God Speaks Even In Silence

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen… Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:37-40

Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem before the Passover brought cheers from the crowd. Their response infuriated the Pharisees. Given all the evidence of Jesus being the Messiah, it’s hard to fathom that religious leaders would rebuke him. Yet, there it was. And the Pharisees carried their hatred all the way to Golgotha. 

Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees sends chills up my spine. Imagine stones crying out about our Savior. This shows the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. He can’t not speak about Christ! And if He can’t do it through a person, He’ll find another way. 

I became even more aware of that within the last month as we celebrated the life of one of the most impactful pastors that our country, and possibly the world, has ever seen. Reverend Billy Graham passed away in February at the age of 99. I respected and loved Billy Graham. I grew up watching his crusades in the 1970s, and they had a huge impact on me. 

As many other folks did after Graham’s death, I watched videos of his life, including one about his crusades to London, England. In 1954, at his first big international crusade, over 2 million people attended with 40,000 professions of faith. He returned in 1955 and again in 1966.

As stadiums packed out for the crusades, the British media began writing scathing reviews of his ministry. They claimed Billy Graham whipped his audiences into an emotional frenzy with the playing of Just As I Am for the altar call. They credited that with the mass number of conversions—not a genuine call of Christ.

So in 1966, when Billy Graham returned to England and held services at Earl Gray’s Court and Wembly Stadium, he ended the services differently. Cliff Barrows, Graham’s music director, recounted the story here:

That first night at Earl’s Court, Billy preached his heart out. There was a real sense of the presence of God. When he finished he said, “We are not going to have any music tonight. There’ll be no singing. But if the Spirit of God is speaking to your heart, then right where you are, just stand in your place, and make your way out to the aisle. Come down to the center through the side aisles and stand here in front of the platform.” He stood back and said, “Now, you come.”

For about fifteen seconds nobody moved. And that’s a long time. Then all of a sudden a seat squeaked, and then another, and another. Then hundreds of people began to stand. They walked to the aisle, shuffled down the long wooden floor that had been put down to cover the turf, and stood at the front.

We went thirty nights without a single note of the hymn, “Just as I Am,” which has been the signature tune of our Crusades through the years. We had never done that before.

When the reporters began to write about the invitation at Earl’s Court, they said that all they heard was a shuffling of feet on the floor. “Bring back ‘Just as I Am!’ The silence is killing us!” they wrote.

I’m pretty sure the reporters didn’t realize what an amazing testimony they were giving—not for Graham but for Christ. 

“The silence is killing us”—or as Jesus put it, “Even the stones will cry out.” Even in the silence, the Holy Spirit was speaking. The Pharisees couldn’t silence the Holy Spirit, and the reporters couldn’t either.

Hearing this story of Graham’s crusade confirmed for me that—even in what we perceive as our weak, human attempts to share the gospel—the Holy Spirit shines through our words, and often in our silence.  

St. Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”

I’ll take it even one step further. Our testimony is more than what we tell people about our salvation experience. It’s also lived out in our actions. That’s when God’s spirit is most evident.

And then when we do speak, people will listen.

Have you ever felt inadequate when telling people about Christ? Perhaps you have a Bible verse that’s encouraged you when you felt weak. I’d love for you to share in the comments below.

If you need prayer today, please feel free to leave a comment or email me confidential requests. I’d love to pray for you!

God Bless,
Laura

©Laura Hodges Poole

Photos courtesy of Pixabay.com.

Are You Turning Stones to Bread?

“The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Matthew 4:3 

In our quest to faithfully serve God, the danger is in becoming too involved in worthy causes that detract from our individual ministry purpose.

Feeding the hungry is a good thing, but has God called you to spend several hours a week in a soup kitchen? Serving the homeless is a noble cause, but has God called you to volunteer at a homeless shelter?

After Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness following his baptism, he was hungry. The first thing Satan tempted Jesus with was food. Turning stones to bread would have not only solved Jesus’ hunger but many others. Surely he was sympathetic to the needy in his community. Yet Jesus refused Satan’s offer.

Jesus didn’t lack empathy for the hungry. Throughout the Gospels, we see examples of Jesus feeding thousands rather than sending them on their way after he preached. But eradicating hunger in the world wasn’t Jesus’ ministry.

