This morning I was talking to the Lord about my own set of circumstances and the present set of trials we face and asking for Divine intervention , it was still early around five a.m., so I got up and went to our office room where we have our computer and turned it on, still talking to the Lord about my problems, that's when the computer booted up and the first thing I saw was a prayer request. It was from a missionary in Rhode Island whose missionary husband is presently in India preaching the Gospel in various places under difficult circumstances and this morning he needs a miracle of healing. So I stopped what I was doing(whining to God) and I prayed for my friend Dr.George. He needs a healing...more specifically a gift of healing as recorded for our benefit in 1 Cor. ch. 12. Starting at verse 4, "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all." vs. 7 " But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." Verses 8 through 10 lists these gifts and in verse nine it says "to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit." Do you see what I see in these verses? It is not a certain man that I have to follow so that he can lay hands on me ; the gift of healing is not exclusive, and furthermore it is plural not singular....there are gifts of healings and right now Dr. George needs one of those gifts of healings from the Spirit because it is He who divides to every man individually as He wills. Notice also that each verse tht identifies WHO this Spirit is uses a different name in several verses. In verse 4 He is the Spirit, in verse 5 He is Lord, in verse 6 it is God; that's because there is only one God and all these names, titles what have you identifies, Him and who He is.
When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord turned everything that was bad in his life, which included his health, around for good. Please pray for Dr. George and you will find answers to prayer in your life. I am doing that just now even as I submit this blog and I am expecting a miracle today...I pray God will illuminate His Word in your heart as you read this.

The pillar of cloud and the fire that we read about in the Old Testament is a subject which I want to discuss from time to time in this blog as I will be making reference to it in our Bible Study that I do at the church house onTuesday evenings. IT WILL BE A PART OF OUR STUDY ON THE TABERNACLE, which is part of our ongoing study in the epistle to the Hebrews.
King David said one time in his meditations, "as I MUSED, THE FIRE BURNED." And this morning as I was doing some studying concerning this subject, the fire burned within. Actually it began when I looked at a few thoughts from a text referring to the pillar of the cloud and fire found in Exodus, ch. 13 verses 21&22: "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."The Bible clearly records that God brought Israel out of Egypt with a MIGHTY hand and He established a pillar of cloud and fire to lead them(to show them the way)
Ex. 14:19,20 says, "And the Angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them: and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them(Egypt), but it gave light by night to these(Israel): so that one came not near the other all the night." Paul tells us in 1 Cor. ch. 10 " that it was Christ in the cloud and in the fire and as we study we will see that He was and is a light in the darkness; a shade in the sunlight; warmth in the night; cooling in the day; separation between the people of God and the enemy; a guide for the pathway; a stumbling block for the enemy; comfort for God's people; fear to the enemy. He is Divine protection for spiritual Israel just as He was for national Israel but destruction for the enemy. He is light for Israel but darkness for Egypt. The gospel of John says
"the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it".
This is the point that I want to draw attention to this a.m. I am going to quote a writer from some years back who said "the LORD took not away the pillar by day or by night from before the people; yet it seems day and night they complained about something. Either the water was bitter, or the food was inadequate; they always found something to murmur and complain about. Are we any better? He has done even greater things for us. He is no longer in a cloud, before, behind or overhead. He dwells within us! He has written His law upon our mind and consciousness. We know very well when we are complaining or murmuring. Either the "food" the preacher dishes out isn't any good; the service is too long or too short or the atmosphere is too hot or too cold. There seems to be legitimate reasons for griping. While Israel complained they made no progress. All they did was go around mountains. God did not utterly forsake them. He still provided water and manna; still kept their shoes and clothes from wearing out; still kept the cloud and fire caring for them.There was no end to His patience and love but they made no progress." Neither will you progress; we will not progress as a church if we grumble and complain and backbite one another. His cloud of protection was still with them....but they were not going anywhere. If you or I want to move on in God....you see by Israel's attitude of ingratitude; ultimately they did NOT enter the promised land. Oh! God! don't let us lose out...don't let us miss the rapture by grumbling and complaining....forgive this man Lord for ever complaining or grumbling or finding fault with my brother or my sister. He did not forsake them, but by grumbling and complaining against Moses and ultimately against God.....they were forsaking Him. Let us not be guilty of this cursed grumbling and complaining.

