“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night” (Exod. 13:21, NIV).
I was wrestling with a difficult decision. I knew what I wanted to do, but I had no peace. As I was lying in bed weeping over my decision, a friend called me up and said, “Janesta, I was having my devotions, and God told me I should call you.”
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7, NKJV).
If someone were to ask me what the best advice I have ever received was, I would quote this verse. I have learned that the Bible is a guide, a place I can go to learn what I need to do.
Satan is the king of lies. He left heaven with that title. And there is no doubt that if he deceived the angels, he can and will deceive us. The devil even deceived me in more ways than I can explain.
“And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19, NLT).
Traces of this text can be easily seen in my journey with a God who consistently provides for me and my family beyond which we can ever ask or imagine. He is our Jehovah-Jireh, the Source of our provision.
At the end of my seminary experience, I was left hanging in the waiting place. With no pastoral call, not knowing what my next step would be and confined with limited resources, I kept asking God, “What’s the plan?”
“He said to them, ‘Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?’” (Mark 4:40, ESV).
The disciples, several of whom were experienced sailors, had been scared to death as a windstorm brought waves crashing over the side of their boat. Water filled the vessel faster than they could bail it out. Yet, Jesus slept peacefully until the disciples woke him. After calming the storm, He asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
Peter would take this lesson to heart. In Acts 12, he endured a different kind of storm. Shackled between two guards, he slept peacefully in prison though his death was imminent.
“Now therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You” (1 Chron. 29:13–14, NKJV).
Near the end of his reign, King David assembled the people of Israel for what was one of his last public appearances. It was a praise service in which he recounted God’s providence and all the preparations made for the great work of building the temple of God. More than once, the Bible records that David and Israel’s leaders “offered willingly” to the Lord.