The $100 Miracle

This is one of those posts I didn't want to write. Not because I don't love what happened, but because I didn't want to admit how badly I needed the miracle God sent.

I had lunch with a friend on Wednesday. She's one of those iron-sharpens-iron friends who assured me the body of Christ would love knowing what I'd experienced and that it was pride that prevented me from sharing. "You need to write about what God's done."

She was right. I've repented and here goes. 

(I am going to write about the election, but I need to do a little pondering and I need to remind us of what God can do beforehand.)

This was not the first miracle I've ever seen, but it's the first one I'm going to tell about in this little series, because it changed something vital in me. 

After I left medicine for the writing break that wasn't just for two months, as I'd planned, but was a divinely-orchestrated training-in-faith school, money was in short supply. I'm a frugal woman, so I tightened my belt. I knew God would provide, and He did.

Money got tighter. My belt did, too. I knew God would provide, and He did. Every time.

There came a day when my bank account was down to $37.00, but an automatic draft was coming out the next day. Someone owed me money that would more than cover the expense, but they hadn't been able to pay the full amount. I searched through my house and found spare change and a few dollars, but, even with, that I was going to be short. 

I sat down with the money I had, spread it out on my kitchen table, and wept. Tears streamed down my face as I prayed, "Lord, you have never let me down before. What's up with this? What am I supposed to do?"

There are moments when that still, small voice of God is maddening. This was one of them. "Take it to the bank."

The money wasn't enough, so I couldn't see taking it to the bank before God did some kind of miracle, but the Holy Spirit was relentless. I counted the money over and over to be sure. I was nearly $60 short. I didn't know what else to do, so I gathered up the money and headed to town. 

I went to the drive-through furthest away from the window, just to avoid looking at the teller's face. I couldn't bear the idea of seeing her look at me, with my previously big bank account, now having only $37. Especially when I sent my pitiful deposit through the vacuum tube.

I prayed again as I hit the send button on the post and waited for the teller to send back the deposit slip. 

After a few minutes, she buzzed with a question. "What do you want to do with this extra money?"

"What extra money?"

"There's another $100 in here you didn't add to the total."

My breath caught in my throat. $100 would make the deposit enough. My heart was pounding as I replied. "Are you sure? I counted that money several times."

"Yes, ma'am. I've counted it three times. There's definitely an extra $100."

I had enough. 

I sat there in stunned silence with tears running down my face. 

"Dr. Hollis. What did you want me to do with this extra money?"

I was so busy having church that I'd forgotten to answer.

"If God added $100 to my deposit, you better put it in my account." I was laughing and crying and praising and shouting hallelujah.

That $100 wasn't the biggest miracle I'd ever seen, but it was the most desperately needed. It showed me, in the most compelling way imaginable, that I could trust God on this journey of faith. It was fun in a roller-coaster-ride kind of way. It left me wanting more. More God. More miracles. More evidence of His favor and love. 

That day, God did something big in me. Money has never been in quite that short supply again, but, even when it's tight, I'm no longer frightened. At the deepest part of my being, I know God will supply all my needs. Every single one of them.

People ask me all the time if I think I'll go back to medicine. It would give me a nice big salary and ease my concerns about fund-raising. I wouldn't have to work 14-hour days like I do now. It would stop my worries about what people think about me. It would make many things easier. 

It would also bring the Untapped Power Grid project to a screeching halt and stop the flow of $100 miracles. 

It's not hard to decide. All I have to do is think about the money God added to my deposit and know that, as long as I'm doing exactly what He calls me to do, in exactly His way, God will fund His projects and provide for me. 

You, too, may be facing a situation where only the intervention of God can carry you through. Take courage. We serve an on-time God who is more than able to provide. The good news is that He's not only able to provide; He's also willing.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God... And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6, 19 nasb
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photo above courtesy of free images.com 

I've been helping at a retreat for the last four days and have had essentially no internet access. I'm back in the digital world now, and the regular blog schedule will resume tomorrow. Thanks for your patience. 

This story happened nearly two years ago. Tomorrow, I'll write about something more recent,The Miracle in the Middle Drawer, and, later in the week, I'll write about The Day Time Stood Still. The election blog post is coming, so hang on and keep reading.
#miracles #Godwillprovide

Confessing Jesus Before Men: I AM the Good Shepherd

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"And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. (Luke 12:8-9 NASB)

In an attempt to understand what it means to "confess Jesus before men" (or say the same things about Jesus that He says about Himself), we are reviewing the "I AM's".  So far, we've covered I AM the Bread of Life, I AM the light of the world, and I AM the door. 

Today, we continue the passage from John 10 with a look at the pasture into which the door of Christ opens.

"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:19,11 NASB

Most of have seen pastures. These are wide, open fields in which livestock live and feed. Pasture management is a science of it's own and has taught us that a healthy pasture requires considerable attention. (I have more than one book on pasture management.) The type of grasses are chosen for their nutritional value. A source of clean water is imperative. There must be shade from the sun and protection from the elements. 

If the pasture is well-maintained, it provides a safe home for livestock, replete with everything needed for a safe and healthy life. In that same way, when we enter through the door of Jesus into the pasture He provides, we (according to Thayer) "shall not want the needful supplies for a true life." 

There is a difference, of course, between the "needful supplies for life" and our mountain of wants. In a society of entitlement, such as we have here in this country, it's easy to confuse the two. 

In 1943, Maslow described the hierarchy of human needs. Our most basic needs are simple. Breathing, food, water, shelter, clothing, sleep. The next level of need includes health, job, family, property, and social stability, but is not required to sustain life. 

Take a look again at the most basic needs. Air, food, water, shelter, and sleep can all be found in a good pasture. (Clothing is just another form of shelter, or covering.) When we enter into the pasture of faith in Jesus, he is our stability. We become part of the family of God. We are joint heirs with Him. He gives us the work of the kingdom. The "needful supplies of life" are all provided, and more.

Jesus is the door that opens into the pasture of our provision. We, the sheep of His pasture, must occupy that pasture in ways that demonstrate the care lavished upon us by our Shepherd. One of the ways we confess Jesus before men is the attitude with which we occupy our "pasture". When we receive the gifts of God with a grateful heart, we give glory to Him with our gratitude. 

A lifestyle of contentment, rather than grumbling, says to the world that we serve a Good Shepherd who provides all we need for a productive life. Let's take a look at our attitudes. Do we grumble about the gifts of God? Do we constantly want more or different than He has provided? Today, let's take note of the provision God has given us, then thank Him for His generosity toward us. Let's confess Him before men by a lifestyle of gratitude.

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. (Philippians 4:11-12 NASB)

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Our Father, thank You for giving us our daily bread, our needful supply. Give me a grateful heart that honors You by the way I receive your gifts. Replace my grumbling with contentment in Your abundant provision. In Jesus' name, Amen