African Bible Widows Triumph Through Faith A Faith Building Bible Conference Sylvia E. De Jong

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1 African Bible Widows Triumph Through Faith A Faith Building Bible Conference Sylvia E. De Jong Preliminary remarks: These conference messages were first given in 2013 at an all-day conference for Ketita District widows in Kenya. The Scriptures are quoted from New King James version unless otherwise noted. PART 1- GOD PLACED ME HERE FOR HIS GLORY, TO RESIST THE ENEMY AND FOLLOW HIM Introduction Did you know there were Bible widows in Africa? I missed them when I wrote my studies on the Widows of the Old Testament. When I asked God to reveal to me what I was to share with you this time, He led me to a little book called Red Sea Rules. I read the book and realized I held a treasure in my hand. The author, Robert Morgan, recorded ten lessons taken from Exodus and the flight of the Israelite slave nation s escape out of Egypt. The book speaks of how we can overcome great difficulty and pressure in our lives. It is filled with scripture verses to back up these ten life principles. In the process of thinking about these principles and how they would apply to you in your culture, I came to realize they relate well. In the midst of the two million people who left Egypt, there were widows. They were Israelites, born in Egypt, and their husbands had died in Egypt while the Israelites were slaves to Pharaoh. They were African Bible widows. You are African widows who believe the Bible! Do you recall in the previous conference I had with you, I talked about the Passover in Egypt in which the Israelite families were instructed to kill a lamb and place the blood on the doorpost. In Exodus 12:4 it says if there was any household that was too small for a whole lamb, they must have a share in the lamb of their closest neighbor. Widows may have had small households and received a share of their neighbor s lamb. If you do not recall the story, God had pronounced a plague of death on all that were first born in the land. The only households to escape death were ones with the blood of the lamb on their doorpost. God would see the blood and pass over them. In our lives today, a curse of death has been declared by God for the sin of mankind. The only way to escape this curse is through the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. That blood was shed when He died on the cross at Calvary. He actually was crucified (hung on a cross) at the time of Israel s yearly celebration of the Passover, His crucifixion took place almost 1500 years after the actual Passover in Egypt. When we trust Jesus to save us from sin s curse, and take our place in Him, we will not die eternal death, but will live forever with Him in heaven. Many of you prayed and asked Him to be your Savior when I was here last year. God hears our prayer of repentance and delights to take us into His family. He helps us grow when we read the Word of God, talk to Him in prayer, obey Him by being baptized, worship God with other believers, give 1

2 testimony of His work in our lives, and share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior and forgive your sins, talk with your widow leader and ask her to help you do this when there is a break in the meetings. Three weeks after the Israelite people left Egypt, God met with His people at Mt. Sinai. God gave them laws to live by, when he met with Moses on the mountain. We can read about this in Exodus chapters It mentions the widows in Exodus 22:22-24, Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless. God has a passionate love for the widows and fatherless children. He watches out for you and stands ready to help you. Remember that! The Israelite nation, including the widows, faced difficult times as they escaped from Egypt. Their difficult circumstances provide teachable principles that I believe will be a help in your lives. Turn in your Bibles to Exodus chapter 14. Ex. 14:1-2. Then the L0RD said to Moses, Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. Some of the widows heard Moses tell the people to camp near the sea in a place where it was too dangerous to cross. For a reason known only to God at that time, He chose for them to camp there. If the Egyptians decided to follow them, they would be trapped. God often places us, or allows us, to be in difficult, dangerous circumstances. Sometimes we go through times of terrible pain or hard situations. We feel trapped and see no way out of financial pressures, political unrest, physical pain or illness, or food shortages. In going through these dark valleys, we can fall into the pit of worry. A hard truth is that worry betrays a lack of faith and trust in God. 30 years as a widow taught me much about how to trust God in difficult circumstances. I trusted him for financial provision, for wisdom to take care of my three children, for a place to live, for a vehicle to get around in. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths (Prov. 3:5-6). In the Bible, we are referred to as sheep. Sheep are defenseless, and require a shepherd to lead and protect them from danger. Our Good Shepherd wants us to say, Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear 2

