CONQUERING PROBLEMS
WITH POWER FROM YOUR BIBLE

 

The toughest
yet most rewarding task ever assigned to man by God can be
summed up in one simple word. Only a remnant of the six or so
billion that inhabit this great earth have ever exhausted more
than a small fraction of the life changing energy and power that
lurks behind this simple verb of the English Language. Certain
people can be excited by certain words but this word excites the
God of Heaven who made you, me, the universe and everything else
that has been made; seen or unseen. The man that defeated
depression, poverty, sickness, confusion, pain, unhappiness and
every other unlikable thing or situation, which includes death
itself, continually had this word upon his lips. By linking the
pronoun I to this great word we can develop a dynamo of power
that will move us onward and upward from our present
circumstances and into a life that can become richer and better
with the passing ages. With a heart of love like none other can
compare and with his eyes of steel that flinch not at
difficulties or impossibilities of any magnitude, the Christ of
Heaven looks at your problem and my problem and thunders these
words, “ … if thou canst BELIEVE,
all things are possible to him that BELIEVETH.” (Mark
9:23 KJV)

It would be
nice to stop here and let all problems be solved, but that is
not the way it goes. Instead of stopping here, we begin here. At
this very moment of our existence we must think, talk, read,
study, dream, mediate and intercede to the Lord of Glory for
this wonderful ingredient of life to fill our being. Deep down
we get the feeling. Deep down we know that we have this
capability to believe and to touch our source of life. We
know there is a better way and we know that it is within our
reach.

 

USE
THE RIGHT FUEL

 

Many years ago
when black people were oppressed beyond reason in this country
there was a man selling balloons at the county fair. They were
all different colors and filled with helium. To get attention,
from time to time the man would let a balloon go and disappear
into the sky. He let a red one go and it went out of sight. He
let a yellow one go and it headed for the clouds. He released a
white one and it soared into the heavens. As a little eight year
old black boy watched and wondered, he finally gathered enough
courage to ask, “Mister, will a black balloon go up when you
turn it loose?” The man looked him dead in the eye, placed
his hand on his shoulder and said, “Son,
the color of the balloon doesn’t matter; it is what I put on the
inside that matters. This is what makes it fly.”

 

This is what
Jesus teaches you and me. Not only does our color not matter:
nothing else does. No situation that you and I face matters. We
can’t even invent a hard luck story that matters. Our past or
anything that has happened in our past doesn’t matter. We can
dream up some sob story, but it would not matter. Faith is what
matters. Believing is our internal fuel that moves us to our
desired destinations. Faith is the only
indestructible vehicle that will shuttle us to an eternity where
the good life goes on forever.

 

In the latter
part of the nineteenth century people had trouble getting across
town. A man named Karl Benz invented an automobile with an
internal combustion engine and over the years this problem has
been somewhat alleviated. Someone has said, “Men and
motorcars go forward by a series of internal explosions.”
This is true. Fuel explodes in our automobiles and faith
explodes in our hearts. As this happens we generate power and
keep moving along. It is our duty to keep the fuel going in. We
all know how to find fuel for our automobiles at the service
station but we must go to our Bibles to find the fuel that will
run our lives in the right direction and to the right
destinations. This is the book that changes things around on the
inside and revives the dream that the God of Heaven has planted
in our inner most heart of hearts. So to start gaining ground
from where we are at this very moment, we tank up with faith and
turn on our belief ignition!

 

THE
BIBLE: CONQUEROR OF FEAR

 

When Amanda,
my granddaughter, was about six years old she was having
nightmares and was afraid to sleep alone in her room. They had
been having fire drills at school and were using real smoke and
setting up some real fire scenarios. As a result, fear got into
Amanda’s little heart and mind and the sleepless nights and
nightmares followed.

 

I happened to
remember a sure cure for this sort of thing. It had worked for
my kids when they were young and would hear some strange noise
at night or whatever. The solution? Simple; sleep with your
Bible. Amanda tried this and it worked well. She said, “I
just took my Bible to bed and dropped off to asleep.”

