Well, it has been an amazing trip so far! The Goose continues to show me many evidences that I am on His trail! Walking with God is amazing, challenging and at times can leave you drained. My first two days in Denver I stayed in the Washington Park neighborhood. I, almost immediately, began to feel like I was not where I was supposed to be. As this sense grew on Thursday I got online and contacted a couple I saw on a couch surfing website before I flew to Denver.
Well, Lori calls me immediately and says I can surf with her and Mike. So Friday morning while I was jogging the Holy Spirit confirmed that I was on the right track. Of course I found this to be true in spades. From restlessness to peace just like that! I was reminded of the Apostle Paul on one of his journey’s. He had purposed to go one direction and God said no, you are going another! God says, no, I have other plans for you.. trust and obey. I had wanted to be one place and God said nope!
As it turns out, I am not the only one surfing with Mike and Lori. Jim from Canada and Andy from Missouri are also staying with us. Turns out we three have a lot in common. Jim is with a new yoga marketing company on his own adventure and Andy is on a faith walk similar to mine. Andy is an evangelical Catholic en route to a monastery in Snowmass Colorado. I asked him how he was getting to Snowmass, which is over 3 hours from Denver and he says, hitch hiking. I told him I would drive him up there. We left Sunday morning and had a great time of fellowship, talking about our walks, the catholic church and various other spiritual subjects. It was so obvious that God wanted us to meet.
I have felt so welcome and blessed since I followed the goose to stay with Mike and Lori and gang. Just one in many confirmations that God can be trusted with everything! He is so good and delights in blessing his kids. And you will not believe this…. Lori has ties to Lynchburg, VA- where my Goose chase began! Her sister lives there and her parents are moving there! It turns out that she had gone up to Lynchburg thinking she was moving there but ended up in Denver.
After arriving in Aspen yesterday with Andy I received an email from my friend whom I worked for in Lyncburg, VA where all this began. Here it is….
Just a quick word. No time to get all philosophical right now. But I may later.
Just arrived home from church. The sermon was on Romans 8:28. Our pastor used an illustration that referenced the Denver, Colorado airport and a providential meeting that took place there! Honest to God. Rachel(his wife) just looked at me as if to say, “Can you believe this?”
Well, these kinds of things have been happening to me since February but I am still amazed each time. Not that God does these things… but.. that He is doing them over and over again in my life and now He is including the folks who were instrumental in getting this “ball” rolling back in January.
Just this morning, I was jogging on the Cherry Creek trail here in downtown Denver and lo and behold if I don’t see a guy walking towards me with a Cooper river bridge run tee shirt on. It is a big race held in Charleston each year that attracts runners from all over the world. I stop jogging and inquire about the shirt and he tells me that he and his wife moved here last year from Spartanburg, SC. I told him that I lived in Charleston but was foreseeing a move here soon. I went on to tell him that my son, Mike, had gone to Wofford College in Spartanburg and he said that his wife is a 2006 graduate of Wofford. We both just laughed, considering the odds of meeting like this.
I jogged away with a big smile on my face!
As I have shared with you earlier- I have been living on several promises that God has brought to the forefront of my consciousness. One of them being Romans 8:28 which my friends pastor used in his illustration yesterday and was mentioned above.
More Than Conquerors
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose.
Just yesterday, on the way back to Denver from dropping Andy off, I was talking with my wife about holding fast to Gods promises. I told her that God did not lead me this far to dash me against the rocks of failure and disappointment. I told her that we can take His promises to the bank! If God tells you something, even something outlandish like He told me, you can take it to heart and count it done. Greg, in one of my men’s groups says that God is a show-off and He loves doing things for His kids in bizzare ways at the final hour.
After a restless night of spiritual battle I awoke to this devotion from Streams in the desert.
Be Sure of His Promises
“Do as thou hast said, that thy name may be magnified forever” (1 Chron. 17:23-24).
This is a most blessed phase of true prayer. Many a time we ask for things which are not absolutely promised. We are not sure therefore until we have persevered for some time whether our petitions are in the line of God’s purpose or no. There are other occasions, and in the life of David this was one, when we are fully persuaded that what we ask is according to God’s will. We feel led to take up and plead some promise from the page of Scripture, under the special impression that it contains a message for us. At such times, in confident faith, we say, “Do as Thou hast said.” There is hardly any position more utterly beautiful, strong, or safe, than to put the finger upon some promise of the Divine word, and claim it. There need be no anguish, or struggle, or wrestling; we simply present the check and ask for cash, produce the promise, and claim its fulfillment; nor can there be any doubt as to the issue. It would give much interest to prayer, if we were more definite. It is far better to claim a few things specifically than a score vaguely. –F. B. Meyer
Every promise of Scripture is a writing of God, which may be pleaded before Him with this reasonable request: “Do as Thou hast said.” The Creator will not cheat His creature who depends upon His truth; and far more, the Heavenly Father will not break His word to His own child.
“Remember the word unto thy servant, on which thou hast caused me to hope,” is most prevalent pleading. It is a double argument: it is Thy Word. Wilt Thou not keep it? Why hast thou spoken of it, if Thou wilt not make it good. Thou hast caused me to hope in it, wilt Thou disappoint the hope which Thou has Thyself begotten in me? –C. H. Spurgeon
“Being absolutely certain that whatever promise he is bound by, he is able also to make good” (Rom. 4:21, Weymouth’s Translation).
It is the everlasting faithfulness of God that makes a Bible promise “exceeding great and precious.” Human promises are often worthless. Many a broken promise has left a broken heart. But since the world was made, God has never broken a single promise made to one of His trusting children.
Oh, it is sad for a poor Christian to stand at the door of the promise, in the dark night of affliction, afraid to draw the latch, whereas he should then come boldly for shelter as a child into his father’s house. –Gurnal
Every promise is built upon four pillars: God’s justice and holiness, which will not suffer Him to deceive; His grace or goodness, which will not suffer Him to forget; His truth, which will not suffer Him to change, which makes Him able to accomplish. –Selected
As of yesterday, God has placed on my heart a need to pray for revival in Denver. So, today I walked around downtown praying. I believe this is the beginning of a spiritual awakening in Denver. I am sure there are many local saints who have been praying for this for quite some time.
One more thing. As I have waited for the fulfillment of God’s word to me, learning to persevere in patience, hope and faith…. I was greatly encouraged by this word….
Hold on Until the End
“We are made partaker of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end” (Heb. 3:14).
It is the last step that wins; and there is no place in the pilgrim’s progress where so many dangers lurk as the region that lies hard by the portals of the Celestial City. It was there that Doubting Castle stood. It was there that the enchanted ground lured the tired traveler to fatal slumber. It is when Heaven’s heights are full in view that hell’s gate is most persistent and full of deadly peril. “Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” “So run, that ye may obtain.”
In the bitter waves of woe
Beaten and tossed about
By the sullen winds that blow
From the desolate shores of doubt,
Where the anchors that faith has cast
Are dragging in the gale,
I am quietly holding fast
To the things that cannot fail.
And fierce though the fiends may fight,
And long though the angels hide,
I know that truth and right
Have the universe on their side;
And that somewhere beyond the stars
Is a love that is better than fate.
When the night unlocks her bars
I shall see Him–and I will wait.
–Washington Gladden
The problem of getting great things from God is being able to hold on for the last half hour. –Selected
Many Blessings to you! Jon
