God's Plan to bless us!

Malachi 3:10 

¹⁰ “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”

What can one say to add anything to this scripture?   I CAN say that in my life God has proven His word to be true.    Have I always had more than I ever dreamed of?  NO, but I have always had what I need, and more, when I put God to the test.  He never fails!

If you’re struggling friend,  Take the Malachi 3:10 challenge.    Bring your 10% into the storehouse and see what God will do with it.

You cannot outgive God.   Put Him to the test today, begin tithing 10% and you’ll be amazed how far the other 90% will go.

Pastor Phil      

That first year of our marriage did have its challenges. Being young and in love doesn’t pay the bills.

A friend had suggested I might try selling cookware. It seemed the perfect way to keep up with the bills since it was so easy to sell. And wherever we went, there would be people needing such a fine product. It made sense to me.

So, I signed on the dotted line, purchased samples of the cookware and practiced my sales pitch. What could go wrong??

I filled up the tank of my bright blue VW and headed for the rural northern Missouri.  Friday closed with four orders in my pocket and four fat down payment checks. My heart swelled with pride as I anticipated my wife’s relief when she saw this paycheck. 

I checked into the local hotel after a quick burger and fries at the diner down the street.

As the night went slowly by, my throat tightened and got more painful by the hour. I realized I was getting the bug that had been going around the college campus.

“Oh well”, I thought. “At least I have four confirmed sales already”.

As Saturday dawned, I filled the VW up again and headed for home. Sick as I was, I dropped by the office and turned in my four cookware contracts anticipating a handsome paycheck to take home to my wife. But with a sad face, the secretary let me know all four of my purchasers had called to cancel their orders. Those down payment checks would be returned and the contracts voided. My heart felt like a stone in my chest as I broke the news to my young wife; there would be no paycheck that week. Not only was there no income but considerable expense had been incurred for the sales trip plus a doctor’s visit to address the strep throat I had brought home.

But somehow, the bills got paid. We learned through this and many other experiences in early marriage, God can be trusted with our impossibilities. He comes through when all our best efforts fall short. Does that mean we can just quit trying and wait for Him to do it all? Nope…I don’t think so. Often, our most meaningful miracles show up in work clothes. But when we truly have done the best we can and failed, we can trust God to come through.

You’re going to make it. God will not let you down!

Lovingly,

Richard Orrell  

Nothing is too big for God

Exodus 26:28-29   NLT

 ²⁸ “Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one   survived.

²⁹ But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the  water stood up like a wall on both sides.”

An amazing account of how God delivered His people from the Pharaoh and his entire army!

To many of us today, the enemy seems to    pursue or rise up against us and we don’t know how we are to survive.

My friend, read through God’s Word for         accounts like this one, where GOD rescues His own. He always wins every battle!

When the enemy comes in like a flood, God will raise up a standard against him.

Love ya,  Pastor Phil   

Interesting how easily one recognizes the significant after it has passed. So it was that day on the beach with our little ones. It was just a moment between parents and a small child; a seemingly light hearted and passing thing to be enjoyed and forgotten. Yet here we are decades later recalling with wonder that delightful instant when my wife and I noticed the wave coming. Together we gripped a bit tighter those two chubby little hands we were holding. We lifted our little one just high enough, so the wave didn't smack her in the face, but low enough so she felt the thrill of a close call.

"Do it again daddy!" She cackled with the delightful laughter only a child can produce.  "Do it again!"

And of course, we did "do it again" until we thought our arms would fall off!

A series of events that could easily have turned tragic became the highlight of a very special day for our small family.

In retrospect, isn't life rather like that special time when we lifted our child above the crashing wave? Our Heavenly Father walks with us through life's challenging events. We are not the first of His sheep to walk this valley. He knows it well. So, in His wisdom He allows us to forge through life as well as we might. But on occasion, knowing we are passing our limits, He lifts us just enough so life does not crush us.

Our daughter that day did not possess the wisdom to avoid the larger waves nor did she have the strength to face them on her own. But she had us!

You may not be any better off than she as you face life's storm of the day. But your Father walks the path with you. Treacherous though your challenges may be, they are no match for your Father!

"Love lifted me. Love lifted me. When nothing else could help, love lifted me!"

God be with you...

Richard Orrell