Facing your fears: We are told by those who are learned in such matters that the book of Job is the oldest book in the Bible. That would really date old Job, wouldn't it? The story of Job's sufferings is legendary to say the least and we can learn much from it. One of the greatest problems that faces each one of us is fear and I guess that all kinds of phobias and a whole list of problems come under this thing we call fear. And we think we have problems....just take a look at Job.
He lost everything he had except his own life ......and that was pretty miserable. Some might ask "what did he lose"? Well the list goes on and on starting with his family; they were all killed...but let's look at his situation before he lost everything.
First of all he was perfect and upright and he had a reverential awesome fear of God which every man, woman, boy or girl should have and he hated evil...which everyone should do also.
He was a perfect example of a God fearing man .....a good man. He had seven handsome sons and three beautiful daughters He was the greatest as well as the wealthiest man of his day and he earned every thing he had by honest means. He was not a thief; not a con man , treated every body fairly, in fact he was a real philanthropist.....he gave to many and he was a father to many besides his own children....he cared about others. I can't think right off hand of anybody in this day to really compare him with. However he was a perfect example of what godliness means. Certainly for his day as he had a close relationship with his Maker. In fact God Himself called Job a perfect man. He was a man of dignity and earned respect.
Now why the things that happened to Job occurred; I can't explain at least not very well. He lost everything he had even to his health and keep in mind that when he lost all this...it was all at once. Can you imagine the grief that he must have borne when all this news came to him? First it says in Job 1:13-15, "And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: And there came a messenger to Job , and said, The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them: And the Sabeans(bad guys) fell upon them, and took them away; yes, they have slain(killed)your servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell you". While he was telling Job all this another servant came rushing in huffing and puffing , probably fell on the ground in front of old Job and gasping for breath said "The fire of God(obviously a lightening bolt) is fallen from heaven, and has burned up the sheep(not good news) and the servants(now it's getting really bad) and consumed them, and I'm the only one left; I escaped and came to tell you what's happened". As if that isn't bad enough right on this guy's heels comes another servant and tells him that the Chaldeans stole the camels and killed more servants; another one arrives on his heels and informed him of his sons and daughters; they were eating and drinking in their oldest brothers house and the house fell in on them and they all died...except one servant.
And what does Job do about all this? He got up and tore his mantle, a kind of scarf type thing that they wore over their shoulder and wrapped around their face to keep all that sand dust out of their face, this was a kind of grief demonstration and oh! how he must have grieved. I cannot imagine the grief that man had. He lost his entire family in one fell swoop.When he was able to speak, he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there; The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD." The next thing that happened to Job was his health was taken from him. You see Satan had killed his family and robbed everything he owned and now he stole his health by afflicting him with boils all over his body and he ended up sitting on a pile of ashes, an ash heap, and scraping his boils with a piece of broken pottery. To top all this off, his wife left him and along comes three so-called friends who blame him for all that happened and he rightly called them miserable comforters.
And the worst part of all this ; FOR REASONS KNOWN ONLY TO GOD he allowed it to happen.But Job made a statement that one cannot ignore. verses 25 & 26 of chapter 3 says, "For the thing that I greatly feared has come upon me And what I dreaded has happened to me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes."
Talk about facing your fears! Poor Job....you can't help but feel sorry for him.....but in this statement of his where he says, "the thing I greatly feared has come upon me" sounds like he was living in some amount of fear that he was going to lose all this that he had accumulated in this life...and he did. But I can't help but wonder if he had faced that fear and talked to the Lord about it wouldn't that have changed everything? Paul writes to Timothy and tells him, "But God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2nd. Timothy1:7
Is fear troubling you? The only way to face your fears whether it is your health or your family, a job perhaps is to come in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God and with the knowledge that you have been given a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. I have come to a realization that God is in control of my situation and He does not want me to fear these things, like Job apparently did. The Psalmist said, "The LORD is on my side.....I will not fear" face the fear and stand on the promises.....He will not fail you...He never does.
There is another fear that Christians often face and it is called "fear of the face of clay"
The very next verse in this letter of Paul's saysTherefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord and like the psalmist face your fears. Look 'em squarely in the eye and say "the LORD is on my side; I will not fear and when the accuser(Satan) comes your way and throws your past in your face just look him squarely in the eye and say...He has forgiven me; my sins have been washed from His memory, by the beautiful blood of Calvary....He has forgiven me! sO MAYBE you messed up in times past,remember even yesterday is the past,but He has forgiven you if you confes your sins to Him. I have had to do that many times and He has forgiven me. That is why I can come boldly to the throne of grace and find mercy and grace to help in time of need.
He will do the same for you.