 

Why does the
Bible work? It works because the Bible emanates faith and faith
dispels fear. There are sixty-three “Fear Nots” in
this wonderful book so we can use a different one for every week
of the year and still have a few left over. It will not only
work for a child on a sleepless and fearful night, it will work
for you and for me. We know these kinds of things confront us as
adults; and they are very real. We all face sickness, loss,
poverty, confusion, death and every kind of horror known to man.
There seems to always be a problem coming over the hill that is
too large for us to handle. Deep down we are still very small
children; we face unknowns and roads that haven’t been traveled.
As we study God’s words and they find their way into our hearts
and spirit, the horrors and the fears move aside. We begin to
feel like an eighteen-wheeler running down the inter-state of
life smashing whatever gets in our pathway. We know that no
problem is too big when God is our power source. His word
proclaims, “… he giveth his beloved sleep: (Psalm
127:2 KJV) He will give it to the grandchildren and he will
give it to us. The answer to this force that could destroy order
as we know it can be stopped in its tracks.

 

Our faith can
give us tranquility of mind and keep us relaxed no matter what
is happening in our midst. So as individuals we must believe! We
must stand in the midst of horrors of every description and let
the psalmist proclaim to us, “… a thousand shall fall at thy
side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come
nigh thee.” (Psalm 91:7) We do not need to arm ourselves to
the teeth if we are spirit filled and running over. God has
always fought for His people and He is not about to quit now. He
will put brakes on the moon stop the sun and start firing chunks
of ice out of heaven and killing the enemy. We only need a
double portion of that spirit that moved upon the face of the
deep! This is guaranteed protection from every evil force we
will ever face. When Jesus said, “… nothing shall by any
means hurt you”, He meant that NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS
HURT YOU. With our Bibles we can conquer terror and crime!

 

CONQUERING UNHAPPINESS

 

The happiest
man that ever set foot on this earth was Jesus. With a gleam in
his eye and a knowing in his heart he said, “These things
have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and
that your joy might be full” (John 15:11) We live in
a world where we are deceived with the idea that if we have
things we will be happy. Somewhere we picked up the stupid idea
that we must secure our future with some kind of financial
security, have an expensive home on the lake or golf course and
live a materialistic life. Nothing could be any farther from the
truth.

 

When I was a
child, our family of nine lived in a two-room log house without
indoor plumbing, electricity or medical insurance. I remember
that at a very tender age I watched my mother care for us
without any of the creature comforts that we all enjoy today. As
she would iron our clothes, with irons heated on a wood stove
and sing the old hymns of the church there was something that
flooded that old log house that was more powerful than
electricity and would in those days bring our healing without
giving a thought of visiting the doctor or the hospital. As I
watched my mother pray over the food at meal times and kneel
beside our beds and pray when we had our childhood diseases, I
look back now and realize that she was teaching me more by
example in those formative years than I would ever learn in the
years to come in any type of formal educational setting. She
seemed to meditate and talk with Jesus in all her waking
moments.

 

God’s peace
and joy is universal. He can and does comfort a peasant slaving
in a rice patty and calms the tensions of a born again
billionaire signing the most important document of his lifetime.

 

Our Lord looks
into the hurting eyes of humanity, both poor and rich, and
invites all who are weary and heavy in heart to come to him for
the rest and peace for which we yearn. He told people then and
He tells people now that a good and full life does not come
through owning a lot of things. He taught and He teaches that we
should live for each day and to not be too concerned about what
is coming over the hill tomorrow. This may sound too simple, but
it isn’t. If we have enough for today we really do not have a
legitimate complaint.

