Nature of God | Revelations From The Road

Mercy and Grace

April 10, 2015 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given February 2015

I entered the courtroom in shackles on my hands and feet and wearing the standard orange prison jumpsuit. I was led to the front of the courtroom where I was directed to sit down. “Oh, what have I gotten myself into?” “Why did I do those things?” “What was I thinking?” “Well, this looks like the end for me.”

I was brought back to reality by the authoritative voice of the judge, “Next case!” The bailiff called my name and I tentatively rose and approached the bench. The judge glanced at me then began looking at my file and the crimes I was accused of committing. He said, “Son, I see you’ve not been in trouble before but these charges now are pretty serious.” “With the evidence here against you, you are guilty and the sentencing guidelines are clear.” The judge looked back down at my file. My heart was racing and sweat began to form on my forehead. I swallowed hard as he looked back up at me. “Here it comes”, I thought, “my life is over.”

“Sir, you’ve made some serious mistakes here and made some bad choices.” “Are you sorry for what you have done?” “Yes, Your Honor, I am very sorry.” “Well, I believe you are and I believe you’re basically a good man so I’m going to do something different here today.” “I’m going to give you a second chance.” “By my authority as judge of the First District, I am dropping all these charges against you.” “You are free to go.”

That is Mercy! When you don’t get what you deserve.

I was stunned! I saw the judge raise his gavel and I heard the sound when it hit his desk. With opened mouth and wide, tear-filled eyes, I cried, “Thank you Your Honor, thank you so much!” He nodded at me and replied, “Now go and make something of your life.” “I will Sir, thank you.”

The bailiff led me over to the side of the courtroom where the shackles were removed from my feet and hands as my family came up to meet me. We embraced in tears at the good fortune given me by the judge. We could not believe what had just happened. I turned to thank the bailiff and extended my hand. However, the bailiff, instead of shaking hands, placed an envelope in my hand. I said, “What’s this?” “I don’t understand.” He said, “The judge had done some research on your background and found that you are a decent man, had recently lost your job and had some really bad luck in your life.” “He wanted to help you get started with your new life and wanted to give you this.” I thanked him and exchanged puzzled looks with my family as I opened the envelope. To my shock and surprise, inside there was a check for $10,000! I looked back toward the judge, shaking my head in disbelief, as he smiled and nodded at me.

That is Grace! When you get something you don’t deserve.

God is merciful and graceful like that. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

Questioning God?

May 18, 2014 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given May 10, 2014

Things happen in our lives that we can’t explain. The death of a child, an accident that causes us to miss a flight, we didn’t get that job that was “perfect” for us; you can add your own examples. At times like these, we may ask God, “Why?”. Sometimes He may respond or we may see the answer, however, we may not know until we get to Heaven why certain things happened. I got an answer recently that reminded me that God knows what He’s doing and I should just let Him run things.

I attend the monthly Men’s Breakfast at my church, Zion Family Ministries, and a breakfast at a friends church also. Both are early on Saturday mornings. This particular week had been a very busy week with the usual early risings and late night activities so I had decided I was going to just sleep in on this Saturday morning and miss the breakfast. I was going out of town the next day for a week-long conference and mini vacation so I needed the rest. So, that was my plan. However, when my eyes opened and I glanced at the clock at 7:35 AM, (the prayer breakfast begins at 8:00), I had the strongest urging to, “Get up, get ready, and go to the breakfast.” So I did. I rushed around, shaved, brushed my teeth, got dressed and headed out the door thinking something good was going to happen at the breakfast that God didn’t want me to miss.

As I drove to the church and rounded the last curve, I was astonished to see no cars in the church parking lot! I was a little late and there should have been several cars there. I thought, “They must have canceled the breakfast for some reason and I didn’t get the word.” I drove through the parking lot and headed back home very puzzled so I asked God, “Lord, you knew this thing was canceled, why did you get me up to drive out here for nothing?” Silence… I thought, “Oh well.”

As I mentioned, I was going out of town the next day for a conference and I needed to get some things done before leaving. I was not going to have time to mow my grass so was going to ask my neighbor Danny, who has a grass-mowing business, if he could do it for me during the week. It was supposed to rain that morning and I had a lot of things to do to get ready to leave. But when I pulled up in my driveway, I thought, “Well, I’ll go ahead and try to mow and get that chore done.” So i did.

I mowed my yard, front and back, and my son’s yard adjoining mine quickly and finished in about fifty-five minutes. I cleaned all the grass off the mowing deck and backed my zero-turn Troybilt into the garage feeling a sense of accomplishment that I had gotten this task done. Then, as I walked up the driveway toward the front of my house, big drops of rain began to fall. I looked at the large wet spots on the dry asphalt and thought, “Wow, what timing!” Then, in my Spirit, I heard this, “If I hadn’t gotten you up to go to the prayer breakfast, that I knew was cancelled, you would have slept in and missed this chance to mow your grass.” “That’s the answer to your question.” All I could say was, “Wow, God!” “Thank you!”

