Whose Hand is it?

God's Right Hand

I love reading the bible and in particular the book of Psalm. I learn a lot about the attributes and character of God from it. One of such is the reference to God's right hand such as "The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD does valiantly(mighty things)". Another is "O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him." There are other references to the hand of God in the bible and when that hand is raised up amazing things happen. It's no wonder Jesus sits at the right hand of God in heaven interceding for us. God saves with his right hand and I found myself asking 'what about God's left hand?' That is a mystery I don't know about yet but I have an inkling it's for judgment.

"For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favor unto them."  Psalm 44:3

A Catalogue of God's hand at work

Over several months, I have heard amazing stories that defies human explanation but points to God's hand at work.
One of such happened in the month of May in Maryland,USA. A woman who had been waiting for the fruit of the womb for 17 years eventually gave birth. The amazing part of this story is that she had expectation of giving birth to a baby based on scans throughout her pregnancy but gave birth to 5 babies at once. That is God's hand at work restoring all the wasted years in a miraculous way.

A young doctor on finishing medical school with great expectation of securing a position applied for positions as medical officer in hospitals in the State that he intends to settle down in. That did not work out, he then fixed his sight on his fiancee's home state while planning their wedding. On the wedding night, he and his wife made a prayer of agreement that before the end of 30days there will be good news concerning the job search. In the interim, they decided to pay a thank you visit to his sister in another state and it was there God began to open unexpected doors. There was a divine connection to the Medical Director of a Federal Medical Center who parents were acquaintances with his own late parents. This doctor paid a visit to the Hotel where the director was lodging but did not meet her. He then decided to drop his resume and that of a friend for her with a brief explanation of who he was. The next day being a Friday, he went to the Hotel very early in the morning and presented himself to her. When they eventually met face to face, she asked him about 3 personal questions about his parents. After providing appropriate answers, she asked him if he had his lab coat and stethoscope with him, he answered in the affirmative and the next sentence was " come down to the medical center on Monday morning and start a job as a Medical Officer. No letter of application or interview and God's right hand made a way. Later on, he received a message that his friend whose resume he submitted should resume on Monday too. This friend lived in another part of the Country, and the only way to reach that friend was the church worships at. Through a series of divine arrangement, he was able to send a message to his friend through a couple that visited his sister that Saturday. This couple on traveling back on Sunday was able to locate the church and drop the message that changed his friend's life too.

Another story that happened a few weeks ago, a young boy of two accidentally poured a kettle of just boiled water over his feet in the bathroom. The pain was so much that he was crying nonstop for about 2 hours. The mother applied various emergency remedies to no avail. She also prayed and committed the boy and his feet to God. This boy's feet was red for several hours and the mum feared that the burn must be deep. She then planned on taking him to the hospital for proper medical attention. Meanwhile, she decided to attend an evening church service and after which she requested for prayers. The pastor and the elders laid their hands on him and anointed his feet. To the glory of God, he began to run around on that feet as soon as they got home. No burn at all and it was so difficult to believe that the trauma of a few hours past was real. God answers prayers and listens to our cry.

There are so many instances of God's right hand even in things we might deem little. From a wife who gets a nudge to pray for her husband while sleeping in the night and the husband comes back from work with a story of deliverance from evil. This has happened several times to this couple.

God is wonderful and he cares about every detail of our lives. The difficulty may be great, challenging and the waiting may bring frustration, but we most hold on to one fact and that is ' there is no record anywhere in the bible where God failed those who trusted in him'.

Scriptures: Psalm 118:16;Psalm 98:1 KJV

No Clue?

I remember a TV Program my kids loved to watch awhile back, it was called Blue's Clue. Blue a dog receives mail and three clues are given in order to know what the letter contains. In the things of God, one can either have a clue of what's going on spiritually through the spirit of revelation and knowledge or through dreams. It's also possible not to know or have a clue. In such instance, one must diligently seek God's face for revelation and knowledge and also ask for direction in order to pray targeted prayers.

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. 1 Corinthians 2:10 NLT

We have expectations that God will give an answer to a prayer request, we anticipate the manifestation but we will have no clue to the exact timing of God. Then the journey of waiting begins and like the Israelites go round and round in the wilderness. Most times our waiting is a time of preparation to be vessels that can carry the weight of the new glory God has prepared for us. It is at such times we must hope against all hope and be fully persuaded that God is able to do all he has promised. Romans 4:18-20.


