Only God Knows

When things don't seem to be going right,
look to God for guidence and the
patience you need to endure the trial.

-Precious Moments painting by Bailey Muller

“Leave all your anxieties and worries with Him because He cares for you.”       – 1 Peter 5:7 ClearWord

               

                It was last year and I had gotten the letter I was anticipating; my acceptance into Advance Placement American History. I didn’t really have a particular predilection for history, but an AP class would look superior on my report card and to different colleges who would be considering my application in the future. I had constantly strived to challenge myself so this was seemingly the course for me. As I was handed the letter, my teacher briefly stated the essay that was mandatory to write in order to be enrolled...but I shrugged it off thinking nothing of it.

            Weeks passed and I was once again reminded that the essay date was quickly approaching. I made a mental note to write it on my calendar and make sure I didn’t miss it. When I got home and looked to see when I would have to write the paper, I was quick to realize that it fell on a weekend, and not just any day...but the Sabbath. Now I had a dilemma. I could take it on God’s set day of rest or not show up and miss the great opportunity that was within reach. My mind kept going over the possible outcomes of each road and then, I finally made the decision that I was going to take the test; after all, it’s not like I would be doing anything for my enjoyment...actually, I was pretty sure it would be very UNenjoyable. I figured it would be easier to just ask God for forgiveness than it would be to ask acceptance without the obligatory essay. (We should NEVER have this frame of mind. God expects us to follow His word, especially Sabbath. When we figure we can do what we want and play the “innocent” game later...God can’t truly forgive us.)

            Friday night, I kept recalling different texts that acknowledged God’s children as those who keep His Sabbath day holy and the more I thought about it, the greater guilt I felt of my previous mind-set. While lying in bed, I played with the various ways God could work it out if I didn’t take the essay...he could allow me to take it another day, perhaps not require me to write it at all, or MAYBE he was going to send me to Fountainview like I had been praying so fervently for...perhaps THAT’S why it was scheduled for Sabbath, because if I didn’t take it, it wouldn’t matter with me attending a different school. I figured God would work it out one of those ways, so I grudgingly shrugged off the idea and remained home that Sabbath afternoon rather than heading off to my school.

            Before school commenced this year, I knew that my attending Fountainview was out of the picture. There had been certain complications that prevented my presence, so what was God thinking when He stirred in my heart not to go take my essay!? Why didn’t He work something out? Did He not realize how important this was to me? I began school, yet longed to be in my AP class I had primarily been planning on participating in. As my school year has been progressing, however, my friend shares with me daily the struggles of the class. 50 note cards a week (full front and back) and a huge test on it all with an average of 3 people per class that receive the highest mark of 80% (most students actually failing). Looking at it now, I am so thankful that, even though I didn’t get to go to Fountainview like I had envisioned or be present in the class, God kept me from taking this difficult course.

            Sometimes the situations we are in don’t seem to be heading in the direction we had planned. If everything seems to be falling apart before your very eyes, take all your anxieties, stresses, and worries away and set them before your Heavenly Father. We may not see the positive side right away (like me, where it took over a year), and we may never see why specific circumstances fall into place, but when we get to heaven and see how perfectly God planned our lives, we will praise Him even MORE. Patiently endure your trials, and place your hope and trust in Him. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and pray for God’s will.

Can our "denomination" save us?

            I recently read an email from a friend of mine whom I've been keeping in contact with lately. It arose an interesting point of Christianity and whether or not our denomination can bring us salvation.

            When I was substantially younger I remember thinking that Adventism was the one and only way people could be saved. I began to feel sympathy toward those who were Catholic and Mormon and all the others who weren’t under the name Adventist. I recall a time when I deliberated the question, “If Adventism is the precise direction to pursue then why are there so many other various forms of Christianity and well...religion in general?”

