Mix the Word with Faith and Trust God <> Part 2 - Unexpected Intelligence Agent

Mix the Word with Faith and Trust God <> Part 2 of 3 

Unexpected Intelligence Agent

In the book of Hebrews, Chapter 11 is often dubbed the “roll call of faith.” It describes several people, in the Bible, who are commended for their faith. If you haven’t read it for a while, I highly recommend you do and be encouraged.

One of my favorite people honored for her faith is a woman named Rahab. She was an Ammonite who lived in the city of Jericho. Rahab began to trust God just on hearing about Him.

She had heard about the God of Israel and the mighty things He was doing for His people. We’re introduced to Rahab in the second chapter of Joshua. 

For the Israelites, the forty years of wandering was finished. Moses was gone, and Joshua was leading the Israelites into the Promised Land of Canaan. The very first city to conquer was Jericho. So, Joshua sent two spies into the city to scope things out.

The spies went to the home of Rahab for lodging. She was a prostitute. Our first thought would likely be, “How unseemly! —that they would go to such a place.”

But…think about it. Men would come and go from her place consistently. And over-riding that fact, God knew the heart of Rahab and He had already handpicked her to enter into His plan. 

She had heard about Yahweh, the God of Israel, believed in Him and trusted Him. So, Rahab agreed to hide them in her home.

She said, “for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father’s house and give me a true token, and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death” (Joshua 2:11c-13 KJV).

“So the men answered her, ‘Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be when the LORD has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you’” (Joshua 2:14 NKJV).

When the authorities came, looking for the Israelites, she hid them and told the pursuers, “They went that-a-way. Hurry, go catch them!” So, they left.

The spies promised to spare Rahab and her family. Then when the walls of Jericho came tumblin down, she and her household were rescued from destruction. 

Like Rahab, because we have put our trust in the God of Israel and His Son, Jesus, we have been rescued from destruction. 

It excites me to know the story of Rahab does not end here. In her ensuing story, we see a beautiful picture of God’s redeeming power. 

Was it not enough that the lives of Rahab and her family were spared? No—not where God was concerned. God is so good and His grace so amazing! Rahab went on to marry an Israelite named Salmon and her name turns up in the genealogy of Jesus, our Savior.

Salmon and Rahab were the parents of Boaz, the kinsman redeemer, who married Ruth. Their son was Obed, who was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David, the most famous and beloved king of Israel.

As we continue through the descendants of David, we come to Jesus Himself. So, Rahab, the former prostitute, is in the family tree of our Lord. 

Here we see redemption. Rahab put her trust in God and was saved. The people we read about in Scripture didn’t have a Bible like we do today. 

They had the Word of God as it was given to Moses and as they witnessed God do mighty works. Rahab heard the Word of the Lord second hand and believed. She mixed the Word with faith and made a decision to put her trust in God. 

We must remember, God knows more than we do. He knows every minute detail of every thing and every one. He knows what the outcome should be. And He’s trustworthy.

Bottom Line:

“For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them: but the word that they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Hebrews 4:2 NKJV).

In other words—They heard the Word preached, but it did not benefit them because they didn’t mix it with faith. So, when we mix God’s Word with our faith we have what we need to trust God. 

In the comment section below, please tell of a situation in which you needed to trust God this week.  Thanks so much.

©Copyright 2018 Connie Wohlford

Mix the Word with Faith and Trust God - Part 1 of 3

Mix the Word with Faith and Trust God <> Part 1

Don’t forget to trust God!

“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You” (Psalm 5:11a).

We hear it said, “Trust God.”   <><>  YES—that’s excellent advice.

I would like to suggest, “Mix the Word with Faith—Then Trust God.”

“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Hebrews 4:2 KJV).

In other words—They heard the Word preached but it did not benefit them because they didn’t mix it with faith. So, when we mix the Word of God with our faith we have the wherewithal to trust God. And we can be assured the Holy Spirit in us is powerfully blending it all together to give us peace all we need to truly trust. 

When was the last time you HAD to trust God? I mean really trust Him.

I wanted to say, “When was the last time you were forced to trust God?”

Though it may have felt like you were forced, we’re never really forced. We have a choice. 

Trusting God is a choice—in any situation. Have you needed to trust God for something today—this very day?  Think about that for a moment.

Thinking back to one of my own experiences in trusting God was when our son, Shannon, who was eleven at the time, had a head injury in a bicycle accident.

I know—I know. You’re thinking, “Why wasn’t he wearing a helmet?” This was back before helmets were required. At that time only big-time bike athletes wore helmets. So don’t judge me.  😊

Anyway, the ER doc said he had temporary amnesia.

AMNESIA! That word will stop you in your tracks—especially when it’s in regard to your child’s head injury. But the word that meant the world to me was, temporary.

