Microwave Christians

Microwave Christians

 Psalms 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; (NIV)

            The invention of the microwave was actually by accident. During World War II, two scientist invented a tube called a magnetron to install in Britain's radar system, which allowed them to spot Nazi war planes on their way to bomb the British Isles. Percy LaBaron Spencer of the Raytheon Company, by accident, found that the magnetron melted his candy bar, which was in his pocket. After experimenting with it further, he found that the 

magnetron actually cooked food faster. So this is what was used to create the microwave.

            In today's society, we use microwaves on a regular basis. There are very few households who don't own a microwave. Why is that? It's because it gets our food and drinks warmed faster. Many of us do not want to take time to reheat food in a traditional oven. We love the convenience of using the microwave to warm something in 5 minutes instead of 20, plus the time it takes for the oven to get warm. However, there are times when a microwave oven just won't do. If you want to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving, I doubt very seriously that you would want to microwave it, unless it's already precooked. In either case, most people prefer to cook turkeys in their own ovens on holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

            Well, in some Christians' lives, we sometimes get the microwave mentality. We don't want to wait on God for anything. We tend to prefer taking matters into our own hands. I know that I am guilty of that myself. I am a hands-on type person and whatever doesn't get done in the time that I think it should, I try to make happen myself. However, God is sometimes telling us that we need to just sit patiently and wait. The problem that many of us have is that we think that God takes too long. We get tired of waiting and then we give it a try ourselves only to find out that we have messed the whole situation up. 

            Now, did it produce the results that we thought we'd get? More than likely, it didn't. And even if it did get us some results, it is normally immediate gratification without a lasting effect. Therefore, we find ourselves having to go right back to God to help us out of the mess that we created by not waiting on Him in the first place. Just think if Abraham and Sarah had waited on God when it came to having a child, there never would have been an Ishmael to cause problems generations later.

            What is your microwave situation? What has God told you that He will do, but you have or are thinking of doing something about it yourself? In the end, you may get a temporary fix, but God has the absolute best waiting on you. It may take days, months and sometimes years before you get it. But, whenever you do, it would have been worth the wait. Trust God! Just like the old saying, "He may not come when you want Him, but He's right on time.

 

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Take Off Your Mask

Take Off Your Mask

Mathew 7:5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (NIV)

            Every October 31^st, many children all across the country celebrate Halloween. Many of them have on costumes that have their faces hidden. There are masks of every kind on display as they walk around the neighborhoods saying Trick or Treat. They enjoy covering their faces so no one can see the real them. It may even give them a sense of boldness because they can hide under the mask. However, once the mask is taken off, what would you really see? Many of us have masks that we wear throughout our lives. We may have been afraid to take them off for fear of what others would think. But who are we really fooling when God is the one who sees all? 

            Some put on the mask when it comes time for church. Others put on a mask to hide hurt and abuse from their past. Then there are the ones who put on a mask to pretend they are something based upon a label that was given. There are many reasons why people put on masks. This is not to say that all of them are bad, but deep down, are you really being true to who you are? If you were to take off your mask, what would you really see? Would you see someone less confident? Would there be someone looking back in shame? Would thoughts of hypocrisy be shown? Most important, what would God say with the real you?

            Maybe none of the negative apply, but you have worn your mask for so long that no one can see the talented, independent, God-fearing person that you are? If this is you, why do you still have your mask on? Sometimes, we have gotten used to an image that we have outgrown. God is trying to move us forward, but the move is impossible without the separation of the mask. It is easy to hide behind something, but God is saying, "I have covered you with the blood, this is the only covering you need." Step out on faith! Take off your mask! Believe in what God has given you. If underneath is not what it's supposed to be, let God cleanse you and set your mask free.

God is With You in the Fire

God is With You in the Fire

Daniel 3:24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

     Daniel tells the story of 3 young men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who dared to defy a king. King Nebuchadnezzar had built this tall statute in honor of himself and wanted all the people in the land to worship it. The decree was given that at the sound of the music playing, all was to bow down and worship the image or they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. Some of the Jews' haters were among them when the order was given and decided to report to the king that these young men had not obeyed. 

            Wanting to know who would dare defy his order, he had the men brought before him. Although angry, he decided to give them another opportunity to bow down and worship his image. Despite being threatened to be thrown into the fire, the young men still refused to submit to the king's order. After their refusal to obey, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his soldiers to tie their hands and throw them into the fire after he had them to heat the fire 7 times hotter than it was. 

            One may ask, why didn't God prevent them from ever going into the fire. He could have easily done this and the young men would have never had to experience such an ordeal. However, this was obviously not the way that God wanted this story to go. While the young men were in the furnace, the king noticed that a 4th man was inside. The story goes on to say that he told the young men to come out of the furnace. There wasn't a burned hair on their head. Their clothes were not scorched and there was no smell of smoke. God protected them while in the mist of flames.

            This is the same thing that God does for us today. He doesn't always keep you from going into the fire. We will have trials, heartbreaks, and be faced with unpleasant situations in life. However, God is with us as we are going through. Someone may ask, "Why do we have to go through at all?" Well, just like we are discussing this story now, which happened centuries ago, someone will be able to learn from our story and gain strength as well.
            Everything that we go through is not just for us. We are to be a testimony for others who are dealing with life and its challenges. God already knew what was going to be the situation that the young men would face. Nothing is a surprise to God. However, He had already mapped out a plan of escape for them. When you go through things in life, just remember, God has already made a plan of victory for you in the end. And when you are done, you will look nothing like what you had been through. Just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had no evidence of the fire they had been in, the same goes for you. Trust me! I am a living witness to that! Trust in God...He has you even in the fire. 

 

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