            My answer came to surface when my eyes fell upon Matthew 3:9 which states, "Don't say to me, 'We're [Abraham's descendants], so nothing can happen to us.' That means absolutely nothing as far as your salvation is concerned, because God could create all the children of Abraham He wants to out of these rocks!" The different denominations arose from the various “interpretations” of Bible texts. I believe if the Bible is open to interpretation then God’s primary intention is lost in our feeble minds! If we could understand everything God set before us, we would be equal with Him. That is never and will never be the case! We will not always understand everything and that is the way God wanted it to be. When we have questions over text, we need to pray that God will give us guidance and wisdom to understand that specific portion. We are never to alter God’s Word, adding to or subtracting anything He said; when we do so, it becomes an enormous stumbling block in many peoples’ faith. God has called us to live in accordance to HIS Word; that’s it. We are to read and live the Bible in our everyday lives, to accept Jesus as our risen Saviour, to follow the 10 commandments from the adoration we have for Him, and to listen when God calls on us to do more for Him.

            This brings me to my conclusion...denomination, form, religious “name”...none of that will put a stamp next to your name “SAVED”. Salvation comes from works, works come from faith, and faith comes from the love we have for our Heavenly Father, Creator, and Deliverer.

He's Holding Everything Together

“He existed before anything was created, and by His power everything continues to hold together” Colossians 1:17

            Look at the world and all there is in it...what do you see? Is it evolution from a single atom that scientists still don’t know the origin of? And if we take an even closer look at the atom...secular scientists still have no idea what is keeping it together! They have a “theory” called the strong force and it’s as scientific as it sounds; a force holding the protons of the atom together. Bear with me as I share with you the construction of the atom. It is a complex structure made up of protons and neutrons. Protons (being positive) attract only to electrons (which are negative)...meaning that the protons repel other protons. So HOW then does the atom, which composes all things, stay intact? Protons should repel each other; so why are they bonded so securely? No worldly scientist knows, but we as Christians do. God holds all things together as Colossians 1:17 states.

            Those who defer from God and His creation, tend to spend much more time pondering different aspects of the world, when really...God tells us right in His word! For example, the earth being round is found in Job 26:10, “He draws a circle on the surface of the ocean’s horizon...” and Isaiah 40:22, “God sits enthroned above the circle of the earth...” God has given us the answers long before they were accepted and discovered.

            Yesterday I went to the dentist and learned something interesting from the lady cleaning my teeth. You see, I was born without one of my molars having an adult tooth behind it (a very common thing), so I should have my “baby tooth” for pretty much my whole life. She told me that the little tooth is very peculiar however, because with all the medical research, knowledge, and various studies...that tooth should fall out! They have no idea why, with all the different forces trying to push it out, it stays. When I heard that it really reminded me of God’s holding power. He holds the world together in His perfect hands and He’s the one that makes the world run like a timely clock. It also portrayed in my mind the life of a Christian. We are faced with many struggles, trials, persecutions, and to the extent of torture, yet seem to stay totally intact and at peace. People around and living within our life’s atmosphere don’t understand why we do the things we do with such concord.  What holds them together? Our Saviour!

            When I hear people questioning how this world is running, how it’s being held together, how it “evolved”...it makes me want to yell to the heavens, “DON’T YOU KNOW GOD!? DON’T YOU KNOW HOW FLAWLESSLY HE CREATED THIS WORLD, AND HOW HE HOLDS US AND EVERYTHING IN IT TOGETHER!? Would you like me to help you understand? Shall we pray together so He can give you the wisdom and understanding you need?” I wish I had the boldness and courage that I have in my thoughts...I tend not to be that straight forward with my remarks, but sometimes I wish I had. Though these scientists are questioning, I’m so glad that we have been given the answer.

FACTS FROM THE BIBLE:
A. Job 26:7, “He...hung the earth upon nothing” – God created the Earth and placed it in space...in “nothingness”
B. Isaiah 40:22; Job 26:10 (See above in 2^nd paragraph.)
C. Job 28:25, “He weighted the winds” – Long before scientists knew, God told us that air had weight.
D. Colossians 1:17, “By His power, everything continues to hold together.” (See above in 1^st paragraph.)

I have a request!

Windy night playing with fire! :D

Dear people of the online world, bloggers, followers, passing by-ers, and if you do not fit any of those categories...then you too!,
I have been contemplating over this particular ... thing (specific, I know). It's a question that has somewhat to do with my last post and I would really appreciate each and every one of your thoughts on the specific subject.

