For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come…
Romans 8:38

The late astronomer, Carl Sagan, was noted for his 13-part television series titled The Cosmos–his secular views on the universe and man’s place in it. But there is a part of the cosmos that Sagan’s telescope failed to detect: the existence of bad angels as well as good.

The New Testament contains references to “principalities and powers” (Ephesians 3:10; Colossians 2:15) and Paul equates them with the “rulers of the darkness of this world”–“spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). It is not for the sake of literary creativity that Paul describes the Christian’s spiritual armor; it is for our spiritual protection! Bad angels are nothing less than demonic beings who serve Satan by carrying out his nefarious deeds against the plans and people of God (Revelation 9:15). Only by resisting the devil and his demons (James 4:7) while clothed in the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) can we remain unharmed.

Make sure today that your spiritual defenses are strong by being fully clothed in every piece of God’s armor.(From Turning Point)

I have a friend who took his little six-year-old boy fishing with him one day. They put out the line and then went up to the cabin. After an hour, they went back down to the river to see if they had caught anything.

Sure enough, there were several fish on the line. The boy said, “I knew there would be, Daddy.”

The father asked, “How did you know?”

He replied, “Because I prayed about it.”

So they baited the hooks again and put out the line and went back to the cabin for supper.

Afterward, they went back to the river; again, there were fish on the line. The boy said, “I knew it.”

The father said, “How?”

“I prayed again.

So they put the line back into the river and went to the cabin. Before bedtime, they went down again. This time there were no fish.

The child said, “I knew there wouldn’t be,” and the father asked, “How did you know?”

The boy said, “Because I didn’t pray this time.”

The father asked, “And why didn’t you pray?”

And the boy said, “Because I remembered that we forgot to bait the hooks.” 

God feeds the sparrow, but He doesn’t throw the worm in its nest!

—-for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. —Matthew 17:20

    It might be that you have awaken to a troublesome sight– some tall mountain of difficulty lies before you and you don’t know what to do.

Our thanks to an unknown author for the following lyric testimony to God’s providence:

Lord, I have never moved a mountain and I guess I never will. All the faith that I could muster would not move a small ant hill. Yet, I will tell you, Lord, I am grateful for the joy of knowing Thee, and for all the mountain moving, down through life you have done for me.

When I needed some help You lifted me from the depths of great despair. And when burdens, pain and sorrow have been more than I can bear, you have always been my courage to restore life’s troubled sea, and to move these little mountains that have looked so big to me.

Many times when I have had problems and when bills I have had to pay, and the worries and the heartaches just kept mounting every day, Lord, I do not know how you did it. I cannot explain the wheres or whys. All I know is that I have seen these mountains turn to blessings in disguise.

No, I have never moved a mountain, for my faith is far too small. Yet, I thank you, Lord of Heaven, you have always heard my call. And as long as there are mountains in my life, I will have no fear, for the mountain-moving Jesus is my strength and always near.

The timing is as critical as the involvement. You don’t just force your way in. Even if you’ve got the stuff that’s needed . . . even if you hold the piece perfectly shaped to fit the other person’s missing part of the puzzle . . . you can’t push it into place. You must not try.

You must do the most difficult thing for compassion to do.

You must wait.

Even if there is rebellion? Even if there’s rebellion.
Even if sin is occurring? Yes, often even then.
Even if others are suffering and disillusioned and going through the misery of misunderstanding, heartache, and sleepless nights? Believe it or not, yes.

There are times (not always, but often) when the better part of wisdom restrains us from barging in and trying to make someone accept our help. The time isn’t right, so we wait.

Even the Lord waits, as when Isaiah reported to the nation whom the Lord called “rebellious children” (Isa. 30:1). These people were rife with shame, reproach, unfaithful alliances, oppression, and a ruthless rejection of God’s holy Word. Their unwillingness to repent added insult to injury.

But what was Jehovah’s response? Hidden away in the first part of verse 18 is the incredible statement: “And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.”

Instead of storming into the dark alleys of Judah, screaming “Repent!” and shining bright lights to expose the filthy litter of their disobedience, the Lord tapped His foot, folded His arms . . . and waited. Not even the Lord pushed His way in. He waited until the time was right.

Our Lord would love to piece together the shattered fragments of your life. But He is waiting . . . graciously waiting until the time is right.

Until you are tired of the life you are living . . . until you see it for what it really is. Until you are weary of coping . . . of taking charge of your own life . . . until you realize the mess you are making of it. Until you recognize your need for Him.

He’s waiting . . . 

God’s timing is always on time.

By Charles Swindoll (Scripture changed to KJV)

The old man could not carry a tune in a syrup bucket, but he loved to sing, even if it was off-key! Besides, he was bad about “amen-ing” the preacher. Services had degenerated into an “undignified” assembly because of the old man. He simply got too involved in the “goings on” and forgot himself.

Four of the more well-to-do members decided that this old fellow was just too crude for the congregation. They appointed themselves as the ones to go and talk to the old man.

When they arrived at the old fellow’s house, he was in the field plowing with his old mule. Though it was beneath their dignity, they finally walked out through the dusty ground which soiled their fine clothes to talk to the old timer. “Brother Jones,” they began, “we want to talk to you about your singing. Not meaning any offense, but you just cannot sing. We wish you would try not to sing so loud because frankly, your singing ruins our services!”

“I am sorry,” the old fellow replied, “but it is just that when I look at these old clothes that I wear and then I think of them robes that God has for me, I just cannot help singing. And when I see that old shack over yonder that I live in and realize that it is liable to fall any time, and then I think about the beautiful palace that God has for me, I just have to sing praises to my Lord. You fellers see this old hat I got on? Well, when I see that crown in my mind that God has for me, I just have to yell that wonderful name of Jesus at the top of my lungs!”

“As a matter of fact,” he said, “would one of you fellers mind holding my mule? I feel like singing now.”

They left him right there, singing away in the field! And as these four men left the old fellow out there singing they viewed him in a different light. One said to the rest, “You know, his singing is not really all that bad.” Another said, “I never really realized how sweet his voice really is.” The third said, “I just hope that God will allow me to sing in the same group that he sings in.”

When I read that story it made me feel like singing–if you’re not so inclined would you “hold my mule”?