Are You Ready for the Unexpected?

Are you ready for the unexpected?

Are You Ready for the Unexpected?

Machelle McDowell

November 20,, 2024

One of Aesop’s fables, “The Tortoise and the Hare” teaches us a valuable lesson on how we should learn to expect the unexpected in life and forces us to think about how to handle the unexpected when it happens.

The hare certainly did not expect the tortoise to win the famous foot race between the two! The hare runs so far ahead that he is confident the tortoise will never catch up. He decides to take a nap! The tortoise capped the phrase, “Slow and steady wins the race.” The hare awakens to a unexpected life rattling event! The turtle won the race!

Never underestimate the unexpected

Sometimes I think we are like the hare and walk through life in a state of slumber…ill prepared for the unexpected things that paralyze us.

I began reading the book of Daniel this week and chapter (1) posed a question,

Has there ever been a time when God did not fulfill your expectations?

If we are all honest….the answer is, yes!

How do we glorify God when we are faced with unfulfilled expectations? Is it possible to glorify God even in the midst of disappointment because we know His ways are best.

I feel like Daniel wrote the manual on this subject. I am sure he did not expect to be exiled from his home and placed in a situation where attempts were made to brainwash him of all he believed.

Being one of the chosen, (against his will), the Bible says, he was without blemish, of good appearance, skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning and competent to stand in the king’s palace. He possessed all of these traits and then some…but the most admirable trait was his faithfulness to God.

I love that Daniel 1:8 says, Daniel RESOLVED that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank for it had been dedicated to the gods. He was determined that he would not dishonor his God.

He and his friends were picked to be groomed into palace puppets to move to the commands of the king. This included eating a special diet. Unfortunately, this diet was hard to swallow. Not in the physical sense but the spiritual.

This kid was the cream of the crop and the spokesperson for his faithful friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in this matter.

Like the hare, Daniel woke up one morning to the unexpected! Daniel would stand before the king and speak convictions that could very well end his life.

The question remains: How could Daniel glorify God after everything he had been through? He was taken hostage against his will and forced to be somebody he was not, he is virtually a prisoner and now willing to stand up for the God who allowed him to be in this situation.

Daniel and his friends show us in this passage how to look past the unexpected disappointments in life and glorify God in the midst of them.

First off, John 16:33 shares these encouraging words, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” God does not promise us a life of ease but the opposite. Did you catch that? In me you may have peace….He is with us through all of the unexpected disappointments of life.

The race called life cannot be ran without having our hearts set on God. Daniel (resolved) that he would not compromise. He did it in a way that was not arrogant but respectful towards the king. God’s favor was upon him.

Daniel and his friends knew this might not fare well for them. But, they were willing to expect the unexpected. This time the unexpected was a blessing of favor on them all!

We should be prepared to react to the unexpected whether it brings disappointment as it did for the hare or satisfaction that met the tortoise at the finish line!

Either or warrants His praise- “I will bless the Lord at all time; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1

Doesn’t expecting the unexpected make the unexpected expected?

Bob Dylan

Season of Mercy

His Mercies are new everday

Machelle McDowell

October 17, 2024

How often do we as believers pray for direction but we have already decided upon it?

I feel like we are all guilty of this. In essence, we are saying, “Lord, I got this but it would be good to know that you are with me. Right?

This is the “wrong” thinking and God does not honor it. We are ultimately acting on our own power and not God’s Lordship.

Jeremiah 40-43: (Great example)

Story recap- The people of Judah were exiled to Babylon. God blessed Jeremiah for his faithfulness leading up to this act of judgment against Israel. He had been a prisoner prior to exile and now by the hand of God released with the option to go to Babylon under the care of the captain of the guard or to remain in Judah under the watch care of Gedaliah who was named Governor.

Fast forward, Gedaliah was assassinated by Ishmael which the motive apparently was rooted out of jealousy for the leadership position.

After this terrible assassination the people were anxious and fearful. They sought out  Jeremiah to ask for a word from God. What seemed like a humble request turned out to be quite the opposite.

The first flag of caution- this had never happened before the Jerusalem demise…they had never sought counsel from God. They were seeking encouragement in that God’s hand of protection might be on them. They knew Jeremiah was the man who could go to God on their behalf.

This was a wonderful idea on the surface. There was one problem…motive. This is how they approached Jeremiah…Look closely at Jeremiah 42:2- and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Let our plea for mercy come before you, and pray to the Lord your God for us, for all this remnant because we are left with but a few, as your eyes see us”.

Wow. There is a defining statement here. Did you catch it? They recognize God as a power but not as their Lord. They ask him to speak to “his” Lord..not theirs.