3 no evil. When you are in a difficult place, realize God placed you there for His purpose. A South African pastor, Andrew Murray, once faced a terrible crisis. He sat a long time to think and pray. Then he wrote this in his journal: First, He brought me here, it is by His will that I am in this [confined] place: In that fact I will rest. Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as His child. Then, He will make this trial a blessing, teach me the lessons he intends me to learn, and work in me the grace He means to bestow. Last, in His good time, He can bring me out again how and when, He knows. Let me say I am here, (1) By God s appointment, (2) In His keeping, (3) Under His training, (4) For His time. There is no better place to be. What if we believe it is our own fault that we are in trouble? Serious and sincere repentance brings us back into God s will. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret (2 Cor. 7:10a NIV), Confession is like a shortcut from the wayward path, back to the straight and narrow road of Christ. When we genuinely repent, our sins are cast as far from us as the east is from the west. Our hearts are cleansed and our fellowship with God is renewed. Healing is still needed, but the Great Physician will apply the salve. He weaves everything together to bring about His purposes. God s forgiveness allows self forgiveness. We need not be angry with ourselves or hate ourselves any longer. God will use it all for good. God knows right where you are and will touch your life there. Once again, lesson 1 Realize God means for you to be where you are. Say out loud:. Exodus 14: 4 NIV. And I will harden Pharaoh s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. These Israelite widows, in the midst of this large encampment by the sea, felt fear. They knew they would be defenseless against an Egyptian army if the Pharaoh pursued them. But, the Lord told Moses God would gain glory and show the Egyptians He is Lord! You, as a widow, can learn to look at a difficult crisis as an occasion to experience God s grace and glory in your life. Ask yourself, How can God be glorified in this situation? This question will illuminate your darkness and help you 3

4 see it from God s perspective. Are you blind or going blind? Do you or someone you love have an incurable disease? Are you facing terrible persecution? Recall occasions in God s Word when God was glorified through disease and suffering. In John 9, a man was born blind so the power of God could be displayed in his life. Jesus applied mud to his eyes. The blind man went and washed in the pool of Siloam, as Jesus commanded, and came back seeing! Lazarus sickness and death was for the glory of God. Jesus raised Lazarus from death to life to the glory of God. In Jesus dark hour, he prayed, Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? He cried, Father, save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father glorify Your name (John 12:27-28a). The Father said in vs. 28b, I have both glorified [my name] and will glorify it again. Jesus said, This voice was for your benefit, not mine.... and I, if I am lifted up from the earth, [on the cross], will draw all peoples to myself (vs. 30b,32). In the story of the parted waters, God gained the glory when His enemies were destroyed; His children were delivered; His name was and is exalted; His exploits were and are remembered and His praises were and are sounded. God sometimes raises or allows difficulties to come our way, so that He may have the glory of overcoming them and helping us. 1 Cor. 10:13 tells us, God is faithful, who... will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. He speaks in Psalm 50:15, Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. He turns difficulties into deliverances and problems into praises. Look for His glory to be displayed in your life. Ex. 14:5b-9a. The heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? So he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. Also, he took six hundred choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them.... So the Egyptians pursued them. As the Israeli widows rested among their family members and friends, they heard the distant sound of horses and chariot wheels approaching them. Fear gripped their hearts as they realized the enemy was pursuing them. They knew they were in trouble. Lesson 3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord The enemy the widows feared was the Egyptian army which could enslave them again. We have an unseen enemy that is just as real. An English preacher 4

5 in the nineteenth century, Charles Spurgeon, said, The great tyrant (the devil) has not forgotten you, and he [desires] your capture and re-enslavement. You and I have an enemy who is pursuing us to pull us back into serving him. Our great enemy is the devil. If you recall, we showed you in our conference last year what the Word of God says about the origin of this terrible enemy. God created him as the most beautiful angel, Lucifer. It was his privilege to lead the worship of God. He grew proud and wanted to hold God s power and position. He was cast out of heaven with one third of the angels who had become his followers. He and his demons are invisible evil spirits that work here on earth to draw people away from the obedience and worship of God. Satan is likened to five animals serpent, bird, wolf, lion, and dragon. In Genesis 3 he is a serpent deceiving Eve. In Matthew 13, he is a bird trying to spoil God s harvest. In John 10, he is a wolf attacking God s flock. In 1 Peter 5, he is a lion trying to devour God s children In Revelation 12, he is a dragon wanting to destroy God s Son. Our protection from this enemy is Jesus Christ! The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin and removes all guilt from us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). His resurrection frees us from the fear of death He rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:4). He gives us the victory [over death] through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:57b NIV). His life in us satisfies our need for eternal significance and happiness I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal. 2:20). The presence of the Lord surrounds us and the promises of the Bible sustain us. His grace heals our wounds. Jesus said in John 8:36, Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. Satan does not surrender his prey without a fight. He may use old friends, persecution or discouraging responses from our family to tempt us back to our old ways. He may afflict us with a lack of zeal, or an illness, a strong temptation, or various trials or troubles. Our fight is not against a physical enemy but against an unseen power. How can we respond? Acknowledge Satan s activity, but don t be intimidated by him. You can resist him by the blood of Jesus Christ and in the power of God! Memorize these verses and claim them when you sense the enemy s presence. The people who know their God, will firmly resist [Satan] (Daniel 11:32b). Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:7-8a). Resist him, steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:9). 5