Satan will present service opportunities, which are charitable, yet divert from a more important ministry in that moment. If we’re not careful (or prayerful), we’ll jump at every opportunity to serve, even if it diminishes our capacity to fulfill the role God called us to.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.” Matthew 13:24b-26 

The flower on the right is a daucus pusillus or, in lay terms, Wild Carrot or Rattlesnake Weed. According to legend, it can be used as a poultice for a rattlesnake bite. Weeds serve as food in the animal kingdom. Like many weeds, this one produces a beautiful flower.

Weeds can be beautiful or even beneficial while at the same time destructive. Left unchecked, they choke out vital crops for man. The same is true when we participate in activities, however worthy, when we’re called to do something else for that season in our life.

The purpose of the enemy sowing weeds is to reduce the Kingdom harvest.

Are you busy turning stones to bread while the enemy sows weeds in your ministry field? Is the Kingdom work you were called to do getting your leftover time and talent?

If you feel overworked, overcommitted, or stressed, ask God for clarity in your ministry. Perhaps you’re right where He wants you for spiritual growth. Perhaps not. He might point you in a different direction.

How may I pray for you today? Please leave a comment or e-mail me confidential requests. My contact info is under the heading above marked “Talk to Me.” While you’re here, would you lift up those who leave prayer requests, as well as those on the prayer list at the top of the blog?

God bless,
Laura ✞

© Laura Hodges Poole 

Stones image courtesy of suphakit73/freedigitalphotos.net. 

Post from archives—originally published May 29, 2012.

Turning Stones To Bread

“The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Matthew 4:3

In our quest to faithfully serve God, the danger is in becoming too involved in worthy causes that detract from our individual ministry purpose.

Feeding the hungry is a good thing, but has God called you to spend several hours a week in a soup kitchen? Serving the homeless is a noble cause, but has God called you to volunteer at a homeless shelter?

After Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness following his baptism, he was hungry. The first thing Satan tempted Jesus with was food. Turning stones to bread would have not only solved Jesus’ hunger but many others. Surely he was sympathetic to the needy in his community. Yet Jesus refused Satan’s offer. 

Jesus didn’t lack empathy for the hungry—It simply wasn’t what God had called him to do at that point in his ministry. Throughout the Gospels, we see examples of Jesus feeding thousands rather than sending them on their way after he preached.

Satan will present service opportunities which are charitable yet divert from a more important ministry in that moment. If we’re not careful (or prayerful), we’ll jump at every opportunity to serve, even if it diminishes our capacity to fulfill the role God called us to. 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.”Matthew 13:24b-26.

The flower in the photo above is a daucus pusillus or in lay terms Wild Carrot or Rattlesnake Weed. According to legend, it can be used as a poultice for a rattlesnake bite. Weeds serve as food in the animal kingdom. Like many weeds, this one produces a beautiful flower. 

Weeds can be both destructive and beautiful at the same time. Left unchecked, they choke out vital crops for man. The same is true when we participate in activities, however worthy, when we’re called to do something else for that season in our life. 

The purpose of the enemy sowing weeds is to reduce the Kingdom harvest. 

Are you busy turning stones to bread while the enemy sows weeds in your ministry field? Is the Kingdom work you were called to do getting your leftover time and talent? 

If you feel overworked, overcommitted, or stressed, ask God for clarity in your ministry. Perhaps you’re right where He wants you for spiritual growth. Perhaps not. He might point you in a different direction. 

As we go to the Lord in prayer this week, please remember previous requests including several for employment. Continue to lift up Courtney, Karen, TC’s father-in-law, and Piper’s family battling serious health issues. Remember those who requested prayer for difficult family situations and mental illness including depression. Please pray for one another as we share the Gospel with the unsaved. 

If you have a prayer request, leave it in the comment section below or email me confidential requests. My contact info is under the heading above marked “Talk to Me.”  

Enjoy our song this week,"Revelation Song," by Phillips, Craig, and Dean, as you go to the Lord in prayer.

  God bless,

Laura

My Father's Love

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:4-7.

