dead-end leads to deliverance…

it takes real faith in GOD to thank HIM in advance.  paul knew this.  but this happened so we might not rely on ourselves but on GOD who raises the dead!  HE has delivered us...HE will deliver us ... (and) we have set our hope that HE will continue to deliver us.  2 corinthians 1.9-10 (niv). 

the purpose of the dead-end is to teach us to trust in GOD.  why does GOD let things get so bad they are out of control, so you can realize you can’t control it?  so HE can force you to learn to trust in HIM instead of trusting on your own ingenuity and cleverness.  that’s the purpose.

what’s the promise?  HE has delivered us, HE will deliver us, and we believe HE will continue to deliver us. 

so how does GOD deliver us?

for one HE uses circumstantial deliverance. 

sometimes GOD miraculously alters the circumstance and the red sea splits.  that will happen many, many times in your life.  but it’s not going to happen all the time.  that’s just one of the ways GOD delivers – changing the circumstance.

GOD also uses personal deliverance. 

HE does not change the circumstance; HE changes you from the inside.  you get a new dream, a new vision, a new attitude, a new perspective.  GOD helps you handle the situation, which does not change but HE changes you. 

many of you have read the writings of corrie ten boom who wrote the hiding place.  when corrie was a young woman, her fiancé broke off the engagement and married somebody else.  she was devastated and she never married.  she went to her father and said, “what do you do when a love has been blocked?  when you want to give love but you can't give it?”  her father, wisely, said, “when your love is blocked, you re-channel it.” 

folks, there are a lot of people who need love in this world.  you don’t hold yourself up in a prison, build up walls, say, “i’m never going to allow anybody to hurt me, because i’m hurt.”  you re-channel the love in a new direction.

just a thought from the front porch…