I Triple Dog Dare You!!

We just returned from our Annual General Meeting. This is an important time of refreshing for us. We are able to learn, rest, heal, recharge, fellowship, and worship... all in English. That last phrase is something you don't realize the importance of until it's gone. While there, I was reminded of something. JD Greear, the speaker for our worship times together, took us to John 6 one morning. In verses 5 & 6 there is a test. His question was, what is the test?

In answering, JD said that God puts His people in certain times at certain places to show that He is the only God, the only Savior. The test? To trust that Jesus is that very person when faced with an impossibility. This brings up a second question... How do you pass the test?

He said, take a dare on God.

This is what I was reminded of. Perhaps it sounds a bit irreligious, but God always covers His bets. When faced with an impossibility, put His name on the line; bet everything you have on Him. How many times have we read Moses plead before God, that, for the sake of His own name, to rescue His people? As JD pointed out, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did this very thing, and they bet big! It was in front of every who's who in Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, in the face of death. All in, they put everything on God.

What I was convicted about was not the betting imagery I just used :-), nor that we are to recklessly abandon to God--of this I was reminded. I was convicted by how I have shifted the reason that God answers such daring and audacity away from Him over to my own worthiness. I caught myself thinking that I can ask for such things because I am a worthy and dedicated servant. How ridiculous! As it always has been, it is because of His mercy (to which He is faithful) that He does such things. His desire to move the mountain (Matt 17.12) is because He wants to. There is no power in asking from my worthiness, but only from His own faithfulness and mercy with an expectation that He will move it--even if my faith is no bigger than a mustard seed.

So, yesterday evening I took a dare.

We were talking with our neighbors and she shared with us that she is facing an impossible situation. I saw the opportunity and took it. I boasted that our God honors the truth and told her we would be asking Him to do just that. She is indeed faced with a serious problem with powerful people, but He has mercy and is far bigger than them. We also told her that though she has NO idea what to do we will ask God to make it clear what to do. We are asking that this answer will point only to His personal intervention. She needs to know Him. This is one of those impossible opportunities.

Join with us in this prayer. Then when He answers this dare, we can boast in Him again and hopefully a new child of God will boast as well...