Puddle Jumpers

Psalm 44:3......3 For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword,
Nor did their own arm save them;
But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance,
Because You favored them. NKJV

There are giants in the land! Yes, this was probably heard throughout the camp for days when the spies returned from checking out the Promised Land. But according to this scripture above, they gained possession of the land, not by their own sword nor by their own arm! They gained the land through the right hand of God, by the light of His countenance because God favored them! Amen.

Psalm 5:11-12................11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name 

Be joyful in You. 

12 For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.  NKJV

Was listening to some teaching early this morning, and when I heard the Psalm 44, I thought also of Psalm 5 and verse 12.............and this picture like a motion picture movie came spiritually to my heart to see. It was like seeing this new vehicle, like a new pickup truck, all washed and waxed, go through this tremendous mud puddle. As I watched the truck go through this really deep, almost pond sized-body filled with mixture of watery mud with the consistency of thick, sticky, and pasty mud, the truck rolled through the muddy mess, and this thick paste splashed in slow motion over this new truck. It looked like a real muddy mess. As I looked closely, I could this impenetrable thick shield over the paint of the vehicle. Then instantly, rain came from heaven and washed the mud away. The truck was as new and shiny as before with no trace of mud anywhere to be seen on the body! The paint on the truck was not marred in anyway by the sudden insult of mud on the shiny coat.

I then thought of people and walking through their daily lives. They need their bills paid, their children schooled, their taxes paid, money to help out their elderly parents, a new place to live or to sell some property they no longer need. They just need some favor where they are walking that day! They desire to have a lower bill on their utilities, a lower bill on their property taxes or favor just getting to work that morning.

Some of the things we may encounter each day, may look like this grand new truck driving through a tremendous sized mud puddle. Having to get from point A to point B certainly can take some effort and work when dealing with other people.  But anyone knows that some people just create mud puddles, and are known as puddle jumpers. They like making things hard, difficult, and sometimes just hard to understand. But truly having God and His favor causes us to have a shield of favor. That when God our Father favors us, He surrounds with a shield where the mud from those puddle jumpers just rolls off us. When God our Father is for us, then all other things must bow to the name of Jesus.

A good example of this I desire to share with you all is this, and again I think of our children, C. and K.  It was five years ago when our grand-daughter was just months old and C. and K.  were requiring a larger home. They had seen a couple of places to check out and I happened to be visiting in their home at the time. So I went with them, and we all prayed for God our Father's perfect plan for them in the process in finding a new place to live!

Well, we arrived early and had to wait for the property manager to arrive. This gave us time to continue to pray to the Father about this specific home. This was a new home and not lived in, but the owner's wanted it rented to the right people.

When we went in, and walked each room downstairs, I immediately in the spirit, saw my son-in-law donned with his chef's hat on, perfectly white apron,  and was serving food to guests in this perfect kitchen. I could see him laughing and enjoying himself as he served others!

Again, I tell you this place was new, and even the information brochures on each appliance were still taped to the inside of the oven, the microwave oven, and the refrigerator. There was still plastic coverings all over the carpets! It was awesome. It had the new home smell of fresh lumber and paint! As we walked through, I told C. and K. what I saw about seeing our son-in-law preparing food in this kitchen and they were excited.

So, they talked with the property management and found out there was already two other families ahead of them on the list for occupying this particular property. C. and K. then filled out the proper forms and waited. Together, we all thanked the Lord for His goodness to His children and they were giving thanks for their new home. One week went by and then two weeks went by and nothing. Then along about the third week a call was made. One family had been disqualified and the lady was to give it to the 2nd on list who qualified, but she said she could not do it! She said somehow she knew this property should go to C. and K. and our grand-child!

They moved in May of that year and have been there ever since! They have always had favor there with this woman and the management company, plus with the actually owner of said property!

We can go through our life's journey and know God our Father is with us. He loves us and wants to bless us. We may come across puddle jumpers sometimes, but God makes all that muddy mess to wash away and restore to us the beauty He has for His children and their children! We truly have seen this circumstance unfold in the lives of  C., K. and our grand-child!

Some things make look like obstacles, road-blocks or hindrances, but we should ask the Lord for His plan and when He gives us vision, then we must hold on and keep Him ever before our eyes knowing that He has given us a shield of favor and whatever the world may throw at us, the Lord will wash it away and cause us to win!
If you are searching out new things, like buying a new home, renting a new place, just moving across town, helping your elderly parents, or just needing lower taxes, ask the Lord to show you  how to walk through the circumstance. He may or may not give you a vision of it, but you will have this knowing within your heart that things are about to change. Seek the Lord in His guidance for your life and you will experience the favor of God as a SHIELD!

Father, thank You for the shield of favor that You have surrounded us with. May we always know that You are looking out for our best interest. The world may speak or do something against Your plan for us, but it is You Who have given us the Land of Promise.  Help us to know that we do not gain this possession by sword or our own arm, but know that it is by Your right hand, Your arm and the Light of Your Countenance because You favor us!

Father, in Jesus' name, thank You for favor upon those whose hearts follow after You.
Today, Your children diligently seek good among those they work with, with those they live with, with those they gather with to worship You and  with those Who are dedicated to serving You no matter what the circumstance! I thank You for all who have received this Word today, and know that the favor of God is flowing to them right now. It is YOU who has placed on them the spirit of favor. They are a success today! These, Your children, seekers of good, are filled today with Your fullness and rooted and grounded in love. Father, today, I ask You to give to Your children abundantly above all that they may ask or think as YOUR mighty power takes over in them. 

Father, I attest that out of the abundance of their hearts, they shall continually speak, "Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. And their tongue shall talk of Your righteousness, rightness, and justice and [his/her reason for] Your praise all the day long. Amen.

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