Quiet Nudges

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26, NIV).

“There is a story about a boy flying a kite. The kite was so high that it had disappeared into the clouds. A man came by and asked, ‘What are you doing, son, holding onto that string?’ The boy answered, ‘I’ve got a kite up there.’ The man looked up and said, ‘I don’t see it.’ The boy replied, ‘Well, I know it’s there because I can feel the tug.’ That’s like the witness of the Holy Spirit within us. We may not see the evidence, but we feel a tug in our hearts constantly, letting us know that we are in touch with God. That is the witness of the Holy Spirit.”

“I have determined that throughout each day I will be alert to the Holy Spirit’s working in my life. For example, one Sunday afternoon when I was about to sit down and relax with the newspaper, I suddenly remembered a relative whom I knew was lonely. I silently thanked the Lord for the quiet nudge and proceeded to follow through by visiting with my relative for part of the afternoon. I have come to realize that there is an effort required of us if we are to progress in the Christian life. But we need to trust God and rest in Him so that we can be aware of His quiet nudges” (Lorraine Joy Burt).

Meeting God Face-to-Face

“But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction” (Job 36:15, NIV).

“Dr. Edward Judson, in speaking of the life of his father, Adoniram Judson, at the dedication of the Judson Memorial Church in New York City, said, ‘Suffering and success go together. If you are succeeding without suffering, it is because others before you have suffered; if you are suffering without succeeding, it is that others after you might succeed.’ Happy are they that mourn. They can be happy because they know that their pain, their distress and their privation are the travail of a new creation, the birth pangs of a better world. They can be happy if they are aware that the Master Artist, God, is employing both light and shadow to produce a masterpiece worthy of divine artistry. They can also glory in their infirmities, smile through their tears and sing in the midst of their sorrow, because they realize that in God’s economy, ‘If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.”

“I am a professor of pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine. Many times I have asked parents of my patients, ‘If you could rewrite your life’s script, would you omit any trace of this experience?’ Although they would all omit the physical suffering of their children, few would want to return to their former philosophies of life. Before suffering came into their lives through the illness of their children, their worldview had been distorted, their opinion of God more hearsay than heart-held. It was in their suffering that they met God face-to-face. Had it been their choice, the meeting might never have occurred. For the parents with whom I work, hope springs from their mended places, and prayers ascend from where they once were broken. In these situations, the story of Job is an opening in the heavens, a window for those of us who struggle with suffering. We learn that his suffering had nothing to do with his own righteousness before God. Neither was his suffering an excuse for him to forsake God’s ways. God answered Job out of the whirlwind. The Lover of Job’s soul spoke words through Job’s suffering that Job could not previously understand things too wonderful, that he did not know. God was precisely where Job least expected to find Him, and where we will find Him too” (Diane M. Komp).

A Firm Grip on Heaven

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).

“Nothing can be compared with the home going of a believer who says goodbye here to all of the suffering, difficulties and the problems in this life, and then is surrounded immediately by angels and carried by them to a glorious welcome in Heaven. That is the reason I believe that death can be beautiful. I have known people to die with expressions of triumph on their faces. No wonder the Bible says, ‘Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones.’ (Psalm 116:15). No wonder David said, ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me’ (Psalm 23:4). Many who read this may be fearing and dreading death. You may be in a hospital room or in a room at home, and soon God will be calling you to Himself. At the moment you are suffering, but because of Christ in another moment you will be transformed. The glories, beauties, splendor and grandeur of Heaven will soon be yours. If you know Christ, you can put your trust and confidence in Him because He died for you — and in that last moment, the greatest crisis of all, God will have His angels there to carry you gloriously, wonderfully into Heaven!”

“Heaven is where the angels are and where the redeemed will ultimately be. Our Lord descended from heaven, ascended into heaven and currently makes intercession for His own there. Some day He shall return to earth from heaven. Heaven awaits every believer. ‘If it were not so,’ said Jesus, ‘I would have told you’ (John 14:2). Believing in heaven makes all the difference in our daily living” (Wm. J. McRae).

A Daily Investment

“And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there” (Matthew 14:23).

“Today many people regard prayer as a venerated tradition. We have no sense of coming to grips with God; we simply use prayer as a formality. Yet how can we go on unless there is a renewed emphasis on prayer? Thousands of people pray only in times of great stress, danger or uncertainty. Christ instructed His followers always to pray. So fervent and direct were the prayers of Jesus that once when He had finished praying, His followers turned to Him and said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray’ (Luke 11:1). They knew that Jesus had been in touch with God, and they wanted to have such an experience. From one end of the Bible to the other is the record of those whose prayers have been answered—those who turned the tide of history by prayer; those who fervently prayed, and God answered.”

See the Lord

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” – Psalm 34:4

In this day and age, it seems that there are so many things that people are afraid of. I’m not just talking about phobias, but many people are afraid of the future, afraid they won’t get married, afraid they won’t find a better job, afraid of getting sick. But the scripture gives us a simple remedy for all our fears and that is to seek the Lord. How do you seek the Lord? With a humble and open heart. By setting aside time each day to commune with Him. By focusing your thoughts on Him and His goodness.

Friend, no matter what fears may be plaguing your mind today, God wants to deliver you. He promises to keep us in perfect peace when we keep our minds stayed on Him. Today, meditate on His goodness. Meditate on His perfect love which casts out all fear. As you seek the Lord, He will answer you. He will deliver you and lead you in the path of peace and victory all the days of your life!