Ofcourse, God sees through their request but shows them mercy anyway.

“Take notice not only of the mercies of God, but of God in the mercies.” (Anonymous)

In Jeremiah 42 the prophet lays out for them what God had to say about the future. They did not like what they heard. God told them they were to remain in the land and they would receive his protection. They were not to go to Egypt and If they returned they would die by the sword!

They did not appreciate that message! They immediately became irate and accused Jeremiah of being a liar.

This reaction towards Jeremiah led me to believe that the leaders had already decided to go to Egypt but they were wanting Jeremiah to tell them that God’s hand of protection was going to be upon them. They were not seeking God’s leadership only his power.

Johanan, the commanders of the forces and all of the people present did not obey the voice of the Lord. Johanan gathered up everyone that was left and took them to Egypt!

A direct act of disobedience to say the least. If you want to provoke the Lord to anger.. deliberately disobey his commands.

God offered them his protection even though they did not deserve it. Their desire to hear from God had nothing to do with God’s will for them but only what God could do for them….All they had to do was to stay put.

God’s response Jer. 43:11- “He shall come and strike the land of Egypt, giving over to the pestilence, to captivity those who are doomed to captivity, and to the sword those who are doomed to the sword.” They are doomed!

They knew of his power now they will experience his power. They were given the choice to take God’s gracious offer of protection but instead will suffer the consequence of their self righteousness.

The season of mercy quickly became the season of accountability.

God’s mercies are new everyday. We should embrace them and be grateful and thankful we serve a God who loves us this much.

When we decide to honor God through our decisions,

God will make it possible for us to succeed!

The woman at the Well

The Woman at the Well

Machelle McDowell

8/19/24

I recently spent some time in Ghana and visited some newly dug bore holes in communities that desperately needed clean water. I loved going out to sit next to the well at the end of the day and watch the ladies and children come to pump water into their empty basins. It was such a blessing to know the community had fresh water and did not have to walk for miles to get it!

They smiled and laughed as they filled their buckets. Then, they would gracefully place them on their heads and joyfully content begin the walk back to their homes. It was such a beautiful picture of how Jesus fills us with his presence.

As I read Isaiah 12:3 this week I was reminded of the people I watched come to the well each day. “With joy, you will draw water from the wells of salvation, and you will say in that day, give thanks to the Lord call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.”

I learned a valuable lesson sitting beside that well. God does not meet our need while we sit idly by. My bucket would remain empty beside that well unless I began to pump water into it. He provides living water for us but we must reach out and draw from Him.  After all, it is His water, His well, and even His basin.

Jesus quenches our thirst. He speaks these words in John 4:14- “But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Humans have a constant hunger/thirst for fulfillment. But, tend to fill their buckets with short-term, provisional, short-lived, and temporary substances that do not fulfill the void God has placed in us for Him.

We live our lives running a race to get from one thing to another in hopes that it will satisfy us, but we find, it never happens!

When we are not living for the purpose that God has created us to live for, we feel incomplete. GotQuestions.org calls it the “God shaped hole.” There is nothing but God himself that will fit in that space in a manner that makes us complete.

When we begin to draw from the well of salvation and fill the hole that only God can fill…. our cups/basins will overflow with praise and thanksgiving. The living water will flow from our lips to the hearts of those stuck in darkness. We experience an unexplained contentment and an ever present need to share it.

We then experience an insatiable thirst for the things of God and not of the world. It is a satisfying thirst. One in which brings joy, peace, and contentment only found through Jesus.

There is no life without water. A person can usually survive about (3) days without water. But, with the living water we are promised eternity!

I love verse one of the old  (Hymn, “Fill My Cup, Lord”) this is my testimony:

Like the woman at the well, I was seeking

For things that could not satisfy.

And then I heard my Saviour speaking

“Draw from My well that never shall run dry.”

Fill my cup, Lord;

I lift it up Lord;

Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.

Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.

Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.

Maybe you have an insatiable thirst? Maybe, you have tried everything to fill it? Nothing makes you happy or satisfied. Are you tired of dabbling in the things of the world?

