Prophet Isaiah thus recorded, ‘Thus says the Lord, the Holy One for Israel, and his Maker: “Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; and concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.”’ (Isaiah 45:11)
When I read of this verse previously I always wondered how we could ever ask God to tell us things about ourselves. But this is God’s saying. All we need to do is ask. I did ask before but could not differentiate what was from God and what was from my own thoughts. So I had stopped asking after awhile many years ago.
I believe the best thing in one’s life is to know that God is real and He is good. The more years we have lived the more we appreciate the need to know God and be assured of a place in God’s kingdom. I used to think that God was a faraway ‘person’ or being who had nothing to do with me except perhaps on the Lord’s day when I went to church for a mere 1-2 hours religious service.
Recently I have discovered that God is real here and He is present even in the daily living matters which I used to think too small for Him. Yesterday we had to give a very important talk on how to live a positive, optimistic life Biblically. After I prepared the PowerPoint presentation, I saved it in a pen drive memory key. I tested the file in the key and found it functioning alright. However before we left for the talk the speaker asked me to delete two slides so I changed the presentation in my computer accordingly and took out the key and replaced the file. After that I suddenly decided to save a back up file in another memory key as well. Instead of copying and transferring the file from the first key to the second one, I decided to save the talk from the master copy in my computer. Then I carried both keys to the talk.
On reaching there I tested the first memory key in the church computer, and the key failed to work as it was virus infected. The files were blank. I took out my back up key and it worked perfectly. Otherwise the speaker would have a tough time using oral illustration alone for the solid two and half hours talk. The talk went well and the audience which consisted of mainly older and middle aged folks sat through the two whole sessions attentively and with obvious enthusiasm. It was the best I had heard so far, being very much led by the Holy Spirit.
To me it was a miracle. I have never prepared a back up for any of our previous talks all these years. I was always confident that the memory key would work perfectly. Yesterday I was led by the Holy Spirit to back up and bring it along. When I did that I was puzzled but I just obeyed without question. It turned out that the Holy Spirit knew what I did not know and He saved the day!
This talk was important to us as this was the first talk we presented with the overt help from the Holy Spirit. The speaker did the writing and has prayed for Holy Spirit guidance all along. I did the typing and visuals. We used to pray for every talk too, but we did not know about spiritual matter then. So we depended on our human mind and effort. This time we knew that the spiritual world is very much involved and we really need to listen to the Holy Spirit through out. Our morning and evening worships as led by the Holy Spirit helped us to be more focused and clear about what we were to share.
On the night before the talk I thought the talk was to be held in a common community open place at some low cost housing flats. So I prayed for angels to encamp around. Then I indeed saw lots of huge angels cordoning off a place (which I could not see).
Yesterday morning I was led to pray for that church to be Spirit-filled etc. Then I heard God telling me (for the first time He talked to me as in a conversation) He has heard and answered my prayer, and has taken care of things, and His presence will be there! I was surprised and honored. I was speechless but I thanked Him.
Then He told me to go on and pray for an African country for an 85 years old missionary doctor who, having served there for over 50 years is still faithfully serving the Lord. When I finished praying I asked what Bible verses I should read and I was led to read a chapter in Hosea, John, James (no chapter was given, so I presumed the whole book) and psalm. I read all the verses and left James to be read at night.
When we were on the way to the talk, the speaker realized my misconception about the place and told me that the talk was in a church and not as I thought earlier. I was relieved and realized why God said His presence will be there and asked me not to worry!
The end result was that the talk was carried out as planned by the Holy Spirit. In the second part of the talk the speaker did not follow the original text at all. Instead she gave a personal testimony which was very touching to many of the audience who later gave their feedback.
In the evening when I read James I read the whole book but then I thought I would just ask what chapter the Holy Spirit wants me to pay attention to. I immediately got the message that it was chapter 3 (about our speech). So I read it again and prayed over it. It was indeed a Spirit led passage as the speaker’s talk that day was about controlling our way of talking and the contents thereof which came out of our hearts!
To be led by the Holy Spirit is wonderful. We are indeed thankful for God to have intervened and taken part.
Yes, sons and daughters of God can ask God about your lives, your future, your pending decisions, choices to make, directions and paths to take, your career, your relationship, your health and so on. Do ask and wait for answer. Listen carefully to the still small voice. I have personally found that the words from the Holy Spirit usually flow smoothly without hesitations. There is no time for me to write down. There is no time for me to think. They can come as if I am thinking. They also come in the way I received yesterday as in a conversation.
One thing to bear in mind is, do not be in a hurry. God has eternity on His side. He created us to worship and minister to Him. You need to come and worship Him and seek Him first. Do not rush into prayers and requests without being prompted by the Holy Spirit. Do not babble a one sided speech. Listen in quietness and rest. Endure long silence.
Listen today to God and you will be greatly blessed!
AAA Jack
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