Keep Believing God!

A friend reminded me today of this testimony from a few years ago. It is one that has ministered greatly to me and I know others as well.

Misty
(11-12-15)

(Reposted with additions June 20, 2013)
"As I was reading today I was reminded of a testimony I shared some time back. It was a good reminder to me today about some things in my own life and the days to come. I have also been considering the Israel children. God did many things for them over and over again.

Psalm 78:13 - 16
13: He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.

14: In the daytime  also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.

15: He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.  

16: He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. 

BUT

19: They spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness.

20: Can he give bread also? Can he provide flesh for his people? 

After all God had done for them, when they found themselves in situations they would question if God could bring them through it. That's unbelief!! That's sin!! It's sin not to believe God! And I encourage myself daily to NOT GO THERE!!!

Hebrews 12:1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. 

In Psalm 78:21 it goes on to say how the Lord heard them, and was wroth ( angry ).

Just been encouraging myself lately to keep in remembrance ALL the things God has done for me!! To keep believing God no matter what something looks like or seems!!  That's a good place to be!!


(Originally posted in 2011 with some changes added 2013:)
Back at the end of the school year, there were some things going on in our lives; school was ending, we were still traveling to Muskogee, the Joplin tornado had just happened, and we were traveling there as well. I had a personal connection to that in having a very close friend who was involved in it. Previous to the tornado, in a brief conversation with someone one day, they said, “Misty, I think it is going to be an exciting summer for you.” I didn’t say anything, but I thought, “WHAT??? What do you mean??? Do you know something I don’t!?!?”

Well, I certainly had no idea what lay in the days ahead. After the events of the tornado and having finally gotten in touch with my friend we were on our way to Joplin. We were also doing some things in the ministry as well there, along with me working out this situation with my friend.

When I arrived to see her one afternoon we went to, I believe, a large church building that had been set up with numerous people and booths, FEMA, Red Cross, etc. I had never seen anything like it in my life! People so lost. It could overwhelm you if you let it, I endeavored to keep my heart and eyes on Jesus! I couldn't look at what I saw. We went in and there would be groups trying to get you to come to their booth for this or that. If I remember correctly there were people trying to pull you over to give you counseling. I was amazed at how these large groups of people who were suppose to be helping, seemed to in some degree take advantage of others' weaknesses or helplessness in that moment. At some point there was an exchange between me and my friend with, "We don't need counseling we got Jesus!!"

It was a new place for me. I knew I was responsible for believing God for her benefit, and her and I were going to have to be bold!!  Knowing there was nothing they could help with, we began on our way out. As we were leaving there was one last stop she needed to check. In hopes that there would be something for them to help her with, but each time with her question, their response was, no we can't do that, or no to this, etc. Needless to say there was NO ONE to help, but GOD!! There is so much I could share about what God did. He also did some things in my heart through it all that I am grateful for!! My friend had been staying in contact with me about things going on in their life through the years and more so during the last few months leading up to this time. I knew of the hardships without what had just happened. Now with the recent events in Joplin, there was much that became added to their life! 

We talked numerous times, and I would share with them about believing God and what we needed to do. I knew God would have to intervene in all this! Anthony was believing too, but this was my friend and I was getting a lot more on my end with all the details and such. One of the last days I was with them in Joplin before coming home, we were setting in a parking lot talking about the things of God. They told me what they believed was right  regarding their life with what to do, and I just said, “Well, we will believe God, and if this is what He is after, He will do it!” Shortly thereafter, they came to our home and I was going to go with them to take care of some business that day. At this point, they were now in the process of finding a home to live! They had “some” cash, but only a certain amount to find a place. We were on a time schedule as well with them finding a place and a job, etc. In short, there were a few obstacles going against us! So here I was, and here they were, needing some direction from the Lord on what to do, and believing that I would hear God and get/give some instruction and that they would hear God as well! So as we venture out, there was NOTHING in my heart! Nothing in my heart about where to go, where to begin. I just kept telling myself, “Okay, you’re gonna have to believe God in this!” We drove around and we weren’t talking about the things of the world, we were talking about God and what He was after, trying to get the mind of God in this whole situation. They had some limitations on where they believed was right to look due to expenses also, so I tried to consider that along with where my faith was. I wasn’t going to get out there and say, “Hey I say let’s do this or that!”  So we checked place after place, NOTHING!! I just kept saying, “Okay, well I’ll tell you what we’re gonna do, we’re gonna believe God!!!” That's what you have to do when it ALL looks like a mess!! Or seems impossible!! You can't go by what you see or how you feel!! You CAN though BELIEVE!!! We would go look someplace else, it would be too high, or you couldn’t move in till some way later time, someone already was getting it, whatever. We’d get in the vehicle, and I would say, “Well, I know God has done this for me, or that for me, ( encouraging myself in the Lord ) and we’re just gonna believe God!!!” That is ALL I kept saying! I kept encouraging us both in the Lord, and instructing my own self what I was going to do; and that was believe! At one point I thought as I was driving, “Do you really believe what you are saying??” I would immediately tell myself, “I don’t know , but I know this, I’m gonna believe God!!” I would disregard any thing that came into my heart or head that would try to move me off of what I was believing, or discourage me, and kept saying to myself and out loud, “We’re gonna believe God!!” "You're gonna believe God!!" That is exactly what I was doing!! That was all I KNEW to do!!! I didn’t dare tell my friend!! (We actually got a chuckle about it later), I thought, “Oh my gosh, she probably thinks that is all I know or can say!” It was at that time, cause nothing seemed to be going our way! No jobs, no nothing!!!

For the most part, usually there is something going on in my heart on what to do, or I get some instruction from God or Anthony; get some encouragement that I’m on the right track, but this was different. It was a "new" place for me. But I have come to learn that God will meet you where you're at, and do things for you to get you to believe Him! He will encourage you! Then there comes a day when your faith gets a little more perfected, and He begins to walk you through others things, and you have to learn to stay steady and keep believing!!! And use your faith!!! Don't be like those Israel children who got to a place and questioned...."Could God do this?"

So, at the end of the day, they left with no place to live, no job; and a few other needs here and there to say the least. We all just kept praying!! Kept believing!! Kept expecting!!! God to show His power in this!!! That was all we could do!! And not look at what it looked like!!! Within a week or two, God was moving!!! So many things, so many details, could be shared, but that is their testimony to share about the personal things that were provided, and the specifics, and I'll leave that to them.  But briefly, here is what God did!! A place that they loved, which was not available, the people unexpectedly backed out, and they got it!! With new items/features that had been recently added! A job that a person didn't show up for became available again, and they got it!! Things needing supplied for their new place and things, they got it!!! Someone, without knowing, but God knew; gave them some money which provided their last car payment they were to make. And some being set free and overcoming along the way, we both got it!!! All I can say is what a wonderful opportunity God allowed me to be a part of! They received all those things, I didn’t help them one bit!! All I did was drive the car a few times, and prayed believing!!! God did it ALL for them, and they KNEW it!!! He did something for me too in all of this that I am so grateful for, and those things happened in my heart!!

I hope you are as encouraged as I was that day, in that when the situation seems hopeless, and the world says you only have so much time for this or that, and nothing seems to be what you need it to be; JUST BELIEVE GOD!!! I know now, and it is true; when you think you’re not believin’ keep encouraging yourself that, “I’M GONNA BELIEVE!!!” and DO IT!!! Believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! God raised that man Jesus from the dead and that same power that raised Him from the dead works today for all of us, in every situation, for everything we have need of, when we believe!! And you watch God come through!!!"

God Bless You All!!
Misty