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NOTES  FROM  THE  VALLEY - January 28, 2001

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil for you are with me."  Psalm 23.
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TOPIC:  ASKING  THE  TOUGH  QUESTIONS

When I was a child, I used to get really nervous about asking my Dad for
anything, even advise.  He had this most frustrating habit of responding to
my requests with questions of his own.  Questions that would make me really
think about what I was asking of him.  Tough questions. "Do you really need
it?"  "Why?" And then there was the dreaded, "Do you think you deserve it?"
I was young and in a hurry.  I had needs.  Why couldn't he just say, "yes"
and let me get back to whatever it was I was doing?  Later in life, as a
parent, I learned that the answer to that question was Dad loved us too
much.  Too much to just give us whatever our hearts desired.  Dad wanted us
to learn some hard lessons about the differences between "needs" and
"wants."  Differences we would have to understand if we were going to make
wise choices between the two as adults.  Out of love, he always provided us
with everything we needed.  Out of love, he also protected us from our
potentially harmful "wants."

In Matthew, Chapter 7, Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek,
and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who
asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be
opened."   As a young Christian, I kind of figured that meant I could "ask"
my heavenly Father for anything I wanted and I'd "receive" it.  I was really
into the "name it and claim it" brand of theology.  So were a lot of other
people I knew.  And, like them, I got so frustrated when  the items on my
"wish list" didn't come pouring in from the heavenly storehouse.  When I
finally took the time to stop fussing with God about His lack of answers to
my prayers and reexamine the verses I'd pinned those prayers on, I found the
following in the continuation of Jesus' words, "For what man is there among
you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for
a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to
give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in
heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

My Dad was imperfect just like the rest of us.  But he gave good gifts to
us.  Always meeting our needs.  Asking us questions to examine and make wise
choices about our wants.  "How much more" will my heavenly give out of His
perfect love and the eternal plans He has for my good?  The problem has
never been God's faithfulness to His promises, but my expectations of His
responses.  I was expecting things I wanted, He responded with the things I
needed.  And He responded with the most precious gift of all - Himself.  The
creator of heaven and earth bent low to whisper in my ear those tough
questions a truly loving Father will ask of His child.

I don't know if any of you are struggling with what you perceive to be
unanswered prayers.  I know too well how frustrating that can be.  I've just
come through some similar struggles myself.  In the midst of those
struggles, I was reminded that God always answers my prayers.  But I  need
to be open to whatever form His responses might take.  To be aware of what's
going on around me, to see what God is doing and to be responsive to it.
And if God's response is the probing questions of a loving Father, be quiet
enough to hear Him.  If you do, ". . . my God will meet all your needs
according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

His servant and your brother in Christ,
Steve Hall



"GOD'S  SHAKING  HIS  HEAD  RIGHT  NOW !"
(Christian Love Notes -Author Mark Phillips)

"I think God is shaking his head right now."

I turned to look at my 4 year old son. Our mid-week service was beginning
and everyone else had bowed their heads to pray, but I was intrigued, as
always, with my kids' views of God. So as the prayer began, I leaned close
and whispered, "What did you say?"

"I think God is shaking his head right now," he repeated, his own head
bobbing up and down as he simultaneously assured me that his statement was
true, and demonstrated that he really meant "nodding," not shaking. I
grinned slightly, then whispered, "Why do you think so?"

He paused, thinking, then said, "I just think he is," nodding twice more to
be sure I had the idea. I smiled and ran my hand through his close-cut hair.
Apparently, somewhere along the way, he has learned something important: God
wants to grant our requests.

Like any loving parent, God wants to provide what we request.  And in my
son's mind, that means that as our church joins together in prayer, or our
family gathers before bed-time, God sits in heaven, nodding in understanding
as he hears our requests. What an incredible picture my son sees: the God of
creation, the Almighty of the universe, the Creator and Sustainer of all,
pausing to listen and understand as we pour out our requests.