Category: Doing something to keep peace.
That's the broad side of it! If you would like to help me out by giving me your opinion than please email me at baileymuller@gmail.com so I can share with you the further story.

And for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, or what I'm trying to say...just email me anyway! It is must easier to explain in detail.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and the picture was just to get your attention ( :


Verse of the day: "So be strong and full of courage. Don't give up serving the Lord. The work you do for Him will be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7 (Clear Word)

Stoking the Fire Within

Human: God, please protect me.
*Hit by stone*
Human: Why God? Why!?
Jesus: I'm sorry, did I miss one? Are you alright?

                This is a rather general post because too much information is never always necessary. In due time, however, I believe God will use my stories, my encounters, my trials, and my simple testimony to help strengthen the walk of others. As of now...I’m hoping these little notes will suffice.

                Although my Thanksgiving break was rather uneventful, entertainment-wise, God never lets me down spiritually. Faced with a struggle that was diffusing my inner peace and tempting me to lash out at a certain individual, God gave me strength and showed me the amity that can evolve from a deep walk and total dependence on the Deliverer.

                Many things this weekend have erected new questions within... many things have grown me and rooted my life deeper in the Source... and many-a-time did God know explicitly the reason behind each one. Every time I was discouraged, it led to more fervent prayer and study. Every time I had the urge to throw out a few harsh comments to set things straight, it led to the cementing of verses such as “Love your enemies” in my heart.  Whenever I had a question, God was listening. Whenever I was confused and knelt before Him asking Him to forgive me and my war opponent, He forgave and lent me a helping hand.

                So a question I’ve been running through my mind...Should we do things just to keep peace? It depends on the variable, am I right? I believe God calls us to treat everyone as brothers and sisters in Christ. Siblings fight? Sure thing! Usually over simple things such as who gets the bigger piece of cake, who gets to sit in the front seat, who’s right. Jesus calls us to keep peace in these situations; but when something bigger arises...such as watching a certain movie that defiles God’s name, listening to a song that hails Satan, surrendering our beliefs to allow the “comfort” of others...does God want us to give in for the benefit of those around us? No. We are called to not waver like the waves of the sea, but to stand firm in the Lord. We just need to “pick our battles” and know when it’s okay to lay down our arms.    

                Should we run from every hurdle that seems virtually too high for us to conquer? Never. God places certain struggles, certain people, certain entertainment, specific things to help us grow! He never does so to tear us down and see when we will collapse. He is testing our faith. When we can say no to that movie, find something else to do than listen to that tainted song, and stand up for our beliefs no matter what others think it shows our Heavenly Father that we care about Him and not the view of man.

                So back to my weekend. Boring? Oh yeah! But did God work in my heart and continue to stoke my fire for Him? More than you know. (:

When Death is Immanent...