I remember, clearly, sitting by Shannon’s bed, hour after hour, hoping Dr. Cook meant it when he said temporary. Fear rushed through me as I considered the possibility that Dr. Cook may have said that just to comfort me in the hopes that it really would be temporary.

So, I sat there alone, hour after hour. My husband was in Michigan for a week-long business trip. My parents were at work and our younger son was with a neighbor who offered to tend him until my mom got home. 

I knew, though, that I wasn’t alone. I was well aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence. 

When fear rose up and wanted to overtake me, I realized that I had a decision to make. I heard a voice in my spirit (not an audible voice). It said, “Okay, Connie, what are you going to do? Are you going to trust God—or fall apart?”

I knew my God. And I had enough of God’s Word in me to know He was trustworthy. I decided to trust God.

What I did was mix the Word with faith and trust God.

Though this was many years ago, I remember sitting there, nodding my head and telling God, “I’m going to trust You. I know Shannon will be fine. I believe Dr. Cook is right—that this amnesia is only temporary.”

So, I kept vigil at Shannon’s bedside answering his same questions over and over in between his periods of sleep. Every few minutes he asked:

“What day is today?”

“Did I miss Neil’s birthday party?”

“Who is my girlfriend?”

I patiently answered him each time as we went through the series of questions, and I would thank God that I could trust Him that Shannon would be fine. 

I had stopped asking Dr. Cook, “How much longer?” because I knew his answer would again be, “I don’t know.”   

Instead, I would pray, “God, You know and that’s what counts.”

Occasionally, I would wipe a tear from my eye and say, “God, I trust You.”

There are a lot of things in life that are completely out of our hands. 

Are you a control freak? We often want to control people. And we often want to control situations to the point it can drive us crazy. It’s amazing the stress relief we can achieve when turn a person or situation over to God and just trust Him.

Think about how frustrating it is when people won’t do what we think they should do. In just a few weeks, my husband and I will have been married for 48 years. 

A long time ago, when I learned that I cannot and should not try to make him to do what I think he should do, a huge burden was lifted from me. My maturing in that area possibly saved our marriage. 

Besides that, I am not to take responsibility for his actions. 

I put him in God’s hands. Instead of talking to him about what I think should happen, I talk to God. 

That’s not to say that Guy and I don’t talk. Certainly, we do. But I don’t keep repeating things and trying to convince him, hoping to manipulate the situation. I speak my mind to Guy and to God. Then I trust God. God always knows what’s best.

Sometimes things go my way and sometimes they don’t. But I’m letting the ultimate result be God’s. If Guy and I mess up, I know God will help us straighten things out.

We can do this in all relationships. God knows more than we do. He knows every minute detail of every thing and every one. He knows what the outcome should be. He’s trustworthy.

When an outcome seems to be not what is best, due to human error or weakness, sin, rebellion, or whatever— God’s not shocked. He doesn’t fall apart. He stands ready to forgive and turn what Satan meant for evil into something He can bring good out of. God’s like that. He’s trustworthy.

Trusting God is about having faith in God and we know that without faith it’s impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).

The Bible teaches us how to trust and why we can trust God. We need to Mix the Word with Faith, make every effort to follow God’s leading and do things God’s way, and trust the results to Him. He’s always trustworthy. 

In Part 2 of this series, we’ll look at a woman in the Bible who trusted God. Her life and the lives of her family depended on it. I hope you’ll check back in.  

Please share about a time you needed to trust God. Your comments are welcome.

©Copyright 2018 Connie Wohlford

Yikes—Am I really capable of going alone?

Yikes—Am I really capable of going alone?        

                                                                                     

Standing by the curb, I watched my son, Neil, drive away. 

Once again I looked up at the sign to be sure I was in the right place—“International Passenger Drop Off.” I took a deep breath and tears welled up in my eyes. Wow—was I ever out of my comfort zone! But I was excited beyond words. I whispered a prayer, latched onto my wheeled suitcase, carry-on, and purse and headed into the ominous Atlanta International Airport.

I could hardly believe it. I was going to Israel—Alone! 

Photo by Connie Wohlford

Yikes—was I really capable of going to another country without a traveling companion? I would connect with my tour group when I got there, but they would all be total strangers. My husband, Guy, was staying home to care for my elderly parents and none of my friends were available to go. I had traveled alone before—mostly by car and one other time on a domestic flight but this was really different.

I made my way through the process, trying hard not to appear scared. I arrived at my gate early and was told the flight was delayed for one and one-half hours. With lots of time on my hands and knowing I would be sitting a lot for the next twenty or so hours, I decided to take a stroll. I walked to the end of the terminal, not far from my gate and watched planes land and take off and observed other goings-on on the tarmac below.

