Laughter - It's the Very Best Medicine! – Genesis 21:6

6 Sarah said, God has blessed me with laughter and all who get the news will laugh with me!

– Genesis 21:6

Laughter – It's the Very Best Medicine!

Sarah had two laughs – one was in quiet disbelief, but the one that mattered resulted from the miracle that God gave her – a son.  I think God was laughing harder than Sarah when He saw the joy that was flowing out of her.  He knew how she would react to His blessing, and I have to believe that as the end of her pregnancy drew near, He was beside Himself with excited anticipation to see her face light up when she first gazed upon the face of her newborn.

Have you ever laughed to yourself in disbelief at a promise that God has given you?  It doesn't have to be a personal visit and an audible promise, but what about the promises from His Word?  Have you ever thought to yourself, 

"I know the Bible says that I can have victory over my sin – but I just can't hep myself – I've been at it for too long and it's just too hard to change."  

Or how about, 

"I know the Bible says that I can move mountains with a little faith – but that's just crazy!  It must be for someone else because I could never do that."  

Here's one more, 

"I know the Bible says that I can be healed, but I don't really think I can."

Our faith is so small and incomplete sometimes but when God decides to move – when He sets His mind to pour out  a blessing, you will be overflowing with joy and your laughter will not be contained.  He will be glorified by it and others will see and hear the joy of the Lord and they will be drawn to you because of what He has done.  It is then your job to proclaim His goodness and His grace so that they can come to know Him as you do.

So stop doubting.  In fact, if you must doubt something, doubt your doubt.  God can and will do miracles in your life.  He will bring joy from your mourning, and laughter from your tears.  He will do what He promises in His Word and He will be overjoyed with your joy.  Our God is good and He wants to bless you today.  So when He does, laugh so the whole earth can laugh with you.

Prayer

Father I thank You for being so faithful to attend to my needs.  It is so humbling to know that You care so much for me and I am so insignificant and unworthy of your attention.  You bless me everyday, and I know that sometimes I don't acknowledge all that You do for me, and for that I am so sorry.  I pray that I can be a blessing to someone today - that I can laugh with a holy laughter so that they can see and hear how great You are!  You are my joy and I will proclaim You with my laughter!

Have a blessed day everyone!

-Richard

Hearing From The Holy Spirit – John 16:13

13 When, however, the Spirit comes, who reveals the truth about God, he will lead you into all the truth.  He will not speak on his own authority, but he will speak of what he hears and will tell you of things to come. 
– John 16:13 (Good News Translation)

Hearing From The Holy Spirit
Early on in my Christianity, I was sitting in a Sunday night service at the AG church where I was saved.  The pastor changed things up a bit and asked members of the congregation to share what God had been doing in their lives.  I heard story after story of God's goodness and His grace but what I found most interesting was the stories told of how God spoke to someone or told them to do something.  It seemed that almost everyone was hearing from God and I was concerned because I hadn't heard God speak to me yet - I was hurt because I didn't have the relationship with God that others did.  Then an elderly man who was considered a pillar of the church stood up and in his slow Texas drawl said "You know, y'all have been jawing 'bout how God told you to do this and spoke to you about that . . .well," he continued, "I've been a Christian pert near all my life, and I ain't never heard God speak to me in an audible voice."  He went on to say, "Y'all gotta be careful 'bout how'ya spin yer tales so that the new folks in this here congregation won't be 'spectin to hear from God ever time they git down on their knees!"

It was almost like he knew how discouraged I had become listening to everyone's wonderful experiences with God.  After the service I went up to him and thanked him for sharing his wisdom and I explained how I was feeling.  He took me under his wing and over the next couple of years, he taught me how to hear from God, but most importantly, he taught me how to listen for God.  I'll be forever grateful to him for sharing his time and his wisdom with me.

I think that lots of people get discouraged sometimes because they don't hear from God, or they aren't sure that what they are feeling is from God.  I can understand where they are coming from and I don't think the church does enough to help people acquire the skills they need to listen for God, so that when the Spirit does speak to them, they can know in their "knower" that it is from God.

The key, is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Having that special relationship with Him and being able to commune with Him is so important to being able to hear what He is saying.  The Holy Spirit is our helper and He was sent to guide is through our lives and so we need to see Him as our confidant – our closest friend – the one we can ALWAYS count on.  We need to learn to trust Him and to consult with Him about every detail in our life so that we get used to the relationship.  The Holy Spirit of our God is the only way we are going to get through the rigors of our lives and stay on the narrow path to the Father.  If Jesus is The Way to the Father, then the Holy Spirit is the GPS that keeps us on the right path.

So how does He speak to us?  Through little feelings in our stomachs; through sudden thoughts; through other people's wisdom and example; through dreams and visions - He speaks to us in all kind of ways, so we need to start acknowledging Him and by doing so, the clarity with which He communicates with us will increase.  


Thank Him for finding your lost keys; thank Him for remembering to complete the task that has been eluding you; thank Him for helping you throughout your day! As you learn to acknowledge Him, His voice will become apparent and you will soon know His voice like a child knows its mother's.

God wants to speak to you - and He does it through the Holy Spirit.  Are you listening today?

Prayer
Father, thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to us in order to speak wisdom and joy and peace and to give us Your direction.  How lost we all would be without Him.  Help us to learn how to listen for His voice so that when He does speak - when You speak, we are able to hear Your plan for our lives.  Father, You always know what we need and You always tell us how to achieve the success and to get over the failures in our lives, and You do it through the gift of Your Holy Spirit - Thank You for Your gift!

Have a blessed day everyone!

-Richard