 

With a small
band of a dozen very ordinary men, Jesus started a caravan of
hope that has spread around the world. Tonight a remnant of our
world population from every walk of life will sleep in peace
because the Holy Spirit of Heaven dwells within their bosoms.
This comforter does His work under all circumstances and in
spite of any conditions. The toughest job on earth is getting
people that are bound and blinded by things that have absolutely
no eternal value or offer no solutions to the real problems of
life to understand the simple way in which the maker and ruler
of all has designed in which we should walk. I would urge you as
you read these words to pause and maybe look up. Jesus himself
said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13)
There comes a time when we must set aside some things we have
been taught. We must look up to Heaven and ask for this Holy
Spirit that guides us into all truths and satisfies the longing
that everyone who walks this earth has burning in his heart. We
can find happiness, and we can find it in our Bibles and in
being filled with God’s Holy Spirit. There is a sign at one of
our local tourist attractions. It says, “I came here to find
myself because it is so easy to get lost in this world.”
This isn’t hard to understand. Everyday, if we will listen, we
will hear that small and tender voice within. It will gently tug
at our heart and offer itself to guide our lives. As we read our
Bibles and open ourselves to the real truth of God, we will be
ushered into a higher level of peaceful living. What an
opportunity! How much more can we ask? When the night is dark
and fears and uncertainties lurk in every corner of our mind we
can look up and sing in our off key voice:

 

Peace, peace,
wonderful peace

Coming down
from the Father above

Sweep over my
spirit forever I pray

In fathomless
billows of love

 

Some years ago
I heard an old war veteran testify. He had lost an arm, an eye
and had other very serious injuries. I will never forget him
saying, “You have never really lived until you have nearly
died.” Most of us know somewhat about what he was talking.
We know that one day we are going to leave this world, yet we
have a tendency to sweep this fact under the rug. Because of our
laws that must show equity to all, no secular grammar school,
high school, or college offers this most precious preparation
course on its curriculum. If you haven’t already done so, maybe
this simple message will in love and good faith someway prompt
you to think of your eternal destination. It is really not too
much of a task to make our stand and to ask for forgiveness; to
open our hearts to an exciting life of faith that will last
throughout eternity. To ask the Jesus that died for us to make
his abode in our hearts. To fill that void that is with us when
we go to sleep on a troubled pillow. To fill that space that we
have tried to fill with so many artificial substances .… and
none have worked.

 

The Bible has
many benefit lists. One says, “… forget
not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who
healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from
destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender
mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy
youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:2-5 KJV)

 

Some years ago
I read a story of an old man who walked the streets of a major
city wearing a sandwich sign. On the front side it said, “I AM A
FOOL FOR JESUS”. After you passed him and looked back, the sign
on his back read, “WHO’S FOOL ARE YOU?”  There is an old song
Connie Frances sang whose lyrics go, “Everybody’s somebody’s
fool, and there are no exceptions to the rule”.

 

The Apostle
Paul wrote, “We are fools for Christ …” (I Corinthians 4:10)
Then you may add, if we are not, then we are fools of
another nature. If we could be totally honest for a moment we
would admit that some one or some thing
has our number. We are a fool for somebody or something, and it
is best if that somebody is Jesus. With him as our master and
Lord we can conquer unhappiness. We can be happy!

 

THE
BIBLE TURNS BAD THINGS TO GOOD THINGS

 

The other day
while I was waiting to have tires put on my car, there was a one
armed man waiting in the same room. When we struck up a
conversation and I asked about the loss of his limb, he replied,
“It is probably the best thing that ever happened to me.” He
went on to tell how it changed his life from hanging around bars
and turning into a drunk to getting an education and being a
leader and inspiration to many people both young and old. When I
first saw him I felt pity; after talking for five minutes I felt
a deep feeling of admiration and respect. He did not speak in a
boastful way, but when he started telling me of the things he
had accomplished and how much that he cared for people; it put
me in a self-searching mode. I thought of the scripture penned
by Paul, “… we know that all things work together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose.” (Romans 8:28) I have let disappointments get me
down at times. I have been a spiritual casualty. I have at times
just given up; and I know that it had an effect on others. For
this I am very sorry; but I did learn a lesson. The longer I
live the more I realize that the Lord is there with us in every
step of our lives.