I sat for a few minutes just thinking: “Wow! Here I am—on my way to Israel. Thank You, Lord!”

When I got back to the gate, expecting another hour wait, I thought it odd there were no passengers sitting around waiting to board. The lady at the desk called to me, “Are you Connie?”

“Yes.”

“We’ve been calling for you. Hurry! Everyone has boarded!”

“I didn’t hear you call me!”

I had no idea that at the far end of the terminal the P.A. system could not be heard. I was unnerved at the thought that I came close to missing my flight and I had a harsh reminder of what a novice I was at air travel.

The irritated agent processed my ticket and I ran down the jetway and boarded my transport to LaGuardia. What a huge relief to get settled into my seat. In my mind I profusely thanked God for not letting me miss the flight. If I had, I’d have missed my connecting flight from New York to Tel Aviv and that would have been disastrous. (The thought of that phone call to Guy was unimaginable.) 

“Oh God, I’m so out of my element!”

I had a couple of hours to calm down and calculate a mental plan for the next transition. I knew I should have plenty of time and it ought to be smooth going. I wondered if anyone on this jet was also heading for the same tour as I.

I arrived at LaGuardia thinking I had all kinds of time but when I realized I had to get on this train and then that train to get to my terminal tears welled up again and I felt overwhelmed. 

“God, I know You’re with me and You’ll help me do this.” 

I didn’t have time to cry and I set out on the next leg of this very unfamiliar path. I’d been in big airports before but except for one trip I’d been with at least one other family member. 

Step by step I made my way to the terminal. No one was there and it was dimly lit. I checked and double checked to be sure I was in the right place but there was no one around to confirm my hope. I knew I was early but would not have thought I was that early. 

Eventually other travelers began to trickle into the area. I wanted to talk to someone but they all kept their distance and didn’t seem interested in getting acquainted. I reminded myself that I’m a southern girl and this is New York City. Boy, was I ever a fish out of water!

Finally the time came to check board. I and the other ten or so passengers were taken into a closed off area. There we were each briefly interviewed and wanded by Israeli soldiers. I thought, “Wow, this is interesting.” I wasn’t sure if I should feel nervous or extremely safe. I decided to feel safe. 

We boarded the huge jet full of travelers. Upon entering I looked out across the sea of faces—not a single one was familiar. 

I smiled at my new neighbors and slipped into the assigned seat. Finally I was on the last leg of this phenomenal mission of getting from the mountains of Virginia to Tel Aviv, Israel. And finally, I could relax. 

I took a deep breath and again my eyes welled with tears—tears of joy and gratitude. In my mind, I thanked God over and over for this opportunity. I thanked Neil and his wife, Suanne, for their generous gift that helped make it possible, and I thanked Guy for caring for Mama and Daddy.

I also thanked God for giving me the courage to leap out of my comfort zone and take this trip all by myself. In about 15 hours I would step onto the ground in the place God called “the glory of all lands” (Ezekiel 20:6 NASB).

 Southern Steps, where Jesus walked up to the Temple

My two weeks in the Holy Land were beyond more than I could have asked. My appreciation for the things of God, for His Word, and for His chosen people was multiplied. The wonders of the Land cannot be expressed in a few mere words.

I can tell you though that I want to go back—I can hardly wait to go back. I believe God will provide again and hopefully even a few times for me to go back to the epicenter of His creation.  

On Masada, with Dead Sea in backbroun

Though I saw a lot and learned much, there’s so much more to see and learn. I smile at this moment just imagining going again.

A few times while in Israel I felt that anxiety of being out of my comfort zone, like when I first walked into my hotel room in Jerusalem, knowing I’d be by myself each night for two weeks in a foreign country. To call Guy would cost too much and I didn’t expect him to call me, though He did so a couple of times. It was exciting to hear his voice and to be reassured all was well back home.

At the end of my Israel adventure, while riding the bus from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport, those tears welled up again. Though I was ready to return home I could hardly believe the trip was over and I asked God to please let me return someday to the “glory of all lands.” 

Placing prayers into the Western Wall

Would it be out of my comfort zone to do it again alone? Absolutely! But it would not be nearly as intimidating as the first time. I learned a great deal about air travel and about being on foreign soil. I’m so ready to go again.

This year, as Israel celebrates her 70^th Birthday, would be a marvelous time to go back. I’m afraid, at the moment, I don’t have plans to go again, but the year is young.

Maybe—just maybe—God will make a way for me to walk again where Jesus walked in the glory of all lands. (I’m smiling.)

In the comment area below, please share: 

If you have been in Israel, what was one of your favorite experiences?

Are you planning on going this year, during Israel's Birthday celebration?

©Copyright 2018 Connie Wohlford