            Praise the Lord for His divine protection! My dad, brother and I were on our way home from a nursing home where we were playing instruments and singing hymns for the elderly who came to listen, and were reiterating the good time we had...when there were lights heading in our direction; there was a car coming directly toward us. My dad luckily had just enough room on the edge of the road to veer off, scarcely evading the vehicle. My heart was hammering as my dad hastily turned our car around and trailed behind the Sierra GMC pick-up. The truck was pulled to the side of the road sitting there for approximately 5-10 minutes before driving a few inches, hitting the breaks, stepping out of the car in attempt to reattach his sock, glancing at our car, and stumbling his way over in endeavour to talk to us. After explaining to us that he was on his way home (which apparently wouldn’t take long at all), that he was limping because he was shot in the leg at work, readdressing his story and elucidating how he was shot in the ear, and telling us it wasn’t necessary to follow him home because he lived in London (30+ minutes away)...he faltered his way back to his truck and slowly lurched out into traffic once again. By this time my dad had the phone in his hand and dialling 911 in effort to reach the police. My dad was on the phone the entire time as we continued to pursue the red vehicle; as we approached a round-about, he stopped (seeming as though he didn’t know where to go) and then entered it...driving in the opposite direction!! He exited the entry ramp as a car was approaching and was feet away from another deathly collision! We followed again, and the truck stopped, did a u-turn, and came to the round-about once again (this time travelling in the right direction); as he exited, he stopped, did another u-turn, and when he realized we were still following he stopped in the middle of the road and walked toward our car (remember, my dad was still on the phone with the police at this time)...he came over and said his house was right up the street and that we could leave (we had barely gotten anywhere) but as he went back to his truck the cops showed up and escorted him to the police car. We remained there and after conversing with the outwardly appearing 55 year old man, a police woman came to our car asking for candy saying that the man was a diabetic and needed it. Having none, she thanked us for the call and we were waved off to go home.
            Now, does it seem that this man was a diabetic? Perhaps, maybe that was a factor, yet there seemed to be more wrong when you think about it, doesn’t there?
            Either way, we left it at that. We were praising the Lord all the way home and thanking Him for sending His angels to keep us safe through the almost unavoidable accident, and from a man that potentially could have been much more dangerous. We live to see another night, which we spent reading Psalm 91...what we call the 911 verse of the Bible.

Taking a Stand

            Last night I faced a struggle that I could no longer push to the recesses of my mind. I could sense God calling me; beckoning in such a way that could not be ignored. Conviction in my heart was stirred and I am now striving to attain what I've been entitled to do. I previously asked God what He required me to do so I could grow and root myself still deeper in Him. God knows of my weaknesses and comfort zone limitations and He has asked me to extend my limits to the breaking point.
            Today at school I knew unerringly what God wanted me to do...He reminded me that “If you deny me in front of your friends, I will deny you in front of my Father.” Matthew 10:33. Praying in front of anyone that I know won’t understand is an existent struggle that I have yet to accomplish. Today I heard God’s voice calling and asking, “Is you’re comfort more vital than I am?” I promised Him that I would not eat my lunch at school if I couldn’t pray and show gratitude to the Lord for the food He so graciously provided for me.
            Sad to say, I went without eating lunch today. I sat there with my mind off in the distance thinking of what a cowardly Christian I am and how much more I need to focus my ENTIRE being on Christ. I opened the Fountainview Academy devotional and today’s quote was from Help in Daily Living pg 26, “We are to live, not to guard our feelings or reputation, but to save souls.” God is speaking directly to me and I need not to harden my heart, but to break out of this warm little bubble I’ve surrounded myself in and proclaim His name. God obviously has a lot of work to do in my heart...but I am willing. I will still not eat lunch until I have overcome my fear of the criticism others may throw at me. He is working, now it’s my job to respond with an eager heart.  

Innocence of a Child

“Unless people are as trusting as these little children, they cannot possibly have part in God’s kingdom.” Mark 10:15 ClearWord

            School was always an occasion of excitement, chaos, and learning. Running around, participating in class, then partaking in an assortment of games during recess were some of the reasons I loved going to school. However, I remember one particular day when my class had the opportunity to enjoy show and tell. Being in grade 1, the teacher had requested each of us to bring in something we cherished to class and illustrate it to the other students. There was no doubt in my mind what I loved and wanted to share.

            Being called up to the front of the room, I didn’t have the jitters or even second thoughts on what I was about to say. I didn’t care what people would think of me or my favourite thing. I was going to share with the class what I loved and that’s all there was to it.

            “For show and tell I brought my favourite thing; my Bible. I love my Bible and I read it every night.” I exclaimed as I held up my pink precious moments Bible for the entire class to see.

            Today, I am apprehensive when it comes to sharing my faith and why I do or don’t do certain things because of my religion and beliefs. I have second thoughts when I’m about to share Christ with someone who won’t accept, and I tend to care what people think of me and my desire to serve God. However, God is stirring conviction in my heart and reminding me that I should be as innocent as a little child. Whenever I think of this story of my past...it is reminiscent to me in that I should act the same way I did then, as I do now. God wants us to act like children in faith because of their innocence and because they don’t analyse things over and over in their mind to come up with the least painful outcome. I am working with God right now and praying for courage, faith, trust, and boldness like that of a child. I want to be able to proclaim His name wherever and whenever needed.

