it. I found myself feeling intense stress every time I got in the car. I wondered, "Is today going to be the day?"

I started to think about how that worn, broken wheel is like life. We begin to make bad choices (wearing the tread). Each wrong choice slowly tearing us apart. Things become broken and shaky, but we try to ignore it. We grip on tighter to the wheel, trying to handle it alone. The stress begins to build up inside, but we push it down. We know that something is wrong but don't know how to fix it. The longer we continue down the same path, the worse things become..until one day we have a blow out.

Our life crashes around us and we need help. If you feel like you're headed for a blow out...open up your Bible and let God speak to you. Jesus prepared a way for us to be forgiven and have a fresh start. Stop and pray...He will change you, fix you and take away your worry and stress...you only have to ask.

He is the bridge that gets you over the difficult times...to the treasure that awaits you!

"I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness. And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles. To open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isaiah 42:6-7, 9

I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them. And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

HIS CREATION.....

Does God Still Speak To Us?

Author Unknown

A young man had been to Wednesday night Bible Study. The Pastor shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?"

After service he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.

It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God.. If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought, to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said "God, is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.

The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli. "Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.

As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, turn down that street. "This is crazy", he thought and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street.

At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will." He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst either.

The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something. "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street."

The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. "Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid." Again he felt like he should go and give the milk.

Finally, he opened the door, "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here."

He walked across the street and rang the bell, He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, "Here, I brought this to you."

The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway speaking loudly in Spanish. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking half crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk."

His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?"

The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put it in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He knew that God still answers prayers.

Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare his praise? Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right. Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation.
PSALMS 106:1-5