Be encouraged by this song "Never Late" by Sinach:

https://youtu.be/nRlE41fqX_s?list=PLxulfHfTvnfZ_9RUK_mESZNENMu6bUfnA

A Handbag Story and God’s Provision and Faithfulness

Emmalee                                                                         

I’ve come a lot of trials and tough times in the last few years. I am actually walking through darkness right now, and I think this is just the perfect time to share a testimony of God’s faithfulness.
I’m a girly girl and I love shoes and handbags, especially brown leathered ones. But they’re expensive and I don’t have much money. This is the story:
A few years ago I was given a nice, brown-leathered handbag as a Christmas gift (let’s call it bag #1). I loved it, but after a few years I realized I needed a bigger one. But I didn’t want to spend £20 to get a new one that wouldn’t even last a year. So I was thinking/praying “I need a new one, oh and I’d love a bigger brown-leathered one; they’re classy and last longer. But I don’t have the money for one, they’re kind of really expensive –and I can’t ask one as a gift either.” And that’s it. I never actually prayed for one.
2 weeks later as I was loading my car I noticed a bag on the pavement. I’m into arts and crafts so I always check on stuff I find on the street just in case I can do something with it, so I go and fetch it and realize it is brown-leathered. And big. So I’m happy and I think “cool!! I needed one”. My mum-who’s with me-just notices a handle is broken. “Just get rid of it!”. I decide to keep it and bring it to my place. Then I go back to my car and go away for a few days and forget about the bag.
When  I come back, I see that bag lying on the floor and decide to have a proper look at it. Apart form the broken handle, it is almost new.
I realize it is a luxury brand–very famous in my country. And then, I remember my prayer/ thoughts –I needed a bigger handbag and I wanted it brown-leathered. I can hardly breathe -has God answered my prayer?? I check on the price on the internet- £350!! So I start telling my friends about it and one says “You can’t keep it –someone probably got mugged”.
So the next morning, off I go to the police station. The one closest to home is closed, so I start walking to the next one. And I’m walking, I notice a police van watching a busy street. I go and talk to the policemen and explain the whole thing –found this expensive bag, someone probably got mugged, etc. They just start laughing: “if there’s no name in it… just keep it!”
So I kept it with the policemen’s blessing –and got the handle fixed for £20. Just the price of a regular fabric handbag J And I got bag #2.
After this, I started telling the story to show how God had answered my prayer. It’s not just about a handbag, it’s about God providing quality stuff to his children!! I would often share the story and also remember about it whenever I felt lost or sad –just as a reminder of God’s goodness. This (along with other answered prayers) is a real reminder that God is good and generous.
3 years after that, my small, brown-leathered handbag (bag #1) was too old so I decided to get a new one. The one I really liked was too expensive, so I got the smaller version on the internet from a shop that would only sell online in my country. I love their brand but no one knows about it. So I got my brown-leathered handbag #3.
I happened to be in a desperate situation and nothing seemed to work for a way out, not even prayer. I was desperate and the situation seemed too long to me –I’d been there for almost a year and often prayed God for help. At a certain point (and that was 4 months after I got handbag #3), it got really, really worse and I just felt like giving up the whole thing. One night I started crying and crying to God for help, trying to remember his goodness –and the handbag story. Then I fell asleep.
Next morning, I’m walking to work. It’s raining, and I see people in the neighbourhood have left stuff on the street and I see a handbag on the side of the pavement. I just smile to myself –”once was enough!” and go on walking. And then suddenly I see another bag at my feet. It’s brown-leathered so my eye gets caught and I pick it up. Then I can hardly breathe. It’s just the bigger version of bag #3 –the one I didn’t buy because it was too expensive…!! Same brand, same colour, same model, same features (pockets, zips) same everything apart from the fact it was bigger. SO brand-new  it smelt of leather. WHAT ON EARTH?! I was crying my eyes out and crying to God the night before and the next morning at 8.30am I find my dream handbag –for the second time!!! lying at my feet? A brand that is not sold in my country that you only get from the internet?
For to me this is not about having a nice handbag–this is about God’s goodness. God telling me:

• I know you so well. I know your likes and dislikes. (My dream bag)
• I can create anything out of nothing (how did this bag just appeared at my feet?)
• I’m faithful (to me the first handbag story really WAS about God’s goodness).

I called my mum. She knows nothing about the desperate situation I’m in, she’d get too worried. As I tell her the handbag story she goes “wow, that’s a miracle–that’s God telling you he is right there with you”.
As I write this testimony, I’m still in that hopeless situation and things really don’t look better. But what can I say but what a great God we have. He knows us by name, he can work miracles, and most of all, he is right with us and sticks with us in the midst of total darkness.
I love my new handbag, and I love to see the faces people make when I tell them I have found another brown-leathered handbag on the street, they can’t believe it; they go “again?!”. A friend came up to me really confused “is that a new bag? No wait –I’ve seen it before- no wait, that’s a new one, right?”
Christian friends say I’m blessed, non-christians say I’m lucky. I’m the daughter of an incredible God. I don’t know how or when my problems will be fixed but I really do NOT worry about that. God has proven faithful even before fixing all this.

(Testimony Credit: www.testimonyshare.com)