"I AM"

               Say you’ve been dreaming to go somewhere your whole life...or maybe just for a long time. You know it would be a great place for you to advance your relationship with God. You know you would be a blessing there. You know you would meet many new Christian friends, and in turn, have a great life. This place is all you’ve been thinking about. People want you to go there and are praying earnestly for there to be a way. You pray as well, “Oh Lord, IF ONLY there was a way. You can do it Lord, I know you can. You could also work it out in the future. You could have allowed it to happen last year as well. Lord, I want to go there. It would be best for me. Lord, do your will...but please allow me to go.” Reading this prayer we think to ourselves...man this person is selfish. I would never pray like that. I wouldn’t tell God what to do because I totally trust in His ways.

               Truth be told, we all have prayed like this at one point in our lives and MOST are still praying this way today. Our prayers point out the obvious: God is a God of the past. He was with Abraham, Moses, and David. He has worked in people’s lives before. We know God will work in the future. We know He has big plans for us, and that he will bring His people home at judgement time; however, we fail to remember that God is a God of the present. We neglect to see that God is working right now, that He is the “I AM”. He is working something magnificent in your life right this very second. He knows you want to go certain places, do certain things, serve certain people...He is the glorified Clock Maker. God is running your life so precise, that when the time is ready...when YOU are ready, it will fall exactly and perfectly into place.

               The “I AM” is showing you things such as patience, trust, faithfulness, and humility so that you will be even more ready to share the gospel and be a blessing to those that surround you. Serve Him one day at a time and don’t worry about tomorrow or the day’s that follow, for worrying will do nothing and go nowhere. Pray that He will shine through you and that He can remind you that He is the “I AM”. Remind yourself that He did not only work things out in the past, that He will not only help in the future, but that He is working right now.

God's Direction

“We know that God is able to bring something good out of every circumstance, as long as we trust Him and remain true to the purpose for which He called us.” – Romans 8:28

            We were at a cross road and unable to determine which direction we were required to take. Biking that day had been great! My family and I had been exploring and cycling all through the mountain train trestle routes in British Columbia, and now was our time to hit the steep slopes down into the city and back to our hotel; one problem...the map we had didn’t show us which direction to take because some roads were cut off. My instincts told me to take the road to the right that had a steeper downhill; my uncle`s sense of direction, however, told us to venture straight ahead.

            We all took the path that my uncle suggested and biked about 2 miles out when we saw a car stopped in the middle of the gravel road. Arriving closer to the car we found that he wasn’t stopped to look at the scenery, but rode right over a hole about a foot and a half to two feet deep. The front lights of the car were smashed and there was no way he was going to get the back end of the car over the rut. My uncle and dad immediately dispersed off the bikes and went to find logs, rocks, and other materials to build a bridge the car could cruise over; meanwhile the man in the car was complaining to my aunt, brother and I about the lack of road work in the mountains. We smiled and tried our best to comfort him. Soon enough the man was over and on his way, but it seemed to me he was complaining so much, he barely said an appreciative thank you.

            Continuing down the road, we got another 5 miles down the gentle slope when I asked once more to see the map; it felt as though we were making no progress homeward, but rather heading deeper into the mountains. I took a glance at the directional paper and become conscious of the fact that we had passed the big lake that was on the opposite side of the city. I stood there, looked up at the hill we’d have to travel back up and was quite frustrated. If only my family would have listened to me in the first place, we wouldn’t have gone 14 miles out of the way! Setting my thoughts and feelings aside, we all journeyed back up to the alternative road. While biking up the hill, I began to appreciate what God just did. He took a simple family bike ride, and turned into an opportunity for us to help someone and witness to them by a gentle smile and kind words. My irritated attitude was then transfigured into praise and thanks to my Heavenly Father. Even when I’m struggling in my walk with Him, and it seems everything is going wrong...I will always remember that God can create something good out of every circumstance, as long as I trust and remain true to Him.