God Pays for What He Orders...
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June 25, 2009"I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happens to them all." Ecc 9:11 In the spring of 2005, as I was spending time with the Lord, I felt like He impressed upon to me to go to Panama. It seemed a little strange to me as that thought had never occurred to me before and we knew of no one or no church in Panama to even connect with. I asked Him what the purpose of the trip was and wrote down the answer. It had to do with the financial realm. I asked Him when and He said to "make haste". I shared all this with my wife and asked her input. The Holy Spirit seemed to move on her and she was in tears, sensing His leading as well. We were both perplexed, but immediately after that I booked our tickets. Before leaving for Panama, I happened to be meeting with a client, who upon discovering we were heading for Panama, offered to underwrite the trip if we would look for some beach front property for him to develop. I've heard that God pays for what He orders, but this was beyond my expectation. Talk about good "eth" (timing)! While in Panama, we headed to the mountain town of Boquette for some rest. It was at our destination that I overheard a conversation between two women at the next table. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time and heard them discussing their experience that day inside the rainforest. They were speaking in reverential tones with such awe that I knew for the first time, I had to discover the rainforest myself. Something was awakened within when I just happened to overhear their conversation at the next table. I was experiencing the "eth" of God and didn't know it. Overhearing that one conversation sensitized me to my environment and it was the next morning that the Lord spoke clearly to me saying, "Son, everything you need to learn about business, you can learn in the rainforest."Ê What I now realize, in retrospect, is that I would have missed over hearing that conversation had I delayed in going to Panama. God had an "eth" for me and the reward for that is still unfolding. I am in Panama this week and next filming 21 high growth factors that make the rainforest so incredibly productive as a result of that exchange over four years ago. I suspect that you, like me, have had many, many "eth's" in your life and I suspect we have let them float by because we dismissed them as just our own thoughts. On occasion, we have recognized that we were in a special moment and hopefully took advantage of that, but I believe that we have missed far too many and I for one want to change that.Ê In my next blog, I will carry this thought a little further.
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Peter at 9:08am EDT - June 24, 2009
I'm reading this post with excitement and heartbreak. Although I'm enjoying God's provision and blessing right now, I know I missed on a specfic moment God's calling in the past. I can't help but thinking "What would have happened if...?" about that particular moment. But a new moment is upon me, I have a very definite leading I'm determined NOT to miss this time. Thanks for the reminder to listen and act, and may God's voice continue to speak to you and us!
Dave Hultin at 1:03pm EDT - June 24, 2009
Hi! I'm a newbie. I really love this blog. I think finding this blog while I going through my current situation is an 'eth'. Thank you for following the Holy Spirit. Great message.
Angela at 1:55pm EDT - June 24, 2009
Michael, Last month, I too experienced a special time (eth) with God in Panama. But my "eth" was not focused on the Rain Forest. It was focused upon the manner and thinking in which the Panama Canal was built. I was invited by my long time friend from highschool and my college roommate, John D. to attened his son's wedding to a young Panamanian lady. John sent each of a select group of the 80+ invited wedding guests a book about how the Panama Canal was built entitled, "The Path Between the Seas" by David McCollough. I believe God ochestrated my reading of this very descriptive and informative book at this very unique and special time (eth) of my life during which God had been revealing his kingdom in me. My mind was so filled with God' s revelation of his kingdom that it caused me to look for God' s kingdom in operation in all that I read and expereinced, especially in historical books I read and in the daily news. God has made it very clear to me that when Jesus and his apostles proclaimed, "The kingdom of God is at hand.", these words were very true and they demonstrated the great power and impact of God' s kingdom in action in everything they did whether it be healing the sick or sharing their possessions. St. Paul wrote in 1Cor 4:20 that "The kingdom of God is not in word but in power. So, when I read in McCollough' s book that, the newly assigned director of the Pamana Canal project, John Stevens, on August 1, 2005 stopped all work on the canal until the living conditions of the workers could be improved and they could be freed from the threats of Yellow fever, Malaria and all tropical diseases and all hindrances to the human endeavor of building of the canal, I realized I was reading about the kingdom of God in operation. Interestingly, President Theodore Roosevelt had told Stevens just before he had apponted him to take over the Panama Canal project that things in Panama were in a "devil of a mess". Roosevelt' s words were most apropos, not only for Panama Canal Project at the time but also for the whole world. The message of the Bible is that the whole world is in a "devil of a mess" but to clean up this mess, in God' s perfect timing in accordance with his perfect will, He sent his Son Jesus Christ to earth to destroy the works of the devil and to cleanse and restore god' s kingdom on earth. The true story the of building of the Panama Canal is replete with so many works of the devil being destroyed such as diseases, strife among men, confusion and muddling of true vision that I have come to realize that the success of this enormous undertaking by men was orchestrated by the living