 

Archie Manning
was at one time the highest paid quarterback in the National
Football League. When he was in high school he came home and
found his Dad had committed suicide because of the financial
pressures of his small business. It was a gory mess made with a
shotgun blast and Archie cleaned it up. Little did the senior
Manning know that in just a few short years their household
would produce three super athletes who would earn enough money
to make his financial problems look like pocket change. He gave
in to the pressures that we all face from time to time, and this
always has a tremendous effect on those that are close to us.

 

There was a
story in the news the other day that read, “Driver Kills
himself Near Spot Wife Died”. The article went on to tell
how a truck driver shot himself to death near the spot where his
wife was killed a year earlier on a motorcycle he had given her.
His pickup truck then smashed into an oncoming car,
killing another man, who was in no way involved
in the situation.

 

What we are
going through and how we respond is going to have a great effect
on someone near and maybe someone dear. If you are in trouble
don’t you dare give up. If we face impossibility … we must wait
for and receive our miracle. The Bible teaches that good things
come out of bad situations and our faith in a living and loving
Lord will bring these things about.

 

Many years ago
there was an old country song that said,
“I’ll cry myself to sleep and wake up smiling,
I’ll miss you but no one will ever know.”

 

We could take
this attitude toward the evil forces we contend with. There are
times we can cry … and weep for help from the Lord. But after
this comes the smile and the knowing in our heart that God is
going to make a way where there is no way. Things are going to
work out and they are going to work out well. It may not be
overnight, but who cares. We only have an eternity left if we
are trusting in our King. He will not let us down and He knows
how to turn our bad thing into a good
thing! How to give us conquering power through our Bibles!

 

IN
REVIEW

 

It probably
took fifteen minutes or less for you to read the preceding
pages; just what did we learn? How can we cope … make things
happen; get on with our life and be filled with Godly
contentment?

 

Number one …
Remember that B word. Grab your Bible, inspirational literature,
CD, DVD, or whatever and start your faith dynamo; by believing
we can change the circumstances and change our lives. The power
is here and it is available to all.

 

Number two …
Remember that getting across town was a problem until we learned
about internal combustion. It will work in your auto and it will
work in your heart. We go forward with the power we generate to
overcome our trials and obstacles. Keep loading on the fuel and
keep on keeping on! The color of your balloon does not matter …
fill it with heavenly helium and get out of this world!

 

Number three …
Conquer your fear with the ‘fear nots’ in your Bible. When the
world is caving in and there is no hope; snuggle up to the
greatest book on earth … and sleep in peace!

 

Number four …
Conquer the crime in your God given space; a thousand shall fall
at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but you are
going to be safe and at peace! Believe in the invisible God!

 

Number five …
Conquer unhappiness with the joy that comes from heaven; catch
the log house, no electricity, no insurance spirit of the living
Lord … Peace, peace, wonderful peace … coming down from the
Father above.

 

Number six …
Take a look; Whose fool are you? Someone or something
has us all; What or who has you? Take a
step …This world is NOT a good home.

 

Number seven …
Let a very good Lord turn your bad thing into a good thing. If
one man can lose an arm and gain a life…we must remember that
something good can come after our tragedy. The decisions we make
will help or hinder someone who is very close, precious and is
watching. It is better to believe and obey! Then conquer that
problem with your Bible!

 

Prayer: Father
take my life. I realize that every breath (26,000 per day) and
every heartbeat (98,000 per day) is from you. Every crumb of
bread and every drop of water is from your hand. You know my
thoughts afar off, my dreams, ambitions and also my faults; help
me to align my desires with what you desire of me. Forgive my
mistakes, failures and most of all my sins. This moment, this
hour, this day and this life is yours. I surrender to your will
and to your way. Jesus be my Lord forever. Amen

 

Things wise
men have said…

 

“You will
always miss 100 percent of the shots you do not take.”

 

“Some people
dream of worthy accomplishments while others stay awake and
do them”

Footsoldier Ministries/Jim Hobby