God Just Remodeled for You

These past few months in my own life have been crazy. I have watched my own father go in for something minor at the hospital and come out with a triple bypass. After breathing a sigh of relief after he was released from the hospital, I learned of my grandmother’s unexpected death. Then while attending the funeral of my grandmother, I learned of one of my uncles having full cardiac arrest as he boarded a shuttle bus to pick up a rental car. Weeks later after much hoping and praying, his body gave up the fight on the same day I was filled with joy as my beautiful daughter was born.

During all these trying and emotional times, I viewed photos while my stomach knotted, the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. I stood bewildered by the wildfires destroying homes in California. My heart broke as I watched in dismay all the destruction that laid a path through Arkansas and Missouri. Tornados physically thrashing homes apart, brick by brick. Families losing everything they owned. Mothers having their children ripped from their arms and having to bury them a few days later.

"Dad, God just remodeled for you..."

Recently here in Indiana, an outbreak of tornados laid a swath of damage to homes, businesses and vehicles. One man who owned a small engine shop found his heart of income to be completely leveled. "It's gone; all those years of work gone." the man stated, only to have his young daughter look up to him in response, "Dad, God just remodeled for you..."

"God just remodeled for you." Wow. At first glance, I almost did not catch that statement or come to grip the full meaning of it. I am sure the little girl was unaware of the impact her comment had. I am sure the dad probably overlooked her comment as he looked around him only to see destruction.

I am sure that even in our own lives,
we have moments in which we do not see the remodeling that God is doing....

Often times, we can become distracted by materialism or by fame and attention. We allow money or status to determine our emotions or level of contentment for life. We get sidetracked and forget about who created the very Heavens we gaze into at night or the terra firma that we walk upon each day. Then along comes a moment, an unexpected trial or disaster with no rehearsed outcome. Something that knocks you completely off your feet and brings you to the realization that everything you own, everything you know, means nothing and can be taken from you within moments.

Many people won't know Jesus is all they need until Jesus is all they got -(Warren)

It is at these types of moments, when it seems like everything is taken from you, everything that you relied upon has been shaken and turned, you find yourself with nothing but Jesus. Sadly though, in today's society, "many people won't know Jesus is all they need until Jesus is all they got." While trials persevere, and disaster or unexpected events fall on the just and unjust with no explanation, there is either going to be a remodeling of your life or a wake up moment in which you come to the realization that Jesus is all you have now, and Jesus is all you will need.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3

When a person places their focus upon the Lord and walk with Him daily, they find that whatever may come their way, whatever troubles are in their path, that Jesus is all they need. He gives us everything we need for life. He is the life giver and He is the supplier of our everyday needs. Now, that doesn't mean He caused a tornado to destroy hundreds of homes and tear apart families but it does mean that whatever comes our way, He wants our focus to be on Him. Some of the remodeling is designed by Him, other remodeling just happened. Regardless of how it happened though, a remodeling was done, and the Lord wants your attention.

In the book of Exodus chapter 3, Moses was a distracted man. In order to get his attention, God caused a bush to burst into flames. As Moses came closer to check out this phenomenon, the Lord spoke out to Him, getting his attention. After this encounter with God, Moses finds himself questioning the directions the Lord laid out for him. What if the Israelites don’t listen. What if the Israelites ask what your name is? The Lord responds to Moses. After he had remodeled Moses life, gave him an encounter that he would never forget, the Lord spoke and said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." But then, the very next scripture, the Lord tells Moses, "Say to the Israelites, The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you."

When you look at the Hebrew of that passage of scripture, a couple of things stand out. First the Lord tells Moses, "I AM" or "Yahweh." In other words, He is God all by Himself. There is no other God. The very next scripture, the Hebrew tells us that he is El Shaddai. He is God Almighty, or in one translation, it puts Him as "The God of More than enough." God got the attention of Moses, remodeled his life, and then affirmed to him that

"I AM more than enough for you."