This was a gentle reminder that my God, your God, knows what He’s doing and we should just trust Him and not ask too many questions. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8). “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11). God has a plan for our lives. Let Him work His plan without question and thank Him constantly for what He’s doing. Please comment below if you have a story of a time when God revealed an answer to you.

God, Where Are You?

May 16, 2014 by Bill 1 Comment

Given May 2010

Have there ever been times in your life where you wondered where God was? You were in the middle of trouble and it seemed God was nowhere around. But you know this: “He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you“.(Hebrews 13:5, NASB). So, at these times, where is God?

Behind you – “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21, NIV)

In front of you – “Teach me your way, Yahweh. Lead me in a straight path, because of my enemies”. Psalm 27:11 (World English Bible).
“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” (Psalm 23:2 KJV).

Beside you – “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” (Psalm 23:4, New Living Translation).

Carrying you – “He will put his angels in charge of you to protect you in all your ways. They will carry you in their hands so that you never hit your foot against a rock.” (Psalm 91: 11-12, GOD’S WORD® Translation).

Since God never leaves us, if He is not nearby at any time, it’s not Him who moved, it was us. We have gone on ahead without Him, lagged behind checking out something that looked good, or left the path entirely to follow a bright light or some enticing thing. But be assured, God is always right there waiting for us to come back like the loving Father that He is. Where are you in relation to God the Father today? Remember, “..with God, all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26).

Has this revelation helped you? Please leave a comment. Be blessed!

God Answers Prayer

March 17, 2012 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given March 16, 2012

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26).

We all know that God answers prayer and He has answered many of our own prayers. But it’s always good to hear about a miraculous answer…well, miraculous to us; it’s an everyday thing for God. Friends of ours who own and operate Riverside RV Park in Sevierville, Tennessee are also missionaries to Honduras and make two trips a year to deliver medical supplies, food, shoes, and God’s love to the poorest in that country. Something miraculous happened this week and this is the report:

GOD SHOWS UP and delivers our FOOD! An amazing miracle took place this morning as we awaited the truck that we bagged up all the food in for this morning’s food project. As Eduardo was driving to our food project, while driving out of his neighborhood the door of the truck swung open and 2 bags fell our without busting and landed perfectly on the side of the road. As he turned around to go back, he noticed an old man who was stooping to pick the food up. When Eduardo stopped, the elderly man picked up the bags and tried to give them back and said these fell out of the back of your truck. Eduardo told the man that he could keep them. The man immediately began to weep because he and his family had not eaten in a couple of days and he prayed to God to help him find food. He said he had never begged for food before but had no choice and he had been walking for one and a half hours when he told God he would go to this neighborhood and beg. That’s when our truck came right by the elderly man and the back doors flew open and the 2 bags fell just across from him. The elderly man asked who put this food together and was giving it to him, and Eduardo said GOD gave it to you sir and delivered it to you today! Our team wept today as we saw the Hand of God take our first 2 bags of food to feed this elderly man and his family. I weep as I type knowing that GOD loves us that much to meet the needs of this elderly man and his family in such a miraculous way!

Do you need a miracle? Have you prayed? Yur truck may be coming around the corner now.

Suffering Successfully

May 17, 2011 by Bill Leave a Comment

There was a time in my life when I went through a very trying time; a trial that I certainly did not want and prayed frequently for God to deliver me from. However, He chose not to get me out of it but rather to go through it with me. That began for me a spiritual journey that took me far beyond where I had been in my Christian walk and made me realize there is so much more to being a Christ follower than I had ever known since my salvation 35 years earlier. God did take me through that trial and I was not only restored but God has opened doors for me in ministry and is teaching me every day what it means to be a servant.

In the year 2005, as I was getting deeper into God’s Word and my relationship with Him, He began giving me revelations; short “light-bulb-above-the-head” insight into scripture. When these revelations would come, I felt I needed to write them down because someone else might benefit from hearing them as well. So I kept a small notebook in my vehicle, (since most of the insights came while I was driving and listening to preaching), eventually I got a voice recorder for driving safety and where I do my morning devotion. I wasn’t sure how I was going to share these gems but God knew.

I worked in public education as an Instructional Technology Coordinator, and taught how to use web logs or blogs. That was it; a way to create an online presence to share my thoughts and God’s revelations. So in October of 2005, I launched this blog, Revelations From The Road, as a forum to share what God was showing me with the world. It has not become one of the mega-blogs yet but many of you are reading my posts and are being encouraged. God continues to give me insights on a daily basis and I’ve got notes and recordings by the hundreds which will someday show up on the blog. I even have an idea for compiling some of them in a book that could be used as a devotional. I use the revelations when I have the opportunity to minister locally and am encouraged myself as I go back and read what God showed me in the past.

When I was going through that trial in my past, I learned that God wanted to teach me something I needed to learn. I was suffering but He wanted to take me to a higher level; He wanted me to be a success. When we go through trials, we can complain and blame God or we can turn it all over to Him and take the attitude of, “Lord, what are you trying to teach me here?” We’re going to suffer, the Bible says so, but I chose to suffer successfully and God did not let me down; He never will.