Try Jesus

Praying With Confidence

Ya'll, it's been hot here lately.  We've had a few days of what I affectionately called "ridiculously stupid hot." What we've experienced, however, is on par for this time of year. Here lately, we've even seen little to no rain, which is concerning. I've always thought it to be pretty funny how each season tends to bring some days and times of "extremeness," (whether it's high temperatures or very low temperatures, and everything else we experience weather-wise) and we sometimes react in ways in which you'd think we had never experienced these things just the year before.  The first cold day of winter, and we say things like, "I can't believe how cold it's gotten outside." or in the middle of July and we say "I can't believe how hot it is!" (I'm guilty of saying these things as well) I mean, unless it's 34 degrees in the middle of July, we shouldn't be surprised with the weather in July.  But, here we are, trying to endure the extremely high temperatures until the extremely low ones show up again.  Is it just me or does it sound like we spend quite a bit of time just "enduring" things? That brings me to think about our walk of faith as Christians. I firmly believe there are many times in our walk in which we wander in the desert of fear and worry, and go without seeing our Heavenly Father's provision, because we simply don't go to Him with our needs. In one hand, we shouldn't be surprised when we trials seem to just show up at our door.  Jesus even told us to expect them.  And, in the other hand, we seemingly forget to go to Him with our burdens.  We just carry them around, hoping things will just change while we endure them.  This season of drought we've seen in our area has been a great concern for farmers and many others.  But, when it hasn't rained for a while, and crops are in danger, we have instinctively prayed for rain.  And, as I write this, He answered those prayers this week.  Did God know it hadn't rained for a while? Of course He did.  Was He waiting for His children to ask for rain? I can't say, but I know He's a good father that loves to answer prayer! Today, I pray that as we live this life that God has graciously given us, and we encounter a need, whether large or small, going to God in prayer is the very first thing we do.  I pray that it becomes as second nature as a Christian farmer needing rain in the middle of a drought. We know that God is the One that controls the weather, so we go to Him in our dry seasons.   Christian, God is also in control of everything else as well.    I want to close with an excerpt from "My Upmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.  Brothers and sisters, don't go without simply because you don't ask in prayer.  
 

"Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those who have his Spirit. Through the simple argument of these verses, he urges us to keep our minds filled with the idea of God’s control behind everything, which means that the disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek. Jesus wants us to learn this way of reasoning: “God is my Father. He loves me. I will never think of anything he will forget. Why should I worry?”

Fix your mind on the idea that God is there. Once your thoughts are settled on this line, it becomes as easy as breathing to recall that your heavenly Father is behind everything that happens. Even when perplexities and difficulties press in on you, remembering the “much more” of your Father comes naturally and without effort. Before when troubles arose, you sought help from other people. Now, the notion of divine control is so powerfully formed in your mind that you go directly to God.

There will always be moments when God’s guidance is not at all obvious, moments when he does not lift the darkness. But trust him. Jesus said that God will appear at times like an unkind friend, but he is not (Luke 11:5–8). He will appear at times like an unnatural father, but he is not (vv. 9–13). He will appear at times like an unjust judge, but he is not (18:1–8). Keep the idea strong and growing in your mind that nothing happens unless God wills it. Rest in perfect confidence in him and learn to pray from this place of certainty. Prayer is not only asking; it is cultivating the frame of mind in which asking is perfectly natural. 'Ask and it will be given to you.'"

-Brandon Walker

The Wisest Fool

Which direction will you go?

The Wisest Fool

Machelle McDowell

June 27, 2024

One of Solomon’s most famous requests: “Give me the gift of a listening heart.” God blessed Solomon with all the wisdom in the world. He had the gift of a listening heart until his heart hardened against the voice of God and quickened to the voice of his wives and concubines.

How can the wisest man who ever lived end up being the most foolish?

“The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode, but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul.”…Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  Proverbs 31:30

Solomon had a weakness that overcame him. His desire for beautiful women brought him to ruin. Not only did he drown in women but he sank to a an all time low when he began to worship their false gods. Many of these women reflected political alliances…but with them they brought their false gods!

Proverbs 27:15 speaks of a a continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike… I am not condoning Solomon’s behavior but trying to empathize what he may have experienced that led to his downfall: it points to 4 words!

Happy Wife, Happy Life

Now….let’s envision a day in the life of Solomon. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines! What are the odds that his life is a garden of love that he speaks of in chapter 4 of the Song of Solomon?

I certainly don’t want to justify his behavior toward the end of his reign but I can only imagine the constant whining of his wives as they approached him day in and day out to build pagan altars. And, once he gave in to one request it became a snowball effect! How could he say, “Yes” to one and not the other.

He was surrounded by beautiful women, riches, and every type of pleasure a person could want…but lost his first love, God!

Solomon finds himself caught up in the very act that God warned him of early on! His downfall and that of Israel, for he began worshiping the false gods of other nations introduced into his life through the Pagan women he continued to acquire and God condemned him of it. (I Kings 11:1-9).

God warned Solomon clearly (twice), I Kings 11:10 “He should not go after other gods,  but he did not keep what the Lord commanded.” His reprimand was huge!

God said, “I will surely tear the kingdom from you.” There is no Biblical record that Solomon ever repented of his sin.