6 Use every piece of God s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm (Eph. 6:13 NLT). The armor of God is listed in Eph.6: We must keep our focus on the Lord, who is far stronger than our enemy. Every time we resist the slightest temptation, we honor God. Every time we overcome even the smallest problem by trusting and obeying our Lord Jesus, God is glorified in our lives. Whenever we choose character over convenience, faithfulness over ease, or honesty over deceit, we bring honor to the Lord Himself. When we choose to obey God, He is glorified! Lesson 3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord PART 2 PRAYER TURNS FEAR TO CONFIDENCE AND OBEDIENCE Exodus 14:10. When Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD. The cries of the widows for God to help were a part of the united voice of Israel crying out to God for deliverance. They were about to be captured and returned to slavery. Lesson 4 Pray The prayer of the Israelites when they felt trapped at the Red Sea was united prayer. Praying with another person intensifies prayer and sends it to heaven with greater strength. They cry out to the LORD in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still (Psalm 107:28-29). This is crisis-time prayers; urgent prayers of annoying persistence, prayers during life-threatening or soul-shattering events. You and I have each had times in our lives when we have uttered such prayers. Times that we knew, unless He intervened, our lives could be destroyed. A missionary doctor in a bush hospital in East Africa tells the story of a school teacher named Yamusi Cikata, who came to him, carried on a stretcher from a nearby village. Parasites and disease had attacked his feet, swelling them twice their normal size. He could no longer walk, or even stand. The disease is very bad. Dr. White told him, The only way to save your life is to cut off both legs above the knee. The man s face fell. But there s no place for a man in our tribe who has no feet. How can I cultivate? How can I look after my garden and my cattle? Pulling a worn Testament from his scant clothing, Yamusi turned to 6

7 James 5:16 and said, Read this. Dr. White, unable to read the tribal language, asked his assistant to translate it: The very strong prayer of a man who is right with God is most effective. Do you believe that? asked the patient. Yes, Yamusi, I do. Do you believe it enough to stake my life on it? The doctor pondered the question. That depends on you as well, he finally replied. It says in the Book, If two of you shall agree in anything that you ask, it will be done. Together the two men made a covenant, and prayed with the doctor kneeling by the man s bed. The prayers were accompanied by months of hot foot baths, injections, therapy and treatment. After seven months, a slight improvement was seen, and the two men knelt together thanking God and asking for more progress. One morning, Dr. White found a joyful Yamusi hobbling around the ward, and before the year was out he was able to walk without pain. God listens to our prayers and responds in His own way and time with power and wisdom. Other times, prayers can be short. A Bible teacher once told a missionary, Amy Carmichael, that he had been irritable and hot-tempered. An older man advised him to look up at the moment of temptation and say, Thy sweetness, Lord. God quietly changed his heart and attitude. Amy developed many variations of that prayer. When meeting someone she didn t like, she would silently pray, Thy love, Lord. In a crisis, she d whisper, Thy help, Lord, or Thy wisdom, Lord. When facing a difficult problem, she would say, For this situation, I have You. Then she would experience God at work. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results (James 5:16 NLT). In prayer, we put our hand in the hand of the One who has almighty power and can part the seas. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God. He heard my voice from His temple (2 Sam. 22:7). Lesson 3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord Lesson 4 Pray Exodus 14: Moses said to the people: Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. The widows may have exclaimed, Could what Moses is saying be true? God will save us all today by fighting for us and we will never see the Egyptians again. 7