Sometimes God must say "no." As the ultimate loving parent, he knows that
the desires of our hearts can actually be our undoing.  But Paul assured the
Corinthians that God loves to say "yes" to his people, and that God's
promises are unchanging, no matter what the circumstances:

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ."  2
Corinthians 1:20  (NIV)

God, I've done it all...will you really accept me?
Is there really life even after the doctor says 'terminal'?
Does forgiven really mean forgotten?
Can you really remember every hair on my head and yet forget every sin on my
record?
I blew it...again. Are you really that patient?
God...are you there?  Do you really care?
Do you understand how badly I hurt?
Is ... there ... hope?

I think God is shaking his head. His answer, in Christ, is "Yes."

You can e-mail Mark Phillips at:  Mark10.45@...



A  PRAYER  FOR  THE  CHILDREN
(Received from Dennis Rudisill - Author Unknown)

A pastor read a letter from an elementary school teacher who attends East
Hill Church. The gist of the letter was as follows:

Last school year, her classroom was made up of little third graders, every
one of which came from either a single parent family, or a dysfunctional
family, was undernourished and/or uncared for, lived in an abusive home, and
was either beaten, bruised, or raped by other family members; one little
girl's dad died of aids, and the list goes on. Her heart bled for these
kids.

Before the '99-2000 school year started, she and her husband went to her
classroom and prayed over each desk in the room. They prayed that God would
place an angel behind each and every child throughout the coming year to
watch over them and protect them.

A month or so after the year had started, she gave the kids an assignment to
write about what they would like to be when they  grew up. Everybody was
busy with his or her assignment, when "Andrew" raised his hand. When she
asked him what he needed, he asked how to spell "mighty." After telling him
how to spell mighty, she asked him why he needed to know. Andrew said it was
because when he grew up he wanted to be a "mighty man of God." When he said
this, little "Mark" sitting next to him asked,  "So, what's a mighty man of
God?"  The teacher, swallowing back  her tears, and knowing she could not
say anything in the classroom, told Andrew to go ahead and tell Mark what it
was.

So Andrew says, "It's a man who puts on the armor of God and is a soldier
for God."

After observing some conversation between Andrew and Mark, the teacher, with
a lump in her throat, started to walk away when Andrew motioned with his
little forefinger for her to come closer. He  whispered to her, asking if
she believed in angels. She told him yes, she  did.  Then he asked her if
she thought people could see angels, and she said she thought some people
probably could. Andrew said that he did, and he could see an angel standing
behind each kid in the room . . .

We need to remember to pray for all of the teachers - that although there is
no prayer in school, that they are dedicated enough to pray for the
protection of God's angels over the lives of their students.



A  PRAYER  FOR  EACH  DAY
(Received from Jeanarie of HeartPrints)

Dear Lord,

In the midst of today's fast-paced society, help me to slow down lest I miss
all that You have for me.  There are moments when Your creation crosses my
path - a bird's song, a new rose bud after a dry summer, a clear view of the
mountains, a child's laughter, a friend's greeting, a stranger's smile - but
is my mind on other things?

Have I missed these moments that You have provided for my enjoyment, my
renewal, or my opportunity?   Have I neglected to recognize another's
need -- an encouraging word, a helping hand?  Have I missed the right time
to tell someone about You when I failed to point out that it was not "luck,"
but You, Lord, when a prayer was answered?  Have I forgotten to encourage or
express my love to a spouse, an offspring, or a friend?

Help me to recognize and seize these precious moments that will not come
again.

In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen

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Copyright © 1998-2001 by Stephen J. Hall  -   Weekly letters of
encouragement to Christians written by Stephen J. Hall unless otherwise
indicated.  Notes from the Valley and Humor from the Valley are meant to
brighten your day and encourage you along the way.  Most of "Notes" and
"Humor" are a collection of items provided to me by subscribers and friends.
Credit is given to both the contributor and to the true author, where known.
If you are blessed by them, please feel free to make copies and pass them
along to others.  If you have something you'd like to contribute to a future
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Your love, God, is my song, and I'll sing it!  I'm forever telling everyone
how faithful you are.  I'll never quit telling the story of your love - how
you built the cosmos and guaranteed everything in it.  Your love has always
been our lives foundation, your fidelity has been the roof over our world.
(Psalm 89:1-3 The Message)