God as a demonstration of how his kingdom is not in word (just talking about it) but in power (in operation). If we will but open our spiritual eyes and ears, we will see many many areas of life on earth where the works of the devil are being destroyed and the righteousness, peace and joy of God' s kingdom is being restored on earth. In this regard, and I think you will agree, most church leaders today are spiritually blind and deaf to what God is doing to restore his kingdom on earth. They are mostly all focused on the pie-in-the-sky afterlife not on this life in the here and now. They may talk about God' s kingdom in word but God' s kingdom is not in word but in power. When Jesus told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon them, he was actually saying that when that happens the kingdom of God will have come upon you. And the book of Acts bears record that the power of God' s kingdom did come upon them and it changed their attitudes from selfishness to unselfishness, from hoarding to sharing such that they held all things in common and no man considered anything their own. Those who had houses and lands (excess wealth they did not need) sold them and deposited the proceeds at the apostles feet to distribute to those who had need. They just gave the money, they did not lend it out with usury. In the Panama Canal Community from 1905-1913, the workman was worthy of his hire and no boss or manager got paid more than he was worth. The needs of all workers and their families were met just like in the early Christian kingdom community. Every one was respected and God' s kingdom righteousness, peace and joy prevailed. Even nature (the rain forest) was respected and protected. The building of the canal as a system of locks prevented the destruction of the rain forest which would have surely happened had the canal been built as a sea level canal as it originally was planned. Again, I believe it was the hand of God that caused the Panama Canal to be built in a righteous manner so that all of God' s creation was protected and preserved from the evil works of the devil. After the Canal was completed in 1914, many workers and their families did not want to leave the Canal Community because it was the best life they had ever experienced. They knew their lives in their own home countries would not be as good as living in the Canal community. But the truth was that posibly they would take their kingdom experience with them and be able to change their own communities for the better. I am sure that has happened because once a person has experienced the righteousness, peace and joy of God' s kingdom they will not be satisifed with a life without righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. I believe the reason we have so many illegal immigrants in the U. S. is because they see that America is full of the righteous, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit that they want and need, while their own countries are not nearly as filled. But times are changing and many countries are being changed by the power of God' s kingdom operation that overflows from America whether anyone realizes it or not. In His Majesty' s Secret Service, David Thompson
David Thompson at 3:08pm EDT - June 24, 2009
Speak LORD, for I am listening! Bless you MP!
Kara Harris at 4:04pm EDT - June 24, 2009
Wow is the only thing that comes to mine as I am reading this, unemployed and looking for work my brother in law is passing by and sez they are hiring here and gives me a site and looking to apply. That this may be the open door to employment again, Thank you Lord.
Paul Martinez at 12:46am EDT - June 25, 2009
All this does is reinforce our past failures. who cares!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
T. Russell Eavey at 1:00am EDT - June 25, 2009
Oh no - because God says, "I will restore what the locust has stolen." My God is a good God and He cares and He knows the plans He has for you and I - for good and not evil - for a future and a hope! We might get to Heaven to have a look at all the blessings, "eths" God placed in our lives and for many reasons - we walked past. But he always puts new ones - and I know this blog is an opportunity to learn something more and new - and CHANGE!!! I want to change I want to learn - I am ready! God's plan is so unlike the world's plan which is one of getting and doing for me, myself and I. But God's plan is to bless us - so we can be a blessing to others. The world needs His people to shine, be prepared and be ready to share all - at every level - not just monetary - but physically, spiritually - you name it. He cares, Michael obviously cares, many others care and we want to learn to hear that still small voice - and see with His understanding!
M. Kiemele at 1:09am EDT - June 25, 2009
Hi Michael. Funny that you used that title. Having been around for awhile I used to hear the Sear's slogan, "We service what we sell." In my mind I changed it to, "God services what he 'sells.'" We were missionaries for 25 years to a tribal group in Mexico. When we came back I got involved with de-worming children around the world (the group we were with suffered from intestinal worms). I have had numerous "eths" on the way. Being at the right place at the right time brought in people who are passionate about the same problem. In the past two years we (called "Worm Warriors) have distributed over 25MM tablets around the world. They cost $0.0155 each and are administered once every six months to malnourished children. We calculate, very conservatively, that each tablet saves at least five lbs. of food from the worms. I can't imagine this happening if God is not "servicing it." Claude
Claude Good at 1:36am EDT - June 25, 2009
I discovered this blog from Twitter - KingdomBizTips. I love it! And this entry was so inspiring because I, too, believe 100 percent in 'eths' and your story about Panama was so exciting! Looking forward to more. God Bless...
Ginny Edwards at 10:50am EDT - June 25, 2009
this post is touching hearts, panama indeed a beautiful area, but the very hand of God need to work.
Nina Mays at 9:13pm EDT - July 5, 2009