Solomon bankrupt it all! He spiraled spiritually! And the dynasty crashed. Within a year of his death the land was divided into two kingdoms.

Throughout Solomon’s reign there was peace and unity in the land. God promised him many blessings if only he remained faithful. But, his wisdom turned to folly and cost him the kingdom. Economically under Solomon’s leadership Israel reached its greatest point as a nation but fell to its lowest point spiritually.

Is it worth it?  “It doesn’t profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul.” What are you willing to give up to save your soul?

How many false gods/idols are you harboring? What is consuming you and keeping you from hearing God’s heart? Living for Christ is far better than living for the things of the world.

Take aways from the life of King Solomon:

• Pray for discernment

• Choose God’s glory; not your own

• Put God first- Always

• Don’t ignore God’s warnings

• Repent daily

• Steer clear of materialism

• Guard you heart against idolatry

• Guard your heart against lust

• Your not as wise as you think you are

We've Been Liberated From Our Bondage

"It is for freedom the Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Next week, the country we live in celebrates what is know as "Independence Day."    On July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, and it became official.  America was free from oppression in the form of Great Britain, and a new nation was born.  Freedom is a word used quite often when we describe America and the land that we live in. The idea of freedom, however, is not a new concept.  It's mentioned in scripture many times.  We all have an idea of what freedom means, and sometimes our patriotic idea crosses over into the biblical idea of freedom.   And trust me, as blessed as we are to be living in a country that gives us freedoms in many areas, Jesus' idea of freedom is far superior than anything we could ever imagine as Heaven's citizens that just happen to temporarily reside in the United States of America.  The freedom we have been given through the precious blood of Jesus means we are free from the burden of sin and the weight that it carries on our lives.  We are free from the fear of death, Satan, and anything this temporary world may throw at us.  While it's easy for us to get tangled up sometimes in the heaviness of this world and just the grind of life, Jesus reminds us that we are free.  That's why Galatians 5:1 reminds us not to "let ourselves" be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.  Imagine a prisoner that had been given a life sentence suddenly be freed, pardoned, and released.  How crazy would it be for us to see that prisoner wake up one day and just go back to that prison and go sit inside his old cell?  That's exactly what it looks like when we get tangled up in our old ways and burdens.  We do it to ourselves.  But, the door to the cell we were once imprisoned is always open and unlocked, for Jesus has the keys to our freedom.  So, maybe today you're burdened by old habits and old ways of thinking.  Just remember that Jesus has made you free!   Christian, Jesus has paid the penalty due us as the result of our sins! Before we trusted in Him for our salvation, we were shackled down and a prisoner of our own doing.  Our very sin had to be dealt with, and before Jesus died and rose from the grave, the only way that would have happened was when we stood before God one day and he declared us "guilty," sentencing us to an eternity apart from Him in Hell.  Today, I pray that we remember what exactly we've been set free from, and what we've been set free for.  Brother and sister, we've been set free from sin and the penalty of sin, death, and an eternity apart from God Almighty.  And, we've been set free for the purpose of living a life that honors and glorifies our Heavenly Father in all we say and do, as we tell others around us about the freedom that can be had in the very One we have placed our trust in.  Christian, we are free indeed! 
   

-Brandon Walker

A Father Who Knows Best

Happy Father’s Day

Machelle McDowell

June 14, 2024

A precious scripture to pray over your son..(and let’s not forget our daughters).

“May my son be strong and courageous and not fear or be in dread, for it is You, Lord, our God, who goes with him.  You will never leave him or forsake him.” Debt. 31:6

A father who knows best knows Jesus. The ultimate role model is God the Father.  He has all the things: love, kindness, understanding, patience, wisdom, protection and the list is lengthy.

We learn early on in history that things do not go well for fathers who choose not to follow and submit to God’s leadership.  We peep at Adam and quickly see the consequences of disobedience.  Great fathers are able to own up to their failures. They learn from them and adversity makes them stronger.  Adam pointed blame onto Eve. Both were guilty. Be a man who can say, “I’m sorry, I made made a mistake, please forgive me.”

I stand amazed at Noah’s ability to remain faithful to God when the odds are against him.  He was not perfect mind you, but remained devoted. It has been voiced to me that sometimes, men feel they are taken advantage of and not respected for their roles. God is always pleased with faithful men! Guys, you may not receive the accolades you deserve in this life but you have a Father who is keeping track! Noah knew this truth.

Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham….I love this Sunday School song! Abraham did have many sons and was the Father of an entire nation! Abraham’s main weakness as many of us are guilty of was relying on himself instead of God. He learned to trust God for guidance in not only raising his own family but leading a nation! Dad’s you cannot not go wrong being humble enough to realize you need God.