Whether you have become distracted as of late, or do not know the Lord, there is a time that should come sooner than later in your life, in which you allow the Lord to remodel that which is around you. Either reacquaint yourself with Him or let Him introduce Himself to you, but in the end, make sure your focus is on Him. Not on the things around you, but on Him. Not on life’s problems, but on Him. When all seems shaken and life has thrown you a curve ball, make sure your trust is in Him and not in the things of this world. When God wants to remodel, let Him.

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. Proverbs 3:5-6

*Indystar 5/27/11 "Bedford residents pick through shreds of their lives after tornadoes"
*Twitter RevRunWisdom Many ppl won't know Jesus is all they need until Jesus is all they got -(Warren)

Twas the night before May 21st....

Twas the night before the rapture and all through the land; a lot of creatures were stirring, even a pre-rapture band. Their Bibles in hand while looking up with great care; in hopes that Lord would come quickly with enough taxi fare. My children were dressing to crawl into bed; never thought about next week while laying down their sweet head. And Mom in her rocker with Ipad on lap; was listening to Air1 Radio while I took a nap. When out of the East there arose a great clatter; I jumped to my feet to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash; threw open the window, I thought a cat was in my trash! Then what to my wondering eyes should appear; But the neighbor outside proclaiming that Jesus was near. With a flashlight in hand like the sun changing night into day; I thought for a moment, "This man is in a drug induced haze!" The ramblings he spewed made me pull the hair from my head; because the rapture wasn’t yet occurring like he had said. And though I restrained myself in regards to my health; I cried out with concern in spite of myself. The precious Bible which He held within his very hands; Contained the Truth about the rapture that was escaping this man. I spoke not a word as he called out my name; Then he said, "You should have listened to Harold Camping, but now, what a shame." The people who were expecting Saturday probably meant it in love; but come Sunday they might be still looking upwards to Heaven above. With those who know the Truth, we need to witness abound; so no one looks foolish just standing around. , I turned back towards my bed because it was late; and thought to myself, at least this wasn’t another “Heaven’s gate.” I laid back into bed with the neighbor out of my sight; and I thought to myself, I need to witness to this man after this foolish night.

Is May 21st Just Another Day?

All across America you can see them. Billboards, RV's and people proclaiming to "Save the Date!" May 21st, 2011, Judgement Day! Thanks to a campaign effort by a man named Harold Camping and his radio program, this information is everywhere and they want you and I to take notice.

Let me state for the record though that I for one think that Harold Camping and Family Radio have already made it clear in 1994, that they are tossing darts at a calendar with their various predictions.

The date May 21, 2011 is simply a date. Any significance of that date will be determined once we walk through it.

To predict anything of Biblical significance of that date before hand is not only an ignorant thing to do but is also a disservice to Christianity. It’s ignorant in the fact that scripture makes it clear that NO man will know the day or the hour. It is a disservice to Christianity also because if the “prediction” of Mr. Camping does not occur on May 21st, then the false prophetic uttering makes the non-Christian take the second coming of the Lord even more lightly.

Now, I do believe that May 21st could be the day that the Lord comes back. I also believe that the next day, the day after that or the weeks and months to come after that are also good days for Him to come back. You see, I am not predicting the day but do know that scripture tells us that one day He WILL come back. Is May 21st a good day? Sure. Will He come back on that day like Mr. Camping says? Only God Himself knows. Mr. Camping, nor Family Radio and not even I know the true day.

So, does that mean to kick back and rest easy now? Not so. He is coming back one day soon. Regardless of what people predict, regardless of what the naysayer might say and regardless of if we are ready or not, He will be coming and one day and each and every one of us will stand face to face with Him. We can look at the signs of the times and know that His return is eminent. We can read the book of Revelations and see how it resembles current world events. We can even watch for things to unfold at the temple mount and monitor various other end time events, but in the end, we cannot predict the exact time of His coming.

Sorry Mr. Camping. While the Lord can come back on May 21st, it will not be due to any mathematical equation you came up with. It will only mean that the Lord chose to come back then in His timing. So with that said, the truly proper thing to be doing with the RV’s and Billboards that are proclaiming May 21, 2011 on them is to proclaim the Gospel and reach the lost souls. Do Christianity a service and tell people about Jesus not just a date on the calendar.