Yesterday was my father’s 76^th birthday. It’s difficult to imagine my father approaching 80, mainly because he’s so young at heart. He doesn’t believe in retirement, although he has scaled back his work hours in the past few years. Even at home, he’s busy with his garden, landscaping his yard, and studying his Bible.

I was fortunate growing up to have such a godly man as a father. Dad was the epitome of Deuteronomy 6:4-7. When someone loves the Lord as much as he does, it can’t be contained. Whether I was working alongside him in the garden or in his cleaning business, he easily talked about the evidence of God in the world around us. God’s love flowed through Dad. All you have to do is spend sixty seconds with my father talking about God, and you feel God’s presence.

“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:14-15.

Dad taught us the value of work—and that the quality of our work reflects our character. Perhaps this is why even at his age, his phone still rings off the hook with people begging him to do something with their yards after letting other landscapers have a go at them.

Dad was not college educated. In fact, he dropped out of school and went into the military. He had a cleaning company for years before transitioning into landscaping. All of his children, at one time or another, worked for him. In addition to cleaning offices, we cleaned churches and the Jewish synagogue in Gainesville. I learned much about other denominations, as well as the Jewish culture and beliefs.

To lighten the workload on Saturday, we kids swept the massive amount of sidewalks around the churches on Friday. Then, sometimes on Saturday, Dad made us sweep them again. When we complained, he’d say, “You swept them yesterday because it was your job. You’re sweeping them today to show appreciation for that job.”

This standard of excellence followed him when he began landscaping full time. A few years ago, a sorority house at the University of Florida won the best yard award in the city. Despite efforts to get Dad to accept the award at the formal dinner and be celebrated with the other category winners, he declined. He urged the sorority girls to go in his place.

You see, Dad’s never worked for human accolades. He works for God, and thus, when Dad transforms unimaginative landscapes into works of art, you see God’s handiwork through my father. His thoughtfulness, care, and talent produce a masterpiece equal to Picasso or Rembrandt.

Only the hardest heart could spend five minutes with my father in discussion about God and walk away untouched. Dad doesn’t preach or witness with the salvation plan. He talks about God’s love. And this love flows through his voice and washes over you like a cool rain shower on a hot summer day. I sense God’s love and mercy through my earthly father.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Dad wasn’t perfect, and we kids rebelled like many others. Even in these times, he was faithful in his message and did what he felt was best. Was he perfect? Certainly not. But he was consistent in his message of love. He did his best to equip us by modeling God’s best for us, regardless of what choices we made. His integrity spoke volumes and we heard God’s message loud and clear through him.

There’s not any place I’d rather be than at my father’s knee receiving instruction and basking in God’s love. I praise the Lord daily for my Christian dad. And one day, he will stand before His Father in heaven. While Dad won’t be able to claim perfection, he’ll be able to claim consistency in impressing upon his children God’s love, mercy, and faithfulness.

No doubt, Dad will hear the words from Matthew’s Gospel, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”

John 3:17

If I were to ask what’s the most recognizable Bible verse—your answer would probably be John 3:16. It’s written on posters held up at sporting events. Most non-Christians are aware of the reference, even if they can’t recite the verse. It’s one of the first verses children memorize in Sunday school. John 3:16 sums up the Gospel message in a short, easy to remember way.

Conversely, John 3:17 receives almost no attention. In fact, many people would be hard pressed to quote or give a summary of it.

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17

Non-believers, and maybe even some Christians, assume God expects us to follow a set of rules in order to follow Him. When we don’t, He breathes a fiery condemnation on us.

Not so—according to this verse.

You see, we were already under condemnation when Jesus made the choice to obey God and become man. John 3:16 speaks of God’s love, but there’s also the love Jesus has for us—so much that he became our sacrifice for sin.

If you’re having a difficult time accepting you are worthy of salvation and feel too weak to follow rules—guess what? You’re right. That’s why we need a Savior. We bring nothing but ourselves, sin and all, to the feet of Jesus. He brings about the transformation we’re unable to do on our own.

God offers you salvation freely. Jesus paid our ransom with his life. Why not ask him into your heart and free you from the condemnation of sin? I’d love to hear from you, if you do.