Men! Seeking God’s will for your life will not only benefit you, but will become a pattern for your family. They look to you to be the example for them. What are your children seeing? Do they see a man after God’s heart or do they see a man with a heart for “gods.”

Even David, a man after God’s own heart was sucked into idol worship and mini gods. His main weakness fell in the laps of many beautiful women and their pagan practices. Remain pure gentlemen. Keep your eyes protected from the lures of the enemy.

Satan loves to play on your weaknesses. David repented many times throughout his reign as king for this sin.

There is hope, guys!. Don’t feel defeated when you succumb to such temptations, but rise above them. Examine your hearts often. David himself instructs us in the 91st Psalm that God will deliver you form the snare of the fowler-He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge.

The common thread these guys mentioned above: They all relied on the steadfast love of God.

CALLING all fathers- Be the father you want your son to become! Be the man you want your daughter to respect. I am praying that from this day forward your eyes are fixed on the one who can give you the desires of your heart.

The void we all struggle with in our lives cannot be filled with money, women, sex, sports, prestige, or respect….only Jesus can fulfill us.

Let your actions be a reflection of the love in your heart for your creator. In His hands a man finds purpose. A godly man is not defined by his possessions but by the richness of his heart.

Happy Father’s Day Men!

A Mother Knows Best

“Always leave your hands open and your palms up when following the Lord.”

May 21, 2024

Machelle McDowell

A Mother Knows Best

I Samuel 1:11- “And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”

I Samuel is my very favorite book in the Bible! I love everything about it. It starts out with the greatest love story of how a mother could give up her only child all the days of his life to serve God!

I love how a mama’s heart loved her son so much that she realized the most important act she could do for her boy was to “give him over” to God.

How hard this must have been for Hannah. You see, she was a barren woman and had prayed for a child for many years. A matter of fact one day in the temple, Hannah prayed from her heart and poured out her soul to God in such a manner that the priest, Eli thought she had been drinking!

Hannah was so confident that God heard her prayer- her countenance changed! She was no longer sad. Hannah worshiped God while she waited!

God heard her prayer and gave her a son….Samuel.

Hannah loved the gift of a son but loved the giver even more. She got it! Everything we have to give has been given to us by God. Hannah loosened her grip on her new baby realizing that giving Samuel back to God was not hers to give anyway…he already belonged to God.

I can’t help but think that Hannah was so thankful for her son that she wanted to share with God some of the overwhelming joy she felt holding an answered prayer in her arms.

He was conceived out of holiness… her heartfelt prayers before a holy God were heard! Little did she know the impact Samuel would have in God’s story of redemption.

She made a vow that her son would work for the Lord all the days of his life. How could she make such a vow?  How did she know his calling? She was confident and bold to voice such a promise.

Mamas, have you ever lifted up such a prayer for your child? “Lord, my child will be yours all the days of his/her life.”

This kind of prayer reflects a whole new side of faith. This woman understood the depths of God’s power and wanted her son to be a part of it. This story makes me feel guilty for the weak prayers I have prayed over my grown children growing up.

Are we willing to give our children up to the ministry? Do we pray for our sons to become pastors or our daughters to become missionaries or even for Godly spouses for them?

Do we spend more time praying for out children and their worldly endeavors and accolades than we do for their spiritual growth? Hannah brought a conviction to my heart. I wished I had prayed more specific prayers over our children growing up.

The thought occurred to me that maybe God allowed Hannah to be barren for so long to help prepare her heart for such a prayer. The spiritual growth that took place in the wilderness of a barren womb. She continued to call herself, “a servant” throughout this chapter.

To be a true servant you must be humble. Hannah spent many years in a posture of humility. Month after month unable to conceive but remaining faithful to the God in whom she knew could breathe life into her womb.

We sometimes question why we must endure such suffering- but it is in suffering we are the closest to our heavenly Father. The closer we are to Him the clearer His reflection is in us.

Hannah reflected God’s love when He gave his only son. He did it willingly and so did she. Hannah knew God’s will for her son far outweighed anything the world had to offer.

God did not take Samuel immediately from Hannah. She was allowed to keep him until he was weaned. As a mother, I’m sure she relished every second of her time with her sweet gift from God. She had maybe 2 years/3 at the most with her son.

Then….it came….the day Samuel was dedicated to the Lord!

I Samuel 1:27-28- “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord.  As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”

Oh…By the way, let’s skip over to:

I Samuel 2:21- “Indeed the Lord visited Hannah and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the Lord.”

God blesses those who find favor in His eyes.