8 Lesson 5 Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work Dear widow friends, don t be afraid. In times of great difficulty, we are wise to stay calm and quiet with great expectation in God. Then we are most able to do our own work and consider the work of God. Fear not or do not be afraid occurs 107 times in the Old Testament and 42 times in the New Testament. God wants His children s emotions to be under control. Maturity can be described as the ability to keep one s passions under control. Leave room for God His wrath, his power, His grace, His intervention. Romans 12:19 tells us to not avenge ourselves but allow God to bring about what is due. We don t have the answer to every dilemma, but God does. We can t do the impossible, but Ephesians 3:20 tells us He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine. The Lord delights in the impossible. We must commit our situations to Him in prayer, trusting Him, and waiting for Him to work. Lesson 3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord Lesson 4 Pray Lesson 5 Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work Exodus 14: The Lord said to Moses, Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. An Israelite widow with children may have told them, Get your stuff and stay close to me, it is time for us to start moving forward. I don t know how we can, but God is ready to do a great thing for us! As they followed the people ahead of them, they knew something was happening because everyone was actually moving forward. Lesson 6 When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith When you wake up in the morning, let your first thought be, God, what do You want to do in my life today? Ask Him to guide your steps and increase your faith, by providing what you need to follow Him and serve Him with your life. Your road in life, as a widow, may be very difficult or seem impossible for you to walk. A great missionary, Isobel Kuhn, said I have found that if we go as far as we can, God often opens up the rest of the way. When the Japanese invaded her Province in China, she escaped on foot with her young son, over the 8

9 mountains to Burma, without money, God made a way for her and the boy to get safely back to the United States. In 2009, during the Kenya unrest following the elections, a young mother in Eldoret gave birth to a little girl on Christmas, while her husband was away at school in another country. A few days later, some of the houses around her were being set on fire by angry mobs and people were being killed or injured. She took her newborn baby and older children and fled on foot to find a safer place. God kept her and the children safe and later they were able to return to their home which had not been burned. She praised God for the protection he had given to her, the new baby, their other children and for keeping their home intact. We must totally depend on the Lord and trust Him to provide light as we take one step at a time. He will provide for us day by day; comfort and care for us moment by moment. The Bible encourages us to trust Him day by day. The pillar of cloud led them forward day by day (Neh. 9:19 TLB,). Day by day the Lord also pours out his steadfast love upon me (Ps. 42:8 TLB). Your strength shall be renewed day by day like morning dew (Ps. 110:3 TLB). Give us day by day our daily bread (Luke 11:3). If God gives us daily bread, then He will give us daily work, daily plans, daily opportunities. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day (2 Cor. 4:16). Day by day and with each passing moment, Strength I find to meet my trials here; Trusting in my Father s wise bestowment, I ve no cause for worry or for fear. (Song Day by Day by Karolina W. Sandell-Berg) When we are unsure of the next step, we must throw aside our fear and seek God s light for the answer. We choose to trust Him to guide and strengthen us step by step. Don t doubt in the dark, what we know to be true in the light. God will help you not to collapse when faced with adversity. Never a trial that He is not there, Never a burden that He does not bear, Never a sorrow that He does not share, Moment by moment, we re under His care. (Song Moment by Moment by Daniel W. Whittle) Lesson 3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord Lesson 4 Pray Lesson 5 Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work Lesson 6 When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith 9

10 PART 3 GOD S PRESENCE RESOLVES CRISIS, BUILDS FAITH, AND DRAWS FORTH PRAISE Exodus 14: The Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night. To a widow, who had no husband at her side, God s presence was wondrous, The light that He provided for the Israelite people to see their surroundings, encouraged them as God directed them to move forward. Lesson 7 Envision God s enveloping presence The day after I became a widow, in 1971, God assured me from Isaiah 54:5a For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name. I claimed that verse and the promises that came with it that He would be present with me always and never leave me or forsake me. He provided all that a husband could give me security, provision, love, companionship, a listening ear, compassion, wise counsel, and strong help. In thirty years as a widow, He never failed me. God used my physical loss of a mate to cultivate in me a greater awareness and appreciation for Himself. The Lord s presence is never so sweet as in times of great difficulty. I would like to suggest a plan for you to practice His presence: Affirm His nearness in your heart I look behind me and you are there, then up ahead and you are there too your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful I can t take it all in (Ps. 139:5-6 The Message)! The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything (Phil. 4:5b-6a NIV). Fear not, for I am with you (Isa. 41:10a). Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go (Gen. 28:15a). Speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you (Acts 18:9b-10a). I will never leave you nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5b). Visualize God s presence, in your mind The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms (Deut. 33:27a). Hide me under the shadow of your wings (Psalm 17:8b). The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer (Psalm 18:2a). At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.... But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me (2 Tim. 4:16a-17a). 10

11 Access God s nearness through prayer What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him (Deut. 4:7 NIV)? Reflect His presence in your demeanor But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:18). The widow Lois A dear Kenyan friend, Lois Mbeke Nzwili, became a widow in 1961 when her husband died of TB. Her fourth child was born immediately after her husband died. Her husband had been an orphan and had no living parents; therefore she and her children were at the mercy of an uncle who mistreated them. He wanted their property. They lived in a temporary house which was damaged severely by the rains and finally fell down after Lois had safely moved her family into a granary on the property. In 1965 she returned to her parents area and lived with brothers and their families for a while. She did not want to be a burden to them so she trusted God to help her and the children to be independent. Lois practiced the presence of Christ in her life and thrived on the Word of God, which she taught to all her children and grandchildren. She managed to keep her children together through the years by prayer, by working for a neighbor weeding his coffee trees, and by going long distances for green bananas and selling them when they were ripe. Her youngest son has told me that they never went to bed hungry. She educated all her children. The oldest studied law and become a police officer. God enabled her to apply the law through the court system and get back the family farm in the Kiteta district, which her children now co-own. Lois prayed that one of her children would serve in God s ministry. Her youngest, which had been fatherless all of his life, became a teacher, and later, attended Scott Theological College and became a pastor. He went on to become the pastor of AIC Kakuswi, principal of Nduluku Bible College, and the Kiteta District Chairman. God is his Father! Lesson 3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord Lesson 4 Pray Lesson 5 Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work Lesson 6 When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith Lesson 7 Envision God s enveloping presence 11

12 Exodus 14: Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. These African born Israelite widows, in the midst of two million people, moved forward and into the Red sea. They found a wide path of dry ground beneath their feet and the waters of the sea in high walls to the right and to the left. Lesson 8 Trust God to deliver in His own unique way God used Moses obedience to lift his rod, in faith that God would divide the sea and dry the ground beneath the sea, so they could have safe passage. The children of Israel walked through the sea in faith that God would hold the waters in place until all had safely passed through and at the same time protect them from their enemy, close behind. It was a miraculous deliverance. The LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you (Deut. 23:14a). Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all Ps. 34:19). The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations (2 Peter 2:9a). [Christ] gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age (Gal. 1:4a). Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me (Ps. 50:15). The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen (2 Tim. 4:18). God especially loves widows and fatherless children and delights to deliver them from their troubles when they call out to Him in prayer. He will deliver from starvation, poverty, family problems, emotional confusion, harm and danger, self-destructive habits, sinful practices, and disease. We need God s perspective on deliverance. My thoughts are not your thoughts, the Lord cautions in Isaiah 55:8, nor are your ways My ways. He designs a unique, tailor-made deliverance to every trial and trouble. Sometimes the answer comes through a miracle such as the one at the Red Sea. God still works miracles today. He controls nature today just as He did then. A woman named Bertha Smith tells of traveling to a primitive village to do evangelistic work. She did not have a place to stay, so she shared a stall with an ox and a swarm of flies. She prayed, Lord, I am one of your spoiled children. All my life I have been accustomed to screened houses and clean food. Now, I just can t eat with those flies all over my food. In Egypt, you had flies come and go at Your word. You are the same today.... Now please do one of two things for 12

13 me: either take the flies away, or enable me just to go ahead and eat and not mind them. You then take care of any disease germs which they may put into my body.... Whichever You wish to do will be good enough for me! Which do you think God did? Not a fly was seen in that ox stall the remaining five days she was there witnessing and teaching. You must agree that was a miracle. Divine providence, or the wise ordering of God, is very real. God watches over His prayerful, trusting children and His unseen hand is guiding, guarding, arranging and rearranging circumstances! In the unfolding of His providence and grace, our burdens become blessings, our tears lead to triumph, and the redemptive grace of God overcomes the difficulties of life in the experiences of His children. We need to practice the providence of God! When God does not deliver through a miracle, or by providence, He will deliver mysteriously with a deeper level of intervention than we can discern with the eye. In the end it will be better for us, though for a time we may be kept in the dark. The apostle Paul talks about his thorn in the flesh, which was a painful physical condition. Three times he asked God to take it away from him and God said no. God told Paul, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. [Paul responds,] Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:9-10). In his last letter, 2 Timothy 4:18, Paul the apostle said, The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. Yet he was beheaded days later and buried. Was he delivered? Yes. He was snatched away from the evil that surrounded him, removed from tears, pain, stress, and sickness, taken where Satan could no longer harass, and was present with the Lord, which is far better. What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this (John 13:7b). God will save and deliver in His own unique way, whether miraculous, providential, or mysterious. You can trust Him to do that. Lesson 3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord Lesson 4 Pray Lesson 5 Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work Lesson 6 When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith Lesson 7 Envision God s enveloping presence Lesson 8 Trust God to deliver in His own unique way Exodus 14: The LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great 13

14 work which the LORD had done in Egypt, so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses. When the widows emerged on the far side of the sea and gathered at the edge of the sea as a part of the Israelite nation, their faith was strengthened to see that their pursuers had been destroyed by the same waters that had parted to save them. Lesson 9 View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future A missionary, Hudson Taylor, whose life story greatly encouraged me as a young Christian, said, I know [God] tries me only to increase my faith. What is faith? Believing that what the Lord has told us will be accomplished. It is being fully persuaded that God has the power to do what He has promised. We assume by faith that God is in control of our lives and will do what is best for us. God wants us to fully rely on Him and bring all our concerns and fears to Him. The Bible is a record of the history and works of God. It is filled with His promises for us to believe and claim, so that we will grow in faith. Faith lives in a Bible promise like a fish lives in water. When we face a crisis, one thing we can do is ask God to give us a promise concerning the problem we are dealing with. Faith brings the promise into our life. Fear God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). In God I have put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me (Ps.56:11)? Poverty The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need (Ps. 23:1GNB). Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you (Matthew 6:31-32). Danger Do not be afraid of sudden terror, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught (Proverbs 3:25,26). He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty (Ps. 91:1). Disease I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds, says the LORD (Jeremiah 30:17a). Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven (James 5:14-15). Death Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me (Ps. 23:4). Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints (Ps. 116:15). 14

15 Faith that is nurtured by believing trust in our wise heavenly Father, clings to the truth that God will do what is the very best for us. He sees the big picture. We don t! Lesson 3 - Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord Lesson 4 Pray Lesson 5 Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work Lesson 6 When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith Lesson 7 Envision God s enveloping presence Lesson 8 Trust God to deliver in His own unique way Lesson 9 View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future Exodus 15:1-2 Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father s God and I will exalt Him. The widows found themselves dancing and filled with joy as they joined the crowd in singing and shouting praises to God. Praise and thanksgiving flowed from their lips for their deliverance from slavery. Their God had set them free! Lesson 10 Do not forget to praise Him This is the first recorded song in history. It burst forth from a nation of liberated slaves as they sang and danced. Their song echoed through the skies all the way to heaven. Are there echoes of praise that rise up from you? When you awake in the morning, do you hear the birds praising their maker? As we look around us, do we see things to praise Him and thank Him for? As we go through our day, do we often lift up our hearts in praise for our God, for our Savior, for the Holy Spirit who dwells within, for our salvation, for our Bible, for our hymn book, for our home, for our children or grandchildren, for our friends, and for our church and pastor? Our praises delight God s heart and bring Him glory. This is the purpose for which we exist on this earth. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (Rev. 4:11KJV). When we glorify, praise and thank God, we bring pleasure to Him. These African Bible widows that we have considered today, experienced God s power in remarkable ways. We now have ten lessons to remember and practice. Let s say them together one more time. 15

16 Lesson 3 Acknowledge your enemy, but keep your eyes on the Lord Lesson 4 Pray Lesson 5 Stay calm and confident, and give God time to work Lesson 6 When unsure, just take the next logical step by faith Lesson 7 Envision God s enveloping presence Lesson 8 Trust God to deliver in His own unique way Lesson 9 View your current crisis as a faith builder for the future Lesson